If you’re thinking of moving to Michigan and you haven’t experienced the magic of the Michigan mitten yet, you should definitely start your search in Detroit. The Motor City has some very cool, diverse neighborhoods that deserve your attention, and HomeSnacks is here to tell you the top ten best neighborhoods in Detroit for 2024.
To be eligible for our list, a Motown neighborhood had to be strong in areas like jobs, affordability, safety, and fun stuff to do. To get this data, we ran each neighborhood through our Snackability formula that looked for excellence in the same criteria. We also consulted the latest census data for median income levels and median home values.
The following is what we learned:
Many of Detroit’s best neighborhoods are located on the city’s northeast side along the Detroit River; and if you’re lucky enough to call one of these gems home, you will have scenic views, accessible marinas, and pedestrian and bicycle friendly streets. Neighborhoods like Jeffries will put you in the middle of Detroit Lions’ territory at the base of Ford Field; and of course, Downtown, will put you in the middle of everything Detroit.
And for all of you people who base every major life’s decisions around good food, we can personally verify that Detroit’s best neighborhoods are definitely not lacking in tasty treats. There are little corner spots like Mudgie’s Deli in the West Side Industrial neighborhood that serve up some of the finest smoked meat sandwiches and Legends on Livernois St. in the Sherwood Forest neighborhood makes a pizza that rivals Chicago’s deep dish.
Great food, great views, low crime, and affordability are qualities that can be found in Detroit’s top ten best neighborhoods; but if you want to know what neighborhood has it all, keep reading.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
Detroit’s 79 neighborhoods are starting to see an influx of residents as many of these places are undergoing a sort of revitalization. Surprisingly, you can scoop up great homes in The Big D’s best neighborhoods for $112,572. And in Detroit’s number one neighborhood, you can be close to the riverfront.
So, what is Detroit’s number one neighborhood? According to the latest data, that would be Downtown.
To see how your favorite Detroit neighborhoods compared, take a look below.
For more Michigan reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Michigan
- Cheapest Places To Live In Michigan
- Most Dangerous Places in Michigan
The 10 Best Neighborhoods To Live In Detroit
Population: 5,889
Median Home Value: $371,700 (Third best)
Median Income: $65,153 (12th best)
More on Downtown: Data | Real Estate
Population: 1,756
Median Home Value: $389,300 (Second best)
Median Income: $103,506 (Second best)
More on Indian Village: Data | Real Estate
Population: 5,628
Median Home Value: $163,200 (19th best)
Median Income: $37,930 (35th best)
More on Lafayette Park: Data | Real Estate
Population: 975
Median Home Value: $297,900 (Seventh best)
Median Income: $113,750 (best)
More on Sherwood Forest: Data | Real Estate
Population: 1,217
Median Home Value: $170,800 (18th best)
Median Income: $61,019 (14th best)
More on Green Acres: Data | Real Estate
Population: 565
Median Home Value: $250,800 (11th best)
Median Income: $76,604 (Seventh best)
More on West Side Industrial: Data | Real Estate
Population: 9,997
Median Home Value: $359,583 (Fourth best)
Median Income: $30,191 (58th best)
More on Midtown: Data | Real Estate
Population: 3,083
Median Home Value: $251,600 (Ninth best)
Median Income: $83,828 (Sixth best)
More on University District: Data | Real Estate
Population: 1,308
Median Home Value: $238,150 (13th best)
Median Income: $56,804 (17th best)
More on Rivertown: Data | Real Estate
Population: 416
Median Home Value: $238,100 (14th best)
Median Income: $92,700 (Fourth best)
More on Marina District: Data | Real Estate
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Detroit, MI Neighborhoods In 2024
To rank the best neighborhoods in Detroit, we had to determine what criteria define “best” and then apply Saturday Night Science to it.
Using FBI crime, Census, and extrapolated BLS data, we arrived at the following set of criteria:
- High incomes
- Low unemployment rates
- Low crime
- High home prices
- High population densities (A proxy for things to do)
We then ranked each neighborhood with scores from 1 to 79 in each category, where 1 was the best.
Next, we averaged the rankings for each neighborhood to create a best neighborhood index.
And finally, we crowned the neighborhood with the lowest best neighborhood index, the “Best City Neighborhood In Detroit.” We’re lookin’ at you, Downtown.
Read on below to learn more about what it’s like to live in the best places Detroit, Michigan has to offer. Or skip to the end to see the list of all the neighborhoods in the city, from best to worst.
We updated this article for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the best neighborhoods to live in Detroit.
Summary: Putting A Bow On Our Analysis Of The Best Neighborhoods In Detroit
If you’re measuring the neighborhoods in Detroit where crime is low and everyone wants to live, this is an accurate list.
The best neighborhoods in Detroit are Downtown, Indian Village, Lafayette Park, Sherwood Forest, Green Acres, West Side Industrial, Midtown, University District, Rivertown, and Marina District.
As mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Detroit aren’t all good. Fishkorn takes the title of the worst neighborhood to live in Detroit.
The worst neighborhoods in Detroit are Fishkorn, Petosky-Otsego, Carbon Works, Brightmoor, and Lasalle College Park.
We ranked the neighborhoods from best to worst in the chart below.
For more Michigan reading, check out:
Best Neighborhoods To Live In Detroit For 2024 Detailed Data
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Downtown | 5,889 | $371,700 | $65,153 |
| 2 | Indian Village | 1,756 | $389,300 | $103,506 |
| 3 | Lafayette Park | 5,628 | $163,200 | $37,930 |
| 4 | Sherwood Forest | 975 | $297,900 | $113,750 |
| 5 | Green Acres | 1,217 | $170,800 | $61,019 |
| 6 | West Side Industrial | 565 | $250,800 | $76,604 |
| 7 | Midtown | 9,997 | $359,583 | $30,191 |
| 8 | University District | 3,083 | $251,600 | $83,828 |
| 9 | Rivertown | 1,308 | $238,150 | $56,804 |
| 10 | Marina District | 416 | $238,100 | $92,700 |
| 11 | Art Center | 2,225 | $256,100 | $31,264 |
| 12 | Woodbridge | 1,992 | $241,850 | $93,380 |
| 13 | North Rosedale Park | 4,488 | $118,700 | $75,824 |
| 14 | Corktown | 694 | $301,800 | $50,284 |
| 15 | Detroit Golf | 1,976 | $300,550 | $71,984 |
| 16 | Bagley | 11,872 | $91,311 | $46,365 |
| 17 | Rosedale Park | 3,918 | $129,500 | $66,431 |
| 18 | Jefferies | 1,771 | $227,100 | $15,671 |
| 19 | Lasalle Gardens | 1,785 | $91,600 | $39,232 |
| 20 | Southwest Detroit | 13,628 | $72,842 | $39,042 |
| 21 | Martin Park | 3,917 | $72,700 | $42,054 |
| 22 | Jefferson Chalmers | 5,450 | $109,860 | $43,693 |
| 23 | New Center | 1,344 | $224,750 | $34,956 |
| 24 | Park | 4,761 | $58,900 | $57,177 |
| 25 | Springwells | 13,921 | $46,427 | $34,402 |
| 26 | Morningside | 11,077 | $56,950 | $40,168 |
| 27 | Grandmont | 2,332 | $53,600 | $55,696 |
| 28 | Michigan-Martin | 732 | $47,600 | $43,083 |
| 29 | Brush Park | 1,873 | $397,900 | $43,444 |
| 30 | West Village | 1,035 | $191,800 | $27,486 |
| 31 | Conner Creek Ind | 1,529 | $134,800 | $92,700 |
| 32 | Hubbard-Richard | 1,880 | $101,867 | $47,120 |
| 33 | East English Village | 3,392 | $70,250 | $59,015 |
| 34 | Gold Coast | 1,376 | $57,000 | $48,433 |
| 35 | Joseph Barry | 445 | $104,400 | $41,544 |
| 36 | Wayne State | 3,905 | $251,100 | $31,583 |
| 37 | Aviation | 3,888 | $44,625 | $37,824 |
| 38 | Elmwood Park | 6,545 | $87,550 | $24,482 |
| 39 | Castle Rouge | 2,314 | $56,400 | $35,214 |
| 40 | Islandview | 5,435 | $77,000 | $29,100 |
| 41 | Berg-Lasher | 4,736 | $59,025 | $30,388 |
| 42 | Russell Woods | 2,106 | $66,300 | $29,366 |
| 43 | Chandler Park | 1,496 | $53,100 | $31,282 |
| 44 | Five Points | 2,721 | $41,667 | $36,870 |
| 45 | Herman Gardens | 847 | $82,200 | $21,835 |
| 46 | Grandmont-Rosedale | 10,600 | $77,511 | $37,632 |
| 47 | Eliza Howell | 839 | $17,300 | $45,321 |
| 48 | Briggs | 1,482 | $100,050 | $30,023 |
| 49 | Ravendale | 2,304 | $32,950 | $32,595 |
| 50 | The Eye | 3,637 | $43,900 | $33,835 |
| 51 | Boynton | 3,422 | $47,600 | $32,478 |
| 52 | Mohican Regent | 2,817 | $37,350 | $38,410 |
| 53 | Old Redford | 499 | $151,100 | $66,524 |
| 54 | Regent Park | 2,504 | $50,150 | $61,724 |
| 55 | Mcdougall-Hunt | 993 | $65,000 | $27,344 |
| 56 | Forest Park | 956 | $114,700 | $20,271 |
| 57 | Fitzgerald | 6,434 | $42,025 | $33,257 |
| 58 | Franklin Park | 10,830 | $42,500 | $33,092 |
| 59 | Pulaski | 4,391 | $32,150 | $32,964 |
| 60 | Grandale | 5,819 | $41,671 | $29,368 |
| 61 | Weatherby | 1,414 | $50,750 | $31,667 |
| 62 | Warrendale | 20,647 | $32,118 | $26,435 |
| 63 | Belmont | 2,541 | $59,800 | $28,228 |
| 64 | Core City | 3,088 | $91,300 | $21,670 |
| 65 | Kranz Woods | 4,438 | $31,967 | $36,712 |
| 66 | Chaldean Town | 1,183 | $50,950 | $27,653 |
| 67 | Millenium Village | 932 | $99,200 | $43,615 |
| 68 | Eight Mile Wyoming | 1,495 | $42,000 | $30,830 |
| 69 | Barton-Mcfarland | 9,437 | $39,000 | $30,206 |
| 70 | Nw Goldberg | 1,945 | $47,550 | $9,945 |
| 71 | Poletown East | 360 | $38,950 | $24,625 |
| 72 | Greensbriar | 2,563 | $32,500 | $38,794 |
| 73 | Van Steuban | 4,655 | $43,240 | $32,665 |
| 74 | Riverdale | 3,500 | $35,538 | $32,183 |
| 75 | Lasalle College Park | 2,986 | $29,850 | $30,170 |
| 76 | Brightmoor | 9,938 | $36,667 | $29,596 |
| 77 | Carbon Works | 761 | $56,900 | $16,558 |
| 78 | Petosky-Otsego | 6,355 | $37,922 | $25,553 |
| 79 | Fishkorn | 2,605 | $30,800 | $22,070 |