The 10 Best Places To Live In Michigan For 2026


The best places to live in Michigan for 2026 are Huntington Woods, Berkley, and Beverly Hills. Find out where your city or town ranks.

Consider yourself lucky if you call one of the best places to live in Michigan home. And rightfully so. Michigan has a ton of exceptional characteristics that are unique to the only state that borders five Great Lakes.

Crystal-clear lakes, lush pine forests, and friendly people aside, Michigan’s top places have a lot to offer.

We used Saturday Night Science to rank the best places in Michigan based on data from the Census, FBI, and Zillow. We considered factors like a strong job market, low crime rates, and plenty of things to do.

So, grab a cold Labatts, warm a pasty, and read on for more details on the top places to live in Michigan.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Table | Map | Methodology | Summary


What city is the best place to live in Michigan for 2026? The best place to live in Michigan is Huntington Woods.

Michigan is every outdoor enthusiast’s dream come true. But Michigan has many incredible cities where commute times, education, and strong economies make resisting difficult.

The trick is to find it all.

For more reading, check out:

The 10 Best Places To Live In Michigan For 2026

Best Places To Live In Michigan Map

Huntington Woods, MI

Source: Wikipedia User Darren56brown | CC BY-SA 4.0
Stat Huntington Woods Michigan
Population 6,328 10,077,761
Rank Last Year 1
Median Home Value $537,207 $259,857
Median Income $190,150 $72,875
Unemployment Rate 0.9% 5.7%
Crime Per Capita 0.0033 0.0182

More on Huntington Woods: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers

Coming in as The Mitten’s best city is Huntington Woods. Previously ranked first, Huntington Woods is also located just southeast of Detroit and the locals here would tell you that it has a lot to offer. With over 6,328 highly educated residents, the median income in The City of Homes is close to $190,150 and the median home price is $537,207.

The adventures are endless in Huntington Woods. One stop could lead you to learning about the natural world at the Cranbrook Institute of Science; and if you happen to be visiting between Labor Day and Thanksgiving, you could always pick up a snack and experience at Franklin Cider Mill.

Huntington Woods boasts a 10/10 overall SnackAbility. Come for a visit and stay for a while.

Berkley, MI

Source: Wikipedia User JessicaStilger | CC BY-SA 3.0
Stat Berkley Michigan
Population 15,149 10,077,761
Rank Last Year 3
Median Home Value $314,815 $259,857
Median Income $116,239 $72,875
Unemployment Rate 2.2% 5.7%
Crime Per Capita 0.0037 0.0182

More on Berkley: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers

Where the MI-1 and Eleven Mile meet 25 minutes northeast of Detroit is the 2nd best place to live in Michigan. This must be a Michigan hot spot because it has the youngest population in the state and it’s one of the best cities for singles in The Mitten. If we know anything about today’s young people and millennials, they know where to find the best deals. They have chosen Berkley because it has a manageable cost of living, affordable homes, and low crime.

Yes, the cost of living here is lower than the national average and slightly higher than the state–1.1x in fact. Homes here are the 42nd lowest in the state–expect to pay $314,815 for a nice single family home. And, crime? There were only 55 recorded at the time of this report.

Beverly Hills, MI

Source: Flickr User Ken Lund | CC BY-SA 2.0
Stat Beverly Hills Michigan
Population 10,524 10,077,761
Rank Last Year 5
Median Home Value $587,950 $259,857
Median Income $177,412 $72,875
Unemployment Rate 1.6% 5.7%
Crime Per Capita 0.0053 0.0182

More on Beverly Hills: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers

“Beverly Hills, that’s where I want to be.” This might not be the Beverly Hills that Weezer sings about, but it’s definitely one of the nicest places in Michigan, so much so that it’s the 3rd best place in the state for 2026.

And this is because it has some of the highest home prices in the state. Now, don’t get it twisted, we’re not saying that a place can only be one of the best if it has fancy homes; generally speaking, however, higher home prices mean higher property taxes which trickles down to better schools and nicer amenities. So, when we looked at Beverly Hills SnackAbility scores, we were not surprised to find the city scored a 9.5/10 for education and an 8.5/10 for amenities. You will be happy to know that the unemployment rate here is the 7th best in the state at 1.6% and that the median income is $177,412/year–so, it is doable.

East Grand Rapids, MI

Source: Wikipedia User WMrapids | CC BY-SA 4.0
Stat East Grand Rapids Michigan
Population 11,445 10,077,761
Rank Last Year 4
Median Home Value $664,183 $259,857
Median Income $166,610 $72,875
Unemployment Rate 3.2% 5.7%
Crime Per Capita 0.0114 0.0182

More on East Grand Rapids: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers

Located just East of Grand Rapids is Michigan’s 4th best city — East Grand Rapids. While it is not the number one best city in Michigan for 2026, it has the 3rd highest household income at $166,610 making it also one of the richest places in The Great Lakes State. So, if you are an outdoor enthusiast, that nice income provides a little extra cash to experience the fun, outdoor things that East Grand rapids has to offer. Like, spending the day at Reeds Lake hiking and biking the trails or taking in one of the many yachting regattas at the Grand Rapids Yacht Club. However, if you have some time, a day trip to the Lake Michigan beaches in Grand Haven are a Pure Michigan experience.

The people in East Grand Rapids are great, but that’s not why this city is the 4th best. East Grand Rapids earned this rank because the job opportunities are endless, it has great schools, and the crime rate here is 58% below the national average.

Birmingham, MI

Source: Wikipedia User OmidGul | CC BY-SA 4.0
Stat Birmingham Michigan
Population 21,763 10,077,761
Rank Last Year 2
Median Home Value $733,351 $259,857
Median Income $153,510 $72,875
Unemployment Rate 4.4% 5.7%
Crime Per Capita 0.0068 0.0182

More on Birmingham: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers

Moving into first as the #5 best city to live in Michigan is Birmingham. Located southeast of Detroit in Oakland County with over 21,763 residents, “This Walkable Community” has the best of both worlds-activities for the family and adults alike. Birmingham has much to offer throughout the seasons between attending farmer’s markets, enjoying a winter brew at Griffin Claw, or taking the family to check out the The Robot Garage, these are just a few of the many reasons Birmingham has moved into the top spot for best city in Michigan.

Birmingham also scored a 7.5/10 on overall SnackAbility with an emphasis on jobs, safety, and education.

Grosse Pointe Farms, MI

Source: Wikipedia User Appraiser | CC BY-SA 3.0
Stat Grosse Pointe Farms Michigan
Population 9,904 10,077,761
Rank Last Year 6
Median Home Value $513,933 $259,857
Median Income $161,208 $72,875
Unemployment Rate 1.9% 5.7%
Crime Per Capita 0.0108 0.0182

More on Grosse Pointe Farms: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers

Yes, Michigan is known as the “Wolverine State,” but you don’t have to worry, there are no longer any wolverines that reside here, but what is still a “thing” is the fact that Grosse Pointe Farms is one of the best places to live in the state. Matter of fact, it’s Michigan’s 6th best of the best.

To be one of the best, a city needs to protect its residents, provide an affordable cost of living for its residents, as well as provide job opportunities to keep its residents happy, healthy, and employed. And, folks, that’s just what Grosse Pointe Farms has done. The crime rate here is below the state average–there were only 106 crimes recorded at the time of this report. The unemployment rate is 1.9% and most residents make $161,208/year.

Northville, MI

Source: Wikipedia User Dave Parker | GFDL
Stat Northville Michigan
Population 6,069 10,077,761
Rank Last Year 7
Median Home Value $588,076 $259,857
Median Income $145,530 $72,875
Unemployment Rate 2.1% 5.7%
Crime Per Capita 0.0061 0.0182

More on Northville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers

7th best place to live, Northville–we promise you won’t be disappointed, and here are a few of the reasons why: affordability, safety, and amenities. Northville is the perfect storm–it is close enough to Detroit to take advantage of the “big city’s” night-life, but far enough away to feel like you live in your own little slice of heaven. And that piece of heaven includes a crime rate below the national average and the 3rd best median home price in the state at $588,076.

It also includes some super cool things to do when you’re not busy making the city’s median income of $145,530/year: like, hiking and biking Maybury State Park in the summer or spending your winters taking your snowmobile for runs on some of the best trails in The Great Lake(s) State.

Plymouth, MI

Source: Wikipedia User Dave Parker | GFDL
Stat Plymouth Michigan
Population 9,214 10,077,761
Rank Last Year 9
Median Home Value $471,424 $259,857
Median Income $112,145 $72,875
Unemployment Rate 2.3% 5.7%
Crime Per Capita 0.0101 0.0182

More on Plymouth: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers

Much like Plymouth Rock, Michigan’s 8th best place to live Plymouth stands for freedom. However, in Plymouth’s case, it’s freedom from high prices and boredom. Yes, Plymouth scored a 7/10 on our SnackAbility scale and quality of life indicators like affordability, safety, and amenities were among the city’s best attributes.

Folks, the median home price here is the 12th best in the state–you can get a quality single family home for $471,424. To put the city’s crime rate in perspective, there were only 92 crimes reported at the time we pulled Plymouth’s numbers making this small town of 9,214 residents one of the safest in the state. And when it’s time to blow off some steam from the work week, Kellogg Park and the https://plymouthhistory.org/”>Plymouth History Museum should do the trick.

Rochester, MI

Source: Wikipedia User Darren56brown | CC BY-SA 4.0
Stat Rochester Michigan
Population 12,934 10,077,761
Rank Last Year 8
Median Home Value $486,536 $259,857
Median Income $111,750 $72,875
Unemployment Rate 2.5% 5.7%
Crime Per Capita 0.0039 0.0182

More on Rochester: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers

Grosse Pointe Park, MI

Source: Wikipedia User Umdet | CC BY-SA 3.0
Stat Grosse Pointe Park Michigan
Population 11,319 10,077,761
Rank Last Year 11
Median Home Value $502,194 $259,857
Median Income $124,111 $72,875
Unemployment Rate 3.3% 5.7%
Crime Per Capita 0.0154 0.0182

More on Grosse Pointe Park: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers

On the Michigan Mitten, Grosse Pointe Park is located where the thumb meets the hand and this must be a good spot as this city is the 10th best place to live in the state. It’s also one of the oldest counties in the state, so they’ve had plenty of time to perfect an affordable cost of living and a safe environment for its residents and anyone looking to move to this Detroit suburb. Currently the city holds the 8th best median home price at $502,194 and the people here make a lot of money–like a median income of $124,111/year. This salary helps to offset the slightly higher than the national average cost of living. Just know that if you choose Grosse Pointe Park as your forever home, living expenses like groceries and transportation will be slightly higher–(maybe it’s time to think about dusting off the ‘ol bike….)

Mapping The Best And Worst Places To Live in Michigan

Best Places To Live In Michigan Size Requirement

Before we even started to collect data on the best places to live in Michigan, we had to answer a tough question: Is it fair to pit Lansing, with a population of 113,023, against places with a population of 18?

We firmly decided no, that just isn’t fair.

So, to create our ranking, we broke the best places to live into three tiers:

  • Cities — Populations over 5,000
  • Towns — Populations between 1,000 and 5,000
  • Small Towns — Populations below 1,000

This filter left 150 cities, 257 towns, and 254 small towns.

We then decided no matter how much anyone loves their town, the best cities to live in Michigan have more of everything, and therefore, you need over 5,000 people to truly be ‘the best.’

Methodology: How We Calculated The Best Cities To Live In Michigan

Now that we had our set of the best possible cities, it was time to rank them using Saturday Night Science.

We ranked each place in Michigan across a number of criteria from one to 150, with one being the best.

We then took the average rank across all criteria, crowning the city posting the lowest overall score, the “Best Place To Live In Michigan.”

The criteria we looked to determine the best places were:

  • Median Home Values
  • Median Income
  • Population Density (Higher is better)
  • Unemployment Rate
  • Commute Time
  • Crime
  • Education Levels
  • Health Insurance Coverage
  • Poverty rates

Sources of criteria include the New Census Data, FBI Crime Data, and Zillow. We updated this article for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking Michigan’s best places to live.

If your city or town isn’t among the top 10, jump down to the bottom of the post to see a detailed chart of the best places in Michigan. Otherwise, buckle up for a ride down good living lane with Huntington Woods at the end of the cul-de-sac.

Summary: The Best Places In Michigan

If you’re looking at areas in Michigan with the best economic situations, where there’s lower than average crime, and a lot to do, this is an accurate list.

The best places to live in Michigan are Huntington Woods, Berkley, Beverly Hills, East Grand Rapids, Birmingham, Grosse Pointe Farms, Northville, Plymouth, Rochester, and Grosse Pointe Park.

Huntington Woods made a strong showing to take in the overall number one spot for the best place to live in Michigan for 2026.

If you’re curious enough, here are the worst places to live in Michigan according to the data:

  1. Inkster (Pop. 25,428)
  2. Highland Park (Pop. 8,628)
  3. River Rouge (Pop. 7,008)

For more Michigan reading, check out:

Best Places To Live In Michigan Table

Rank City Population Unemployment Rate Home Value Median Income Rent Crime Per Capita
1 Huntington Woods 6,328 0.9% $537,207 $190,150 $2,493 0.0033
2 Berkley 15,149 2.2% $314,815 $116,239 $1,526 0.0037
3 Beverly Hills 10,524 1.6% $587,950 $177,412 $2,077 0.0053
4 East Grand Rapids 11,445 3.2% $664,183 $166,610 $1,862 0.0114
5 Birmingham 21,763 4.4% $733,351 $153,510 $1,902 0.0068
6 Grosse Pointe Farms 9,904 1.9% $513,933 $161,208 $1,408 0.0108
7 Northville 6,069 2.1% $588,076 $145,530 $1,623 0.0061
8 Plymouth 9,214 2.3% $471,424 $112,145 $1,217 0.0101
9 Rochester 12,934 2.5% $486,536 $111,750 $1,350 0.0039
10 Grosse Pointe Park 11,319 3.3% $502,194 $124,111 $1,379 0.0154
11 Grosse Pointe 5,541 4.3% $469,115 $158,853 $1,725 0.0202
12 Royal Oak 57,950 3.5% $331,358 $101,109 $1,381 0.0091
13 South Lyon 11,950 3.7% $467,291 $92,467 $1,310 0.0035
14 Farmington 11,504 3.9% $327,491 $97,750 $1,340 0.0043
15 Clawson 11,374 4.9% $286,025 $88,636 $1,253 0.0074
16 Grosse Pointe Woods 16,094 5.8% $349,100 $126,395 $1,879 0.0154
17 Rochester Hills 77,089 4.1% $465,253 $120,694 $1,644 0.0061
18 Frankenmuth 5,157 4.7% $315,290 $85,433 $851 0.0089
19 Milford 6,487 2.1% $481,467 $105,713 $1,173 0.0086
20 Petoskey 5,856 1.6% $472,426 $74,196 $1,006 0.0068
21 New Baltimore 12,072 4.2% $354,732 $106,033 $1,039 0.0044
22 Trenton 18,125 3.3% $239,683 $82,212 $880 0.0056
23 Zeeland 5,665 2.9% $382,236 $52,628 $951 0.0064
24 Novi 66,717 4.3% $467,223 $110,723 $1,747 0.0075
25 Troy 87,898 4.4% $457,479 $120,045 $1,602 0.0138
26 Chelsea 5,426 4.9% $411,816 $72,098 $1,619 0.0092
27 Rockford 6,218 6.2% $450,322 $107,121 $1,111 0.0088
28 Ann Arbor 122,036 3.9% $523,391 $82,212 $1,649 0.0195
29 St. Clair 5,585 0.8% $311,687 $69,688 $1,113 0.0056
30 Livonia 93,851 4.6% $309,576 $98,460 $1,322 0.0145
31 Grand Ledge 7,804 4.6% $296,332 $68,980 $982 0.0070
32 St. Johns 7,715 4.1% $286,181 $68,728 $887 0.0069
33 Brighton 7,688 2.9% $432,666 $80,682 $1,198 0.0142
34 Hudsonville 7,769 5.4% $417,203 $91,280 $1,264 0.0114
35 St. Joseph 7,986 2.0% $328,306 $84,057 $1,081 0.0190
36 Walled Lake 7,299 4.0% $242,299 $72,055 $1,419 0.0095
37 Farmington Hills 83,515 5.2% $387,307 $104,836 $1,551 0.0086
38 Saline 9,006 6.3% $465,110 $88,346 $1,054 0.0122
39 Grand Haven 10,996 1.8% $391,796 $60,669 $939 0.0114
40 Ferndale 19,190 3.7% $250,327 $94,640 $1,311 0.0172
41 Midland 42,724 4.1% $247,416 $73,325 $1,048 0.0078
42 Mason 8,249 2.9% $275,132 $79,117 $1,164 0.0092
43 Riverview 12,186 2.3% $242,241 $73,468 $1,101 0.0111
44 Grandville 16,356 1.6% $353,730 $78,442 $1,143 0.0392
45 Flushing 8,284 6.7% $235,732 $80,025 $944 0.0063
46 Holland 34,423 2.5% $364,546 $75,865 $1,193 0.0162
47 Walker 25,386 2.9% $352,817 $76,360 $1,202 0.0266
48 Marquette 21,325 4.3% $323,188 $55,613 $1,011 0.0069
49 Milan 5,987 5.8% $303,662 $96,949 $1,162 0.0087
50 Holly 5,964 4.2% $320,380 $64,305 $992 0.0064
51 Norton Shores 25,041 4.8% $287,720 $76,579 $1,341 0.0207
52 Howell 10,021 3.2% $377,375 $60,449 $1,177 0.0075
53 St. Clair Shores 58,140 4.4% $227,950 $73,500 $1,183 0.0123
54 Allen Park 27,925 4.8% $206,256 $81,655 $1,246 0.0194
55 Marysville 9,925 3.4% $227,854 $66,901 $974 0.0066
56 Grand Blanc 7,987 2.5% $285,256 $68,052 $919 0.0089
57 Wyandotte 24,489 3.5% $186,226 $71,987 $972 0.0103
58 Portage 49,259 4.3% $292,450 $83,212 $1,133 0.0326
59 Wixom 17,295 3.4% $384,491 $65,485 $1,035 0.0114
60 Ludington 7,676 3.6% $298,512 $46,411 $902 0.0113
61 Dundee 5,744 3.4% $286,248 $78,837 $1,242 0.0127
62 Kentwood 54,296 4.5% $331,531 $74,373 $1,260 0.0255
63 Utica 5,180 2.2% $253,467 $58,718 $1,131 0.0278
64 Tecumseh 8,646 5.5% $254,886 $62,835 $1,003 0.0045
65 Allegan 5,172 3.7% $279,562 $52,925 $1,115 0.0066
66 Gladstone 5,253 3.9% $204,038 $54,970 $910 0.0051
67 Fenton 11,906 8.7% $355,969 $80,000 $1,275 0.0254
68 Sterling Heights 133,573 6.1% $306,785 $79,909 $1,292 0.0127
69 Ionia 12,753 1.9% $222,836 $63,978 $852 0.0069
70 Oak Park 29,318 10.8% $232,981 $71,510 $1,396 0.0245
71 Fraser 14,583 4.3% $234,791 $64,354 $843 0.0215
72 Houghton 8,474 10.3% $262,334 $43,456 $978 0.0080
73 St. Louis 7,367 2.8% $162,578 $51,167 $794 0.0069
74 Marshall 6,804 6.9% $240,469 $76,050 $1,088 0.0138
75 East Lansing 45,758 6.6% $311,382 $45,687 $1,171 0.0159
76 Manistee 6,275 6.7% $257,759 $60,541 $768 0.0163
77 Richmond 5,855 11.5% $303,793 $64,719 $864 0.0068
78 Woodhaven 12,690 7.2% $266,355 $78,648 $1,096 0.0162
79 Southfield 76,236 6.9% $250,952 $68,166 $1,340 0.0288
80 Menominee 8,326 2.7% $167,969 $49,432 $735 0.0136
81 Flat Rock 10,340 7.3% $257,472 $81,585 $919 0.0127
82 Southgate 29,366 4.2% $192,161 $66,118 $1,120 0.0241
83 Charlotte 9,277 3.2% $235,060 $62,681 $887 0.0229
84 Wyoming 77,353 4.1% $286,890 $73,677 $1,196 0.0263
85 Madison Heights 28,419 2.8% $219,510 $69,503 $1,176 0.0172
86 Ishpeming 6,181 6.4% $182,186 $52,754 $733 0.0108
87 Swartz Creek 5,853 0.6% $245,862 $71,571 $1,247 0.0423
88 Auburn Hills 25,105 6.0% $277,482 $84,375 $1,477 0.0236
89 Center Line 8,463 6.8% $166,336 $54,703 $788 0.0188
90 Eaton Rapids 5,183 1.6% $250,599 $63,875 $972 0.0164
91 Hastings 7,520 3.7% $235,810 $58,286 $745 0.0158
92 Hazel Park 14,963 5.1% $155,502 $67,073 $1,314 0.0184
93 Grand Rapids 198,535 5.2% $303,297 $69,108 $1,266 0.0335
94 Big Rapids 8,477 4.3% $215,284 $43,858 $929 0.0171
95 Iron Mountain 7,518 4.2% $182,104 $59,405 $744 0.0227
96 Alma 9,396 6.9% $162,539 $53,307 $836 0.0146
97 Monroe 20,320 7.3% $214,282 $59,813 $909 0.0127
98 Dearborn 107,423 6.6% $245,068 $65,324 $1,327 0.0223
99 New Haven 6,475 3.3% $308,843 $66,125 $1,268 0.0377
100 Hillsdale 8,002 4.4% $199,153 $51,038 $812 0.0092

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About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.