If you’re about to move to the Wolverine State but want to avoid living in an outrageously expensive city, you’re in the right place. We’ve done the research to discover which places in Michigan are the most expensive to live in.
While big Michigan cities like Detroit and Grand Rapids may be the first to come to mind, they actually aren’t among the most expensive cities in the state. In fact, Michigan’s priciest places are fairly well distributed throughout the state. Ann Arbor and some its surrounding cities make up a big chunk of this list, but there are also a few on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, like Houghton, and a handful in Michigan’s mitten, like Traverse City. Wherever you are on this list geographically, it’s a safe bet that life’s going to be a bit tougher economically.
So how much money should you have in the piggy bank if you want to hang with the elite in these hyper-expenive Michigan cities? Earning at least $78,546/year oughta keep you from going bust in any of these places. If you want to compete with Michigan’s native son Larry Page, you’ll have to earn substantially more. Just invent the world’s most popular search engine — easy!
Get ready to swap stock tips with Michigan’s many billionaires, because we’re heading to the most expensive places to live in the Wolverine State.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Michigan For 2024
What’s the most expensive place to live in Michigan? Well, HomeSnacks crunched the numbers and discovered that Birmingham is the most expensive place to live in Michigan.
Albion (the cheapest place to live in Michigan) can show these guys how to live on a budget in the coming years. Read on for how these places had costs rise faster than inflation.
And if you already knew these places were expensive, check out some more reading about Michigan and the most expensive cities in the country:
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Michigan For 2024
/10
Population: 21,738
Cost Of Living Index: 136
Median Income: $151,556
Average Home Price: $600,237
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.0x
More on Birmingham: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Birmingham is 136. The median income in Birmingham comes in at $151,556 and the average home value is $600,237 for 2024.
/10
Population: 10,550
Cost Of Living Index: 122
Median Income: $162,364
Average Home Price: $498,630
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.1x
More on Beverly Hills: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Beverly Hills is 122. The median income in Beverly Hills comes in at $162,364 and the average home value is $498,630 for 2024.
/10
Population: 6,365
Cost Of Living Index: 122
Median Income: $184,815
Average Home Price: $459,699
Home Price To Income Ratio: 2.5x
More on Huntington Woods: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Huntington Woods is 122. The median income in Huntington Woods comes in at $184,815 and the average home value is $459,699 for 2024.
/10
Population: 11,513
Cost Of Living Index: 118
Median Income: $128,333
Average Home Price: $451,199
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.5x
More on Grosse Pointe Park: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Grosse Pointe Park is 118. The median income in Grosse Pointe Park comes in at $128,333 and the average home value is $451,199 for 2024.
/10
Population: 11,385
Cost Of Living Index: 118
Median Income: $160,417
Average Home Price: $572,507
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.6x
More on East Grand Rapids: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in East Grand Rapids is 118. The median income in East Grand Rapids comes in at $160,417 and the average home value is $572,507 for 2024.
/10
Population: 10,018
Cost Of Living Index: 118
Median Income: $156,465
Average Home Price: $446,876
Home Price To Income Ratio: 2.9x
More on Grosse Pointe Farms: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Grosse Pointe Farms is 118. The median income in Grosse Pointe Farms comes in at $156,465 and the average home value is $446,876 for 2024.
/10
Population: 5,621
Cost Of Living Index: 118
Median Income: $136,094
Average Home Price: $421,780
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.1x
More on Grosse Pointe: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Grosse Pointe is 118. The median income in Grosse Pointe comes in at $136,094 and the average home value is $421,780 for 2024.
/10
Population: 12,978
Cost Of Living Index: 116
Median Income: $102,838
Average Home Price: $428,006
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.2x
More on Rochester: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Rochester is 116. The median income in Rochester comes in at $102,838 and the average home value is $428,006 for 2024.
/10
Population: 6,088
Cost Of Living Index: 114
Median Income: $134,330
Average Home Price: $514,916
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.8x
More on Northville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Northville is 114. The median income in Northville comes in at $134,330 and the average home value is $514,916 for 2024.
/10
Population: 122,216
Cost Of Living Index: 112
Median Income: $78,546
Average Home Price: $479,804
Home Price To Income Ratio: 6.1x
More on Ann Arbor: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Ann Arbor is 112. The median income in Ann Arbor comes in at $78,546 and the average home value is $479,804 for 2024.
Methodology: How We Determined The Most Expensive Places To Live In The Wolverine State For 2024
The two most important things to think about when it comes to being able to afford a city in Michigan are:
- How much money do I make?
- How much do I have to spend to live there?
You need to understand your costs in the context of how much money you make.
For example, if the median household earns $100,000 and spends $40,000 on housing, it’s actually cheaper to live there than a place with a median income of $50,000 and housing costs of $21,000. You might spend more on housing, but you have more money overall to play with.
With that example in mind, we derived several statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2018-2022 around incomes and costs. They are:
- Overall Cost Of Living Index
- Median Home Price / Median Income (lower is better)
- Median Income / Median Rent (Higher is better)
- Median Home Price
You can then compare these metrics in each of the places in Michigan to figure out which is the most expensive.
You are left with a “Cost of Living Index” by taking the average rank of each of these metrics for each city.
So we used that cost of living index to rank all of the 154 places in Michigan that have more than 5,000 people.
The place with the highest cost of living in Michigan according to the data is Birmingham. We updated this article for 2024. This article is our tenth time ranking the most expensive places to live in Michigan.
Summary: Taking A Chunk Out Of Your Paycheck In Michigan For 2024
Well, there you have it, the places in Michigan that have the highest cost of living, with Birmingham ranking as the most expensive city in the Wolverine State.
The most expensive cities in Michigan are Birmingham, Beverly Hills, Huntington Woods, Grosse Pointe Park, East Grand Rapids, Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe, Rochester, Northville, and Ann Arbor.
Here’s a look at the most affordable cities in Michigan according to the data:
- Albion
- Benton Harbor
- Springfield
For more Michigan reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Michigan
- Cheapest Places To Live In Michigan
- Most Dangerous Places in Michigan
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Michigan
- Safest Places In Michigan
- Worst Places To Live In Michigan
Most Expensive Cities In Michigan
| Rank | City | Cost Of Living | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Home/Income Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birmingham | 136 | 21,738 | $151,556 | $600,237 | 4.0x |
| 2 | Beverly Hills | 122 | 10,550 | $162,364 | $498,630 | 3.1x |
| 3 | Huntington Woods | 122 | 6,365 | $184,815 | $459,699 | 2.5x |
| 4 | Grosse Pointe Park | 118 | 11,513 | $128,333 | $451,199 | 3.5x |
| 5 | East Grand Rapids | 118 | 11,385 | $160,417 | $572,507 | 3.6x |
| 6 | Grosse Pointe Farms | 118 | 10,018 | $156,465 | $446,876 | 2.9x |
| 7 | Grosse Pointe | 118 | 5,621 | $136,094 | $421,780 | 3.1x |
| 8 | Rochester | 116 | 12,978 | $102,838 | $428,006 | 4.2x |
| 9 | Northville | 114 | 6,088 | $134,330 | $514,916 | 3.8x |
| 10 | Ann Arbor | 112 | 122,216 | $78,546 | $479,804 | 6.1x |
| 11 | Novi | 112 | 65,870 | $110,588 | $425,204 | 3.8x |
| 12 | Troy | 111 | 87,170 | $115,639 | $398,962 | 3.5x |
| 13 | Rochester Hills | 110 | 76,041 | $115,968 | $414,974 | 3.6x |
| 14 | Farmington Hills | 109 | 83,562 | $101,728 | $348,161 | 3.4x |
| 15 | Grosse Pointe Woods | 109 | 16,338 | $125,712 | $315,509 | 2.5x |
| 16 | Plymouth | 106 | 9,300 | $107,156 | $417,416 | 3.9x |
| 17 | Chelsea | 105 | 5,440 | $71,379 | $364,698 | 5.1x |
| 18 | Royal Oak | 102 | 58,053 | $92,799 | $302,682 | 3.3x |
| 19 | Berkley | 101 | 15,150 | $108,125 | $285,101 | 2.6x |
| 20 | Saline | 101 | 8,973 | $88,388 | $423,142 | 4.8x |
| 21 | Brighton | 101 | 7,486 | $74,022 | $396,691 | 5.4x |
| 22 | East Lansing | 100 | 45,403 | $44,094 | $269,481 | 6.1x |
| 23 | Wixom | 100 | 17,007 | $72,896 | $348,240 | 4.8x |
| 24 | South Lyon | 100 | 11,788 | $82,753 | $434,616 | 5.3x |
| 25 | Livonia | 99 | 94,928 | $92,458 | $278,535 | 3.0x |
| 26 | New Baltimore | 99 | 12,104 | $90,028 | $325,237 | 3.6x |
| 27 | Farmington | 99 | 11,486 | $92,128 | $290,249 | 3.2x |
| 28 | Milford | 99 | 6,483 | $98,054 | $425,893 | 4.3x |
| 29 | Sterling Heights | 98 | 133,744 | $75,381 | $278,499 | 3.7x |
| 30 | Traverse City | 97 | 15,468 | $70,700 | $412,868 | 5.8x |
| 31 | Howell | 97 | 10,067 | $53,953 | $348,579 | 6.5x |
| 32 | Milan | 97 | 6,153 | $89,600 | $251,182 | 2.8x |
| 33 | Dearborn | 96 | 108,414 | $64,600 | $213,451 | 3.3x |
| 34 | Clawson | 96 | 11,388 | $82,713 | $261,691 | 3.2x |
| 35 | Frankenmuth | 96 | 5,064 | $80,956 | $296,452 | 3.7x |
| 36 | Southfield | 95 | 76,107 | $63,980 | $234,297 | 3.7x |
| 37 | Grand Blanc | 95 | 8,034 | $70,518 | $262,470 | 3.7x |
| 38 | Rockford | 95 | 6,144 | $100,380 | $386,671 | 3.9x |
| 39 | Richmond | 95 | 5,852 | $64,154 | $276,790 | 4.3x |
| 40 | Dundee | 95 | 5,408 | $73,641 | $261,298 | 3.5x |
| 41 | Midland | 94 | 42,404 | $71,809 | $215,605 | 3.0x |
| 42 | Walker | 94 | 25,175 | $72,020 | $311,743 | 4.3x |
| 43 | Trenton | 94 | 18,420 | $74,267 | $215,391 | 2.9x |
| 44 | Grandville | 94 | 16,017 | $76,344 | $332,792 | 4.4x |
| 45 | Woodhaven | 94 | 12,867 | $77,725 | $242,087 | 3.1x |
| 46 | Marysville | 94 | 9,973 | $67,548 | $212,826 | 3.2x |
| 47 | New Haven | 94 | 6,200 | $63,424 | $280,596 | 4.4x |
| 48 | St. Clair | 94 | 5,496 | $71,771 | $283,763 | 4.0x |
| 49 | Utica | 94 | 5,195 | $52,247 | $247,172 | 4.7x |
| 50 | St. Clair Shores | 93 | 58,656 | $71,481 | $211,168 | 3.0x |
| 51 | Kentwood | 93 | 54,042 | $66,945 | $293,250 | 4.4x |
| 52 | Oak Park | 93 | 29,495 | $61,991 | $212,139 | 3.4x |
| 53 | Allen Park | 93 | 28,395 | $73,792 | $190,218 | 2.6x |
| 54 | Auburn Hills | 93 | 24,593 | $77,724 | $245,506 | 3.2x |
| 55 | Ypsilanti | 93 | 20,204 | $41,914 | $309,294 | 7.4x |
| 56 | Flat Rock | 93 | 10,448 | $65,374 | $237,743 | 3.6x |
| 57 | Walled Lake | 93 | 7,262 | $65,031 | $229,099 | 3.5x |
| 58 | Warren | 92 | 138,588 | $61,633 | $187,656 | 3.0x |
| 59 | Garden City | 92 | 27,203 | $63,630 | $181,299 | 2.8x |
| 60 | Norton Shores | 92 | 24,984 | $72,699 | $257,972 | 3.5x |
| 61 | Ferndale | 92 | 19,264 | $86,120 | $236,307 | 2.7x |
| 62 | Flushing | 92 | 8,349 | $75,813 | $216,845 | 2.9x |
| 63 | Hudsonville | 92 | 7,633 | $86,000 | $367,928 | 4.3x |
| 64 | Swartz Creek | 92 | 5,865 | $70,210 | $218,680 | 3.1x |
| 65 | Grand Rapids | 91 | 198,096 | $61,634 | $262,762 | 4.3x |
| 66 | Southgate | 91 | 29,948 | $62,792 | $175,318 | 2.8x |
| 67 | Mount Pleasant | 91 | 21,826 | $41,512 | $192,895 | 4.6x |
| 68 | Marquette | 91 | 20,673 | $51,599 | $288,904 | 5.6x |
| 69 | Fraser | 91 | 14,668 | $61,039 | $217,570 | 3.6x |
| 70 | Riverview | 91 | 12,390 | $69,323 | $219,074 | 3.2x |
| 71 | Fenton | 91 | 11,967 | $76,195 | $330,634 | 4.3x |
| 72 | Tecumseh | 91 | 8,678 | $65,638 | $228,128 | 3.5x |
| 73 | Grand Ledge | 91 | 7,795 | $71,179 | $272,097 | 3.8x |
| 74 | Westland | 90 | 84,806 | $59,930 | $194,197 | 3.2x |
| 75 | Taylor | 90 | 62,937 | $59,352 | $161,574 | 2.7x |
| 76 | Eastpointe | 90 | 34,087 | $57,953 | $143,733 | 2.5x |
| 77 | Burton | 90 | 29,568 | $55,698 | $140,881 | 2.5x |
| 78 | Harper Woods | 90 | 15,296 | $60,030 | $146,667 | 2.4x |
| 79 | Lapeer | 90 | 9,034 | $50,510 | $246,318 | 4.9x |
| 80 | Holly | 90 | 5,997 | $58,957 | $286,258 | 4.9x |
| 81 | Dearborn Heights | 89 | 62,474 | $58,335 | $186,873 | 3.2x |
| 82 | Roseville | 89 | 47,476 | $57,274 | $159,392 | 2.8x |
| 83 | Romulus | 89 | 25,055 | $63,854 | $179,648 | 2.8x |
| 84 | Monroe | 89 | 20,400 | $57,779 | $200,178 | 3.5x |
| 85 | Mount Clemens | 89 | 15,679 | $55,154 | $156,898 | 2.8x |
| 86 | Houghton | 89 | 8,303 | $29,821 | $209,785 | 7.0x |
| 87 | St. Johns | 89 | 7,711 | $60,991 | $245,248 | 4.0x |
| 88 | Ludington | 89 | 7,691 | $49,503 | $263,304 | 5.3x |
| 89 | Petoskey | 89 | 5,859 | $69,784 | $393,626 | 5.6x |
| 90 | Davison | 89 | 5,114 | $48,750 | $231,702 | 4.8x |
| 91 | Wyoming | 88 | 76,732 | $67,234 | $245,215 | 3.6x |
| 92 | Holland | 88 | 34,186 | $69,152 | $321,850 | 4.7x |
| 93 | Adrian | 88 | 20,607 | $40,797 | $168,112 | 4.1x |
| 94 | Wayne | 88 | 17,568 | $52,709 | $153,609 | 2.9x |
| 95 | Owosso | 88 | 14,678 | $51,794 | $159,765 | 3.1x |
| 96 | Grand Haven | 88 | 10,961 | $57,650 | $342,638 | 5.9x |
| 97 | St. Joseph | 88 | 7,852 | $79,103 | $300,114 | 3.8x |
| 98 | Zeeland | 88 | 5,701 | $60,505 | $336,250 | 5.6x |
| 99 | Port Huron | 87 | 28,881 | $47,906 | $155,781 | 3.3x |
| 100 | Madison Heights | 87 | 28,521 | $63,224 | $203,911 | 3.2x |