Best places to live in Michigan (2026)

All 31 ranked places in Michigan, by all-round score.

Ranked by an all-round score: the average of all 14 quality scores (housing costs, taxes, jobs, healthcare, education, family life, safety, natural disasters, climate and more), weighted equally. Places missing from the FBI crime table are left out, since their safety is unknown. Scores are out of 100.

1. 1Novi, MISuburb · 3-bed $411k · very safe76
2. 2Farmington Hills, MISuburb · 3-bed $349k · very safe75
3. 3Livonia, MISuburb · 3-bed $307k · very safe74
4. 4Southfield, MISuburb · 3-bed $254k · safe71
5. 5Troy, MISuburb · 3-bed $387k · very safe71
6. 6Dearborn Heights, MISuburb · 3-bed $216k · safe70
7. 7Ann Arbor, MICollege town · 3-bed $471k · very safe69
8. 8Rochester Hills, MISuburb · 3-bed $401k · very safe69
9. 9Royal Oak, MISuburb · 3-bed $332k · very safe67
10. 10Dearborn, MISuburb · 3-bed $246k · safe67
11. 11Sterling Heights, MISuburb · 3-bed $310k · very safe66
12. 12St. Clair Shores, MISuburb · 3-bed $232k · very safe66
13. 13Westland, MISuburb · 3-bed $227k · safe66
14. 14Roseville, MISuburb · 3-bed $179k · safe63
15. 15Warren, MISuburb · 3-bed $219k · safe61
16. 16Portage, MICollege town · 3-bed $287k · safe61
17. 17Pontiac, MISuburb · 3-bed $140k · higher crime60
18. 18East Lansing, MICollege town · 3-bed $296k · very safe60
19. 19Taylor, MISuburb · 3-bed $186k · moderate crime60
20. 20Midland, MISmall city · 3-bed $233k · very safe59
21. 21Kalamazoo, MISmall city · 3-bed $231k · safe58
22. 22Detroit, MIBig city · 3-bed $79k · higher crime57
23. 23Kentwood, MISuburb · 3-bed $327k · safe55
24. 24Grand Rapids, MIMid-size city · 3-bed $304k · moderate crime55
25. 25Wyoming, MISuburb · 3-bed $284k · safe55
26. 26Traverse City, MISmall town · 3-bed $438k · safe55
27. 27Lansing, MIMid-size city · 3-bed $191k · higher crime52
28. 28Flint, MISmall city · 3-bed $70k · moderate crime52
29. 29Battle Creek, MISmall city · 3-bed $201k · higher crime51
30. 30Saginaw, MISmall city · 3-bed $155k · very safe51
31. 31Marquette, MISmall town · 3-bed $347k · very safe46

Cheapest places to live in Michigan

Ranked by the typical value of a 3-bedroom home (Zillow), lowest first.

1. 1Flint, MISmall city · rent $1,270/mo · cost of living 93$70k
2. 2Detroit, MIBig city · rent $1,720/mo · cost of living 100$79k
3. 3Pontiac, MISuburb · rent $1,720/mo · cost of living 100$140k
4. 4Saginaw, MISmall city · rent $1,440/mo · cost of living 91$155k
5. 5Roseville, MISuburb · rent $1,720/mo · cost of living 100$179k

Safest places to live in Michigan

Ranked by violent crimes per resident in FBI 2019 data, lowest first. Places missing from the FBI table are left out.

1. 1Rochester Hills, MISuburb · violent crime 0.1× the US rate52 per 100k
2. 2Novi, MISuburb · violent crime 0.2× the US rate78 per 100k
3. 3Troy, MISuburb · violent crime 0.2× the US rate79 per 100k
4. 4Royal Oak, MISuburb · violent crime 0.3× the US rate102 per 100k
5. 5Farmington Hills, MISuburb · violent crime 0.3× the US rate107 per 100k

Safest places from natural disasters in Michigan

Ranked by our natural disaster score: FEMA's expected deaths, injuries and home damage from 18 hazards, plus federally declared disasters in the county since 2000.

1. 1Kalamazoo, MI1 declared disaster since 2000 · mainly flooding, tornadoes95
2. 2Portage, MI1 declared disaster since 2000 · mainly flooding, tornadoes95
3. 3Kentwood, MI3 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, tornadoes93
4. 4Wyoming, MI3 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, tornadoes93
5. 5Battle Creek, MI0 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, tornadoes92

Best places to live for families in Michigan

Ranked by a family score: the average of our Kids & family, Safety, Education and Affordable housing scores. Places missing from the FBI crime table are left out.

1. 1Novi, MISuburb · kids excellent · safety excellent · 3-bed $411k90
2. 2Farmington Hills, MISuburb · kids excellent · safety excellent · 3-bed $349k88
3. 3Troy, MISuburb · kids excellent · safety excellent · 3-bed $387k88
4. 4Rochester Hills, MISuburb · kids excellent · safety excellent · 3-bed $401k86
5. 5Livonia, MISuburb · kids excellent · safety excellent · 3-bed $307k86

Best places to live · Cheapest places to live · Safest places to live · Safest places from natural disasters · Best places to live for families

Data: US Census, Zillow, HUD, BEA, FBI 2019, FEMA, NOAA, NASA, CMS, NCES and others. How scores work.