US News
Michigan's aging housing stock complicates efforts to resolve state housing crisis
With a median home age of 53, Michigan's older residential buildings present major barriers for first-time buyers due to repair costs and outdated materials.
The short version
- Approximately 60% of occupied homes in Michigan were built in or before the 1970s, making the state's median housing age 53 years old—eight years older than the national median.
- Experts attribute the aging stock to a severe slowdown in homebuilding after the Great Recession, during which construction permits in the state plummeted from 54,000 in 2005 to 6,900 in 2009.
- State officials and political candidates are proposing different approaches to address the housing shortage, ranging from building regulation cuts to investments in weatherization and infrastructure.
Key facts
- Roughly 60% of occupied Michigan homes, totaling about 2.5 million units, were built in or before the 1970s.[Associated Press]
- The median housing age in Michigan is 53 years, compared to the United States national median of 45 years.[Associated Press]
- Michigan homebuilding permits fell sharply from 54,000 in 2005 to 6,900 in 2009 due to the disproportionate impact of the Great Recession on the state's auto-reliant economy.[Associated Press]
- When Michigan launched its statewide housing plan in 2022, officials estimated a shortage of 190,000 housing units; the Michigan State Housing Development Authority now estimates the shortage is closer to 97,000 homes.[Associated Press]
- Gubernatorial candidates Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, and John James, a Republican, have both proposed plans to address housing costs, though neither has detailed a plan focused specifically on the challenges of aging homes.[Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- Whether Michigan lawmakers will pass broader zoning reform remains uncertain, as past efforts have stalled due to pushback from local governments.[Associated Press]