Saginaw, MI Homes For Rent

Homes for Rent in Saginaw, MI: What You Need to Know

Saginaw is located on the Saginaw River, which runs into Saginaw Bay. It’s part of the Great Lakes Bay Region in east-central Michigan, known for its beauty and abundant resources.

Job Opportunities

Businesses are attracted to both the city and the county due to low overhead, available and affordable land, and access to transportation routes. Major economic drivers include advanced manufacturing, automotive and aerospace, medical, agribusiness, and professional services industries. Saginaw’s top employers include Nexteer Automotive, Covenant Healthcare, Morley Companies (display, interactive services, and travel), Meijer (department store), and Saginaw Valley State University.

Cost of Living

Michigan is one of the most affordable states in America. Its 6% sales tax rate is considered low. Also, there are no additional local sales taxes in the state. Michigan collects a flat income tax rate of 4.25%, but some cities charge an additional rate. Saginaw’s cost of living rate is 11.5% lower than the national average. Likewise, food and housing costs are 30% and 34.6% lower than the national average respectively. The median gross rent is $780. 

What Does Saginaw Mean?

Saginaw is an Ojibwa (also known as Chippewa) Indian word meaning “land of the Sauks.” The Sauks are a Native American tribe who lived primarily in the Green Bay, Wisconsin, area. The first permanent European settlement in the area known today as Michigan was established in 1675 by a French missionary. The French controlled the area until the Seven Years’ War in 1763, when it was ceded to the British. In 1816, Louis Campau created a permanent settlement at Saginaw by setting up a trading post, initially called East Saginaw. In 1873, it consolidated with South Saginaw, and with Saginaw City in 1889 to form the present city. Originally a lumber center, Saginaw grew into an agricultural and manufacturing area. 

Is Saginaw a Dangerous Place?

Saginaw (population: 190,539) is transforming its reputation from being “Sagnasty” into “Saginawesome” after significantly reducing the city’s crime rate and boosting overall safety. The city has reported a 40% decrease in homicides and a 25% decrease in shootings between 2018 and 2019, a far cry from the statistics in 2012, which prompted the negative epithet.

What Kind of Weather Does Saginaw Have?

Michigan enjoys four distinct seasons. Saginaw gets 32 inches of rain per year compared with the national average of 38 inches. It receives 42 inches of snow annually, more than the U.S. average of 28 inches. One of the worst blizzards in Saginaw happened on Jan. 26-27, 1967, when 24 inches of snow fell on the city.