How Much Does Section 8 Pay in Grand Rapids? (FY2027 Payment Standards by ZIP)
HUD publishes one Fair Market Rent for the whole Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI area, and unless a housing authority has opted into Small Area FMRs, that single metro-wide figure is what its Section 8 payment standard is built on. For FY2027 the metro 2-bedroom FMR is $1,630. HUD also publishes ZIP-level Small Area FMRs for the same metro, and they show how uneven the market really is: across the 27 ZIP codes in Kent County the 2-bedroom figure runs from $1,380 in ZIP 49326 to $2,450 in ZIP 49301.
Below: the full spread by bedroom size, what your share of the rent actually is, who runs the program in Grand Rapids, and what landlords here should know.
The FY2027 Numbers: Low ZIP vs. High ZIP
Two ZIP codes at opposite ends of Kent County show how far the FY2027 figures move:
| Bedrooms | ZIP 49326 | ZIP 49301 |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,110 | $1,960 |
| 1 BR | $1,160 | $2,050 |
| 2 BR | $1,380 | $2,450 |
| 3 BR | $1,790 | $3,180 |
| 4 BR | $1,980 | $3,630 |
The middle of the range: the median 2-bedroom SAFMR across the 27 ZIP codes in Kent County is $1,630 (ZIP 49512). For reference, HUD's metro-wide FMR for the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI area is $1,630 for a 2-bedroom, the figure a housing authority uses unless it has adopted the ZIP-level standards.
One important caveat: these are HUD's FY2027 SAFMRs, the basis for payment standards. Each housing authority sets its actual payment standard within a band around these figures (typically 90% to 110%), so confirm the exact standard for your ZIP with your PHA before signing anything. You can browse the ZIP-by-ZIP numbers on our Grand Rapids Section 8 guide or straight from HUD's SAFMR dataset.
Beyond Kent County: The Whole Metro
A voucher can often be used elsewhere in the metro through portability, and the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI area is bigger than Kent County: 112 ZIP codes in all, from $1,090 for a 2-bedroom in ZIP 48811 (Montcalm County) up to $2,450 in ZIP 49301 (Kent County). The metro-wide median is $1,400.
Five ZIP codes spaced across the metro show the whole ladder, from cheapest to most expensive:
| ZIP | County | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48811 | Montcalm County | $920 | $1,090 | $1,330 |
| 48834 | Montcalm County | $1,030 | $1,260 | $1,570 |
| 49348 | Allegan County | $1,160 | $1,400 | $1,790 |
| 49428 | Ottawa County | $1,420 | $1,620 | $2,040 |
| 49301 | Kent County | $2,050 | $2,450 | $3,180 |
FY2026 to FY2027: The Change Effective October 1, 2026
HUD's metro-wide 2-bedroom FMR for Grand Rapids went up 6.5% from FY2026 to FY2027: $1,531 to $1,630. An increase widens what a voucher can cover, but only once the authority updates its payment standard; ask whether yours has adopted the FY2027 figures yet.
What You Actually Pay as a Tenant
Your share is generally 30% of your adjusted monthly income; the voucher covers the difference between that and the rent, up to the payment standard for your ZIP and bedroom size. Take a household earning $2,400 a month. Its share is about $720. In a ZIP where the 2-bedroom standard is $1,630, the voucher can cover up to $910 of the rent.
Practical consequence: in Grand Rapids, where you search changes what your voucher is worth more than almost any other decision. Two similar apartments on opposite sides of a ZIP boundary can differ by hundreds of dollars in approvable rent, while your own contribution stays pegged to your income.
Grand Rapids Landlords: What the Standard Means for You
The economics vary block to block. In ZIPs near the bottom of the table, the standard often matches what the unit would rent for unassisted, with the housing authority's portion arriving every month on schedule. In the higher-cost ZIPs, the ceiling is high enough that a voucher tenant competes with anyone. Either way the PHA runs a rent reasonableness check against comparable unassisted units before approving the lease.
Also non-negotiable: refusing a voucher holder is illegal in Michigan under the Michigan Public Act 195 of 2024 (effective April 2, 2025). Source of income is a protected class, so "no vouchers" in an ad is itself a violation.
If you own units in Grand Rapids, list them free on VoucherMatch and reach voucher holders searching by ZIP right now.
Who Administers Section 8 in Grand Rapids
Vouchers in the Grand Rapids metro area are administered by several authorities, and each sets its own payment standard inside HUD's band. The biggest ones:
- Grand Rapids Housing Commission, (616) 235-2600, about 3,800 vouchers
- Wyoming Housing Commission, (616) 534-5471, about 1,200 vouchers
- Muskegon Housing Commission, (231) 722-2647, about 370 vouchers
- Montcalm County Housing Commission, (231) 937-4241, about 360 vouchers
- Housing Services Mid-Michigan, (517) 541-1180, about 210 vouchers
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a 2-bedroom Section 8 voucher worth in Grand Rapids in FY2027? It depends on the ZIP code: HUD's FY2027 Small Area FMRs for 2-bedrooms range from $1,380 (49326) to $2,450 (49301) across the 27 ZIPs in Kent County, with a median around $1,630. Your PHA's payment standard is set from these figures.
Why does my voucher cover more in some neighborhoods than others? HUD publishes a Small Area FMR for every ZIP code in the metro alongside the single metro-wide FMR. Authorities that have adopted the ZIP-level figures pay different ceilings in different neighborhoods; ask yours which it uses.
Can a Grand Rapids landlord refuse my voucher? No. Refusing an applicant because they pay with a voucher is illegal in Michigan under the Michigan Public Act 195 of 2024 (effective April 2, 2025).
Do these numbers include utilities? The standards assume rent plus a utility allowance fit within the ceiling. If you pay utilities yourself, the approvable rent drops by the allowance for your unit size. The mechanics are the same ones we cover in our utility allowance guide, with Grand Rapids's own allowance schedules.
Where can I see the number for my exact ZIP? Our Grand Rapids Section 8 guide list payment data ZIP by ZIP, or check HUD's SAFMR lookup and confirm with your housing authority.
Comparing metros? We have the same breakdown for Detroit, and a Michigan Section 8 overview.
Have a voucher and looking in Grand Rapids? Browse voucher-friendly listings, filtered by ZIP and bedroom size.
Own property in the Grand Rapids metro area? List it free and reach tenants with guaranteed rent.
VoucherMatch Editorial Team
Every rule, date and dollar amount in this article is checked against the agency document it comes from, and the sources are listed above. How VoucherMatch articles are researched and corrected
Related Articles
How Much Does Section 8 Pay in Greenville? (FY2027 Payment Standards by ZIP)
Greenville Section 8 ceilings are set ZIP by ZIP: FY2027 2-bedroom figures in Greenville County run from $1,210 to $2,180. The full spread by bedroom, your share of the rent, and who to call.
6 min readHow Much Does Section 8 Pay in New Orleans? (FY2027 Payment Standards by ZIP)
New Orleans Section 8 ceilings are set ZIP by ZIP: FY2027 2-bedroom figures in Orleans Parish run from $1,210 to $2,220. The full spread by bedroom, your share of the rent, and who to call.
6 min readHow Much Does Section 8 Pay in Omaha? (FY2027 Payment Standards by ZIP)
Omaha Section 8 ceilings are set ZIP by ZIP: FY2027 2-bedroom figures in Douglas County run from $1,180 to $2,180. The full spread by bedroom, your share of the rent, and who to call.
6 min readHow Much Does Section 8 Pay in Honolulu? (FY2027 Payment Standards by ZIP)
Honolulu Section 8 ceilings are set ZIP by ZIP: FY2027 2-bedroom figures in Honolulu County run from $2,080 to $3,810. The full spread by bedroom, your share of the rent, and who to call.
6 min readHow Much Does Section 8 Pay in Rochester? (FY2027 Payment Standards by ZIP)
Rochester Section 8 ceilings are set ZIP by ZIP: FY2027 2-bedroom figures in Monroe County run from $1,420 to $2,130. The full spread by bedroom, your share of the rent, and who to call.
6 min readHow Much Does Section 8 Pay in Tulsa? (FY2027 Payment Standards by ZIP)
Tulsa Section 8 ceilings are set ZIP by ZIP: FY2027 2-bedroom figures in Tulsa County run from $950 to $1,760. The full spread by bedroom, your share of the rent, and who to call.
7 min read