Places › Michigan › St. Clair Shores

Living in St. Clair Shores, MI

Suburb in Michigan

St. Clair Shores is a suburb in Michigan, home to about 58,000 people, with 2.7 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are mostly houses with yards.

Is St. Clair Shores a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $232k and rents for $1,720 a month
  • Mild summers: highs around 80°F
  • Strong healthcare: 4 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Safe: violent crime is 0.5× the US rate (FBI 2019)

👎 Cons

  • Cloudier than most places
  • Few dog parks: 5 within 9 mi

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

Key facts

Population
58,000
2.7 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
34°F / 80°F
Average daily highs · 28″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$232k
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 · 1.49% property tax
Safety
0.5× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
4 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, tornadoes
Top-rated hospitals
4
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
29%
2 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
DTW
30 mi away

Living in St. Clair Shores: common questions

What is the cost of living in St. Clair Shores?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $232k, 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 St. Clair Shores?

Michigan collects about $1,246 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.49% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is St. Clair Shores safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.5× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in St. Clair Shores?

St. Clair Shores has cold winters: winter days average around 34°F and summer days around 80°F, with roughly 28″ of snow a year.

Does St. Clair Shores get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding, tornadoes and cold waves: 4 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.71 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to St. Clair Shores?

The nearest major airport is DTW, about 30 mi away.

How St. Clair Shores scores

Each bar compares St. Clair Shores 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 & suburban mix Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Mostly car Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Nature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Cold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Fast-paced Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Tight-knit community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Houses with yards ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Excellent
💸Low taxes Average
💼Job market Average
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Average
🧸Kids & family Good
🐕Dog-friendly Below average
⛰️Outdoors Excellent
🎭Culture Average
🛡️Safety Very safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Good
☀️Sunny Poor
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Good

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Is St. Clair Shores right for you?

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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.