Bay City housing market
Typical home value
$186K
▲ 6.5% 1 yr
Typical rent
$1,018/mo
▲ 2.5% 1 yr
12-month forecast
+4.8%
#21 of 546 metros
Gross rent yield
6.6%
#178 of 546 · U.S. 6.3%
Days to pending
37 days
▲ +5 days 1 yr
Listings with a price cut
29%
▲ +3.8 pts 1 yr
Key takeaways
- 1The typical home is worth $186,132, up 6.5% in a year and up 37% over five years.
- 2Zillow forecasts home values rising 4.8% over the next 12 months (U.S.: +1.1%).
- 3Typical rent is $1,018/mo (+2.5% YoY), a 6.6% gross yield, above the U.S. 6.3%.
- 4At 7.32% with 20% down, the typical home costs $1,023/mo in principal and interest, $5 more than renting.
- 5Homes go under contract in 37 days (+5 days vs last year); 29% of listings have had a price cut.
Market temperature
Buyer's market
Buyer'sNeutralSeller's
Zillow Market Heat Index: 43/100, #236 hottest of 546 metros. Below 44 favors buyers; above 55 favors sellers.
Home values and rent
How fast homes are selling
For saleNew listings
Affordability
To buy (20% down)To rent
Source: Zillow Research (ZHVI, ZORI and market activity data).
How Bay City compares
| Measure | Bay City | United States | Rank of 546 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home value, 1-yr change | +6.5% | +1.2% | #22 |
| Home value, 5-yr change | +36.6% | +19.7% | |
| 12-month forecast | +4.8% | +1.1% | #21 |
| Rent, 1-yr change | +2.5% | +2.7% | #354 |
| Gross rent yield | 6.6% | 6.3% | #178 |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 15.2 | 15.8 | |
| Mortgage P&I on typical home | $1,023 | $2,012 | |
| Income needed to buy | $55,318 | $100,902 | |
| Days to pending | 37 | 56 |
Cities in the Bay City metro
1 cities with home value and rent data.
| Bay City | $126K | ▲ 5.2% | $968 | ▲ 3.2% | 9.2% |
Run the numbers
Rental property calculator
Cash flow on a typical Bay City rental ($186K, $1,018/mo), pre-filled.
Mortgage calculator
Monthly payment on a typical Bay City home.
Rent vs buy
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Bay City?
Renting out a property in Michigan? See deposit limits, late fee rules and notice periods.
Other Michigan metros
Detroit, MI
$264K home$1,514 rent6.9% yield
▲ 1.8% 1 yr
Grand Rapids, MI
$356K home$1,614 rent5.4% yield
▲ 4.9% 1 yr
Lansing, MI
$246K home$1,302 rent6.3% yield
▲ 3.6% 1 yr
Flint, MI
$196K home$1,041 rent6.4% yield
▲ 4.1% 1 yr
Ann Arbor, MI
$412K home$1,917 rent5.6% yield
▲ 2.4% 1 yr
Kalamazoo, MI
$274K home$1,287 rent5.6% yield
▲ 4.4% 1 yr
Saginaw, MI
$175K home$1,055 rent7.2% yield
▲ 5.4% 1 yr
Muskegon, MI
$255K home$1,288 rent6.1% yield
▲ 4.3% 1 yr
Gross yield = 12 × typical rent ÷ typical home value, before expenses. Mortgage estimate: 20% down, 30-year fixed at the current Freddie Mac average, principal and interest only. Forecast: Zillow Home Value Forecast. Data refreshed Oct 26, 2026.