The Lansing metro is home to 470,434 people (down 1.3% over five years), with a median household income of $70,886. Typical rent of $1,302/month works out to 22.0% of the median household income — comfortably below the 30% affordability threshold (Census ACS + Zillow, September 2026).
The share of Lansing's workforce by sector — the base of tenant demand:
| Sector | % of workforce |
|---|---|
| Education & health care | 27.2% |
| Manufacturing | 11.6% |
| Retail trade | 9.9% |
| Professional & management | 9.2% |
| Finance, insurance & real estate | 8.3% |
Education & health care is the metro's largest employment base — sectors like education and health care are recession-resilient anchors for rental demand.
Rents at 22.0% of median income leave room for rent growth without pricing out the median tenant. Market pricing, yields and the Star Score live on the Lansing market page; run a deal in the calculator.
At the 30%-of-income affordability rule, typical rent of $1,302/month suggests a household income around $52,000/year. The metro's median household income is $70,886.
By workforce share: Education & health care (27.2%), Manufacturing (11.6%), Retail trade (9.9%) (Census ACS 5-year).