What is the average Class A rent in Detroit?

Around 26 USD/sqft/yr ($26 USD) across the broader Class A index. Trophy submarkets like Downtown command 20–40% above that.

How many months of rent-free are normal in Detroit?

14 months on a 10-year deal is the standard benchmark. Lease-up product or tenants with strong covenant strength can push higher.

Are rents rising or falling in Detroit?

The Detroit Class A market is currently flat. Vacancy is 22.6%, which sets the negotiating context.

Headline Class A rent in Detroit is around 26 USD/sqft/yr ($26 USD), with 14 months of typical rent-free on a 10-year term.

Headline Class A rent: 26 USD/sqft/yr ($26 USD).
Trophy submarket rents (Downtown) push to roughly $32/sqft/yr.
Typical concessions on a 10-year deal: 14 months free rent.
Vacancy stands at 22.6% — market trend is flat.
Use effective rent (face minus PV of concessions), not headline, to compare deals.

Detroit Class A office rents and incentives

Headline Class A rent in Detroit is around 26 USD/sqft/yr ($26 USD), with 14 months of typical rent-free on a 10-year term.

TL;DR

Headline Class A rent: 26 USD/sqft/yr ($26 USD).
Trophy submarket rents (Downtown) push to roughly $32/sqft/yr.
Typical concessions on a 10-year deal: 14 months free rent.
Vacancy stands at 22.6% — market trend is flat.
Use effective rent (face minus PV of concessions), not headline, to compare deals.

Headline rent vs. effective rent

Asking rents in Detroit are quoted in USD per sqft per year. Across the broad Class A index the figure is 26, but the trophy tier in Downtown reaches roughly $32/sqft/yr. Always discount headline rent by the present value of free rent and fit-out-capex">tenant improvement allowance to land on effective rent — the only number that compares cleanly across deals.

Rent-free and TI

Standard Detroit concessions on a 10-year Class A lease run to 14 months of base-rent abatement. Trophy lease-ups can push rent-free 25–40% above that benchmark. Local cost-of-occupancy is also shaped by tax — 21% federal plus Michigan's 6% corporate income tax. Detroit city income tax of 2% on businesses. Combined effective rate near 26%.

Where rents land by submarket

Downtown sits at the top end (~$32/sqft/yr). Midtown clears around $28/sqft/yr as the prime tier. Troy represents the value end at ~$24/sqft/yr. The full submarket map is on the Detroit city page.

Key facts

city	Detroit
country	United States
region	Americas
classARentLocal	26 USD/sqft/yr
classARentUsd	$26/sqft/yr
vacancy	22.6%
typicalLeaseYears	10
typicalRentFreeMonths	14
submarkets	5
primeYieldPct	7.6%
trophyRent	$32/sqft/yr
primeRent	$28/sqft/yr

Frequently asked questions

What is the average Class A rent in Detroit?: Around 26 USD/sqft/yr ($26 USD) across the broader Class A index. Trophy submarkets like Downtown command 20–40% above that.
How many months of rent-free are normal in Detroit?: 14 months on a 10-year deal is the standard benchmark. Lease-up product or tenants with strong covenant strength can push higher.
Are rents rising or falling in Detroit?: The Detroit Class A market is currently flat. Vacancy is 22.6%, which sets the negotiating context.

Editorial provenance

Reviewed by Class A Atlas Editorial Desk — House byline · global editorial team. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.

Primary sources for this page

CBRE Marketview reports — CBRE
JLL Office Insight — JLL
Cushman & Wakefield Marketbeat — Cushman & Wakefield
Savills World Research — Savills
Colliers Global Office Outlook — Colliers

Full sources index · Submit a correction