Living in Detroit, MI
Big city in Michigan
Detroit is a big city in Michigan, home to about 637,000 people, with 2.8 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.
Is Detroit a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $79k and rents for $1,720 a month
- Strong healthcare: 5 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Mild summers: highs around 82°F
- Low natural disaster risk: 5 federally declared disasters since 2000
👎 Cons
- Cloudier than most places
- Higher crime: violent crime is 5.2× the US rate (FBI 2019)
- Few dog parks: 13 within 9 mi
- Fewer graduates: 18% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Detroit ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Detroit: common questions
What is the cost of living in Detroit?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $79k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,720 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 100, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Detroit?
Michigan collects about $1,246 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.8% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Detroit safe?
Violent crime is well above the national rate (5.2× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Detroit?
Detroit has cold winters: winter days average around 35°F and summer days around 82°F, with roughly 31″ of snow a year.
Does Detroit get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding, cold waves and tornadoes: 5 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.52 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Detroit?
The nearest major airport is DTW, about 17 mi away.
How Detroit scores
Each bar compares Detroit with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Nearby
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Is Detroit right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.