Battle Creek, MI housing market
The typical Battle Creek home is worth about $184,000, up 3.6% in a year, 31% below the Michigan typical home. Homes typically sell in 23 days, below asking.
Home values, sales, trends and how Battle Creek compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Battle Creek at a glance
A strong seller's market
Homes are selling faster than new ones are listed: less than two months of supply. Well-priced homes can draw several offers.
Typical home value, 2016–2026
Show as a table
| January | Battle Creek | Michigan |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $91,000 | $144,000 |
| 2018 | $97,000 | $155,000 |
| 2019 | $104,000 | $165,000 |
| 2020 | $114,000 | $175,000 |
| 2021 | $127,000 | $194,000 |
| 2022 | $148,000 | $217,000 |
| 2023 | $151,000 | $230,000 |
| 2024 | $162,000 | $241,000 |
| 2025 | $173,000 | $253,000 |
| 2026 | $179,000 | $262,000 |
| August 2026 | $184,000 | $266,000 |
9 new homes permitted in 2025
Builders were permitted 9 new homes in Battle Creek in 2025, all single-family houses, worth about $2.9 million to build. That's 0.2 per 1,000 residents, slower than across Michigan (2.3). Over the past 10 years, Battle Creek has permitted 95 homes in all.
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Battle Creek gained 374 residents while 92 new homes were permitted: about 4.1 new residents per new home. Population grew faster than building, so existing homes filled up: a sign of tight supply. Across Michigan: 1.2 new residents per new home.
How Battle Creek ranks on housing keeping up with growth →
Residents: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 and 2020 censuses. New homes: permits issued 2010–2019.
Show as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Jan–Aug) | 7 | 7 | 0 | $2.3 million |
| 2025 | 9 | 9 | 0 | $2.9 million |
| 2024 | 8 | 8 | 0 | $2.9 million |
| 2023 | 7 | 7 | 0 | $1.6 million |
| 2022 | 13 | 11 | 2 | $3 million |
| 2021 | 11 | 11 | 0 | $3.4 million |
| 2020 | 10 | 10 | 0 | $3.1 million |
| 2019 | 9 | 9 | 0 | $2.8 million |
| 2018 | 9 | 9 | 0 | $2.8 million |
| 2017 | 10 | 10 | 0 | $3.1 million |
| 2016 | 9 | 9 | 0 | $2.8 million |
| 2015 | 11 | 11 | 0 | $2.1 million |
| 2014 | 10 | 10 | 0 | $1.9 million |
| 2013 | 11 | 11 | 0 | $2.5 million |
| 2012 | 9 | 9 | 0 | $1.5 million |
| 2011 | 10 | 10 | 0 | $1.7 million |
| 2010 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $418,000 |
| 2009 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $531,000 |
| 2008 | 8 | 8 | 0 | $2 million |
| 2007 | 137 | 33 | 104 | $12.1 million |
| 2006 | 74 | 62 | 12 | $12 million |
| 2005 | 166 | 90 | 76 | $15.5 million |
| 2004 | 78 | 78 | 0 | $13.1 million |
| 2003 | 108 | 102 | 6 | $15 million |
| 2002 | 164 | 68 | 96 | $9.9 million |
| 2001 | 173 | 77 | 96 | $10 million |
| 2000 | 214 | 99 | 115 | $16 million |
Battle Creek's permit office didn't report to the Census in 2025, so the 2025 figures are Census estimates.
How Battle Creek ranks on new homes being built →
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, through August 2026.
Battle Creek and its neighbors
| Town | Typical value | 1-yr change | 2-bed rent | New homes 2025 | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battle Creek | $184K | +3.6% | $1,170 | 9 | $55,693 |
| Pennfield | — | +2.2%† | $1,200 | 9 | $66,119 |
| Bedford | — | +4.6%† | $1,140 | 2 | $67,695 |
| Emmett | — | +1.8%† | $1,240 | 2 | $79,207 |
| Leroy | — | +5%† | $1,150 | 6 | $81,638 |
| Charleston | — | +12.2%† | $1,120 | 1 | $82,308 |
† FHFA price index change, where Zillow has no home value for the town.
3.3 years of income
The typical Battle Creek home costs about 3.3 years of the town's median household income, less than across Michigan (3.7 years).
How Battle Creek ranks on affordability →
Home value ÷ ACS median household income.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,170
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Battle Creek is $1,170 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Battle Creek pay a median of $957, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put. A two-bedroom takes about 25% of the town's median household income.
Studio $830 · 4 bedrooms $1,560
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (49014, 49015, 49017, 49034, 49037; Battle Creek, MI MSA), weighted by land area. A Fair Market Rent is the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, August 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, May 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Listings link to their publishers.