Living in Meridian, MI
College town in Michigan
Meridian is a college town in Michigan, home to about 44,000 people, with 376,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is Meridian a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Low natural disaster risk: 3 federally declared disasters since 2000
- Mild summers: highs around 81°F
- Strong public schools: test results well above the US average
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $357k and rents for $1,630 a month
👎 Cons
- Cloudier than most places
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
- Smaller job market: about 376,000 people live within 31 mi
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Meridian ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Meridian: common questions
What is the cost of living in Meridian?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $357k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,630 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 95, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Meridian?
Michigan collects about $1,246 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.97% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Meridian safe?
Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.7× in FBI 2019 data).
How are the schools in Meridian?
Public schools in Meridian test well above the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 18 students per teacher.
What is the weather like in Meridian?
Meridian has cold winters: winter days average around 34°F and summer days around 81°F, with roughly 36″ of snow a year.
Does Meridian get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding, tornadoes and strong wind: 3 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.47 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Meridian?
The nearest major airport is GRR, about 57 mi away.
How Meridian scores
Each bar compares Meridian with the other 1,990 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).
Places like Meridian
These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.
The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).
Nearby
See all the best places to live in Michigan.
Is Meridian right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.