Detroit, Michigan
Cost of living, housing, income, commute, climate, and safety — compiled for relocators researching Detroit.
Key figures
Each metric shows how Detroit compares with the U.S. baseline (ACS/BLS nationals where available; catalog-city averages for crime, climate, and commute). Income, housing, population, and crime are for the incorporated city (city limits), not the broader metro/MSA — unemployment is county-level (BLS LAUS).
- Population
- 636,644City limits · not metro/MSA
- Median household income
- $39,575Incorporated place (ACS)50% below U.S. avgU.S. $78,538
- Housing cost index
- 51ACS home+rent vs U.S. (100 = avg)49% below U.S. avgU.S. 100
- Median home value
- $76,800City limits (ACS)75% below U.S. avgU.S. $303,400
- Median rent
- $1,034City limits (ACS)23% below U.S. avgU.S. $1,348
- Unemployment
- 6.4%County LAUS · not city-only2.2 pts above U.S. avgU.S. 4.2 pts
- Avg commute
- 26 minNear U.S. avg (25 min)U.S. 25 min
- Walk Score
- 5522% above U.S. avgU.S. 45
- Violent crime rate
- 1965.3annualized per 100k · citywide226% above U.S. avgU.S. 602.7
- Property crime rate
- 4302.9annualized per 100k · citywide39% above U.S. avgU.S. 3084.9
- Summer high
- 81°F6.0°F below U.S. avgU.S. 87°F
- Winter low
- 22°F12.0°F below U.S. avgU.S. 34°F
- Annual rainfall
- 29.9 in9% below U.S. avgU.S. 32.9 in
- Sunny days
- 24010% below U.S. avgU.S. 266
Compare Detroit with another city
Relocators eyeing Detroit, Michigan will find roughly 636,644 residents within city limits. Households here report a median income near $39,575; our housing-derived cost index is about 51 (among the more affordable large markets in this catalog on housing costs). Entry home prices around $76,800 still look attainable compared with coastal metros.
Lake-effect snow and automotive supply chains still color the local economy. Pack for 81°F summer peaks; winter mornings often settle near 22°F. Commutes average near 26 minutes one-way, with walkability near 55/100. Unemployment near 6.4% is elevated versus many peer cities, so industry mix matters more in a move decision. FBI CDE violent-offense rates run comparatively high (~1965.3 per 100k annualized), so block-by-block due diligence is especially important.
Detroit sits in that mid-to-large city band where urban and quieter residential pockets often share one municipal boundary. Figures on this page are merged from Census ACS, BLS LAUS, FBI Crime Data Explorer, and NOAA Climate Normals — use them to compare Detroit with nearby alternatives before you relocate.
Nearby & similar cities
Continue researching with these internal links — each page is a full data profile.
Sources
- Census / ACS: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 5-year (Detroit city, 1600000US2622000)
- BLS: BLS LAUS LAUCN261630000000003 (Wayne County, May 2026)
- Crime: FBI CIUS Table 8 (2019) city offenses known to law enforcement — rates per 100k; CDE API unavailable at enrich time
- Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 Monthly Normals (USW00014822 DETROIT CITY AP)
Last updated 2026-07-28