Places › Michigan › Orion

Living in Orion, MI

Suburb in Michigan

Orion is a suburb in Michigan, home to about 38,000 people, with 2.6 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, a car is essential. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly houses with yards.

Is Orion a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Safe: violent crime is 0.2× the US rate (FBI 2019)
  • Mild summers: highs around 80°F
  • Low natural disaster risk: 5 federally declared disasters since 2000
  • Strong public schools: test results well above the US average

👎 Cons

  • Cloudier than most places
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Orion ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
38,000
2.6 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
34°F / 80°F
Average daily highs · 36″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$350k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,720/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
100
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$1,246
State income tax per resident · 1.18% property tax
Safety
0.2× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
5 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, tornadoes
Top-rated hospitals
3
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Excellent
Tests well above US average · 19 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
52%
2 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
DTW
38 mi away

Living in Orion: common questions

What is the cost of living in Orion?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $350k, 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 Orion?

Michigan collects about $1,246 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.18% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Orion safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.2× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in Orion?

Public schools in Orion test well above the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 19 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in Orion?

Orion has cold winters: winter days average around 34°F and summer days around 80°F, with roughly 36″ of snow a year.

Does Orion get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding, tornadoes and cold waves: 5 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.68 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Orion?

The nearest major airport is DTW, about 38 mi away.

How Orion scores

Each bar compares Orion 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).

🏙️City sizeMid-size Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietQuiet / rural Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundCar essential Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureNature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateCold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingAverage cost Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceRelaxed Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunityTight-knit community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingHouses with yards ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingExcellent
💸Low taxesGood
💼Job marketGood
🏥HealthcareExcellent
🏫SchoolsExcellent
🎓EducationGood
🧸Kids & familyGood
🐕Dog-friendlyAverage
⛰️OutdoorsGood
🎭CultureBelow average
👮SafetyVery safe
🌪️Few natural disastersExcellent
☀️SunnyPoor
🌤️Mild summersExcellent
✈️AirportGood

Places like Orion

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).

Independence, MISuburb70 $410k$1,720/moVery safe Commerce, MISuburb75 $405k$1,720/moVery safe Menomonee Falls, WISuburb70 $405k$1,650/moVery safe White Lake, MISuburb69 $376k$1,720/moVery safe New Berlin, WISuburb67 $443k$1,650/moVery safe Washington, MISuburb62 $454k$1,720/moNo crime data

Nearby

Independence, MISuburb · 7 mi away70 $410k$1,720/moVery safe Pontiac, MISuburb · 8 mi away56 $140k$1,720/moHigher crime Rochester Hills, MISuburb · 8 mi away69 $401k$1,720/moVery safe Waterford, MISuburb · 9 mi away67 $283k$1,720/moVery safe Washington, MISuburb · 11 mi away62 $454k$1,720/moNo crime data Bloomfield, MISuburb · 12 mi away73 $662k$1,720/moVery safe

See all the best places to live in Michigan.

Is Orion right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.