Places › Michigan › Royal Oak

Living in Royal Oak, MI

Suburb in Michigan

Royal Oak is a suburb in Michigan, home to about 58,000 people, with 2.8 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are mostly houses.

Is Royal Oak a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Safe: violent crime is 0.3× the US rate (FBI 2019)
  • Strong healthcare: 5 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Highly educated: 63% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, and 3 research universities are within 31 mi
  • Mild summers: highs around 81°F

👎 Cons

  • Cloudier than most places
  • Few dog parks: 18 within 9 mi

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

Key facts

Population
58,000
2.8 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
35°F / 81°F
Average daily highs · 36″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$332k
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 · 1.35% property tax
Safety
0.3× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
5 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, tornadoes
Top-rated hospitals
5
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
63%
3 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
DTW
23 mi away

Living in Royal Oak: common questions

What is the cost of living in Royal Oak?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $332k, 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 Royal Oak?

Michigan collects about $1,246 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.35% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Royal Oak safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.3× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Royal Oak?

Royal Oak has cold winters: winter days average around 35°F and summer days around 81°F, with roughly 36″ of snow a year.

Does Royal Oak 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 0.74 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Royal Oak?

The nearest major airport is DTW, about 23 mi away.

How Royal Oak scores

Each bar compares Royal Oak 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).

🏙️City size Mid-size Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Urban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Some transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Strong culture scene Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Cold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Moderate pace Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Some community feel AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Mostly houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Excellent
💸Low taxes Average
💼Job market Good
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Excellent
🧸Kids & family Average
🐕Dog-friendly Poor
⛰️Outdoors Average
🎭Culture Excellent
🛡️Safety Very safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Excellent
☀️Sunny Poor
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Excellent

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Is Royal Oak right for you?

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

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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.