Home prices

Residents, city leaders, and county leaders are aware of the state of housing and are concerned about the lack of quality and affordable housing options throughout Lenawee County, particularly in the south and southwest areas. In a survey conducted by Housing Lenawee in 2023, 100% of respondents representing county-, city-, village-, and township-level professionals indicated a need for new housing, while 83.3% indicated a need for funding to rehabilitate existing housing (Sprague et al., 2023). Even so, 66.7% of respondents shared that they lack the capacity to write and administer grants for housing rehabilitation and construction of new units (Sprague et al., 2023). Rising home prices for both renters and homeowners are a state and national phenomenon — and prices for housing often outpace income growth.

Housing prices in Lenawee County have followed state and national trends while remaining below state and national averages. Housing prices across all geographies rose steadily from 2012 to 2020, after which prices increased more sharply following the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2023, housing prices have continued to increase, but at a slower rate than the period from 2020–2023.

Additionally, while housing prices in Lenawee County have remained below state and national averages since 2000, price differences between Lenawee, Michigan, and the U.S. have changed over time. In 2012, the average home in Lenawee County cost about $3,000 less than the average home in Michigan, and about $67,500 less than the average home in the U.S. Today, even as home prices across all geographies have increased, the average home in Lenawee County costs $25,390 less than the average home in Michigan, and $131,466 less than the average home in the U.S. (Figure 5) (Zillow, 2019-2023).