Dearborn, MI Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Dearborn, MI Summary

Cost of living in Dearborn research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Dearborn is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Michigan, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Dearborn is 98, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Dearborn is 1.0x lower than the national average.

  • Dearborn ranks as the #125 cheapest in Michigan out of 180.

  • Dearborn ranks as the #2,372 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Dearborn is $243,120.

  • The median income in Dearborn is $65,192.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
98
Dearborn's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Dearborn, MI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Dearborn has an overall cost of living index of 98, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Michigan, Dearborn has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Michigan's index of 90.

The standard of living in Dearborn ranks as #125 most affordable out of the 180 places we measured in Michigan. By definition, that implies Dearborn ranks as the #55 most expensive place in the Wolverine State.

For more reading on life in Dearborn, check out:

125 out of 180
In Michigan
2,372 out of 6,489
In America

Dearborn Cost Of Living Vs. Michigan

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Dearborn. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Dearborn is 102.

  • The Groceries index in Dearborn is 102.

  • The Health index in Dearborn is 102.

  • The Housing index in Dearborn is 90.

  • The Transportation index in Dearborn is 100.

  • The Utilities index in Dearborn is 92.

Living Expense Dearborn Michigan National Average
Overall 98 90 100
Services 102 93 100
Groceries 102 97 100
Health 102 91 100
Housing 90 72 100
Transportation 100 96 100
Utilities 92 99 100
For more reading on cost of living around Michigan, check out:
Dearborn Cost of Living Vs. MI

Dearborn, MI Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Michigan, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Dearborn is $243,120.

  • The Median Rent in Dearborn is $1,264.

  • The Median Income in Dearborn is $65,192.

  • The Home Value To Income in Dearborn is 3.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Dearborn is 0.23x.

Statistic Dearborn Michigan United States
Median Home Value $243,120 $258,642 $303,400
Median Rent $1,264 $1,084 $1,348
Median Income $65,192 $71,149 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.7x 3.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.18x 0.21x
$243,120
Median Home Value
$1,264
Median Rent
$65,192
Median Income

Dearborn, MI Costs By Category

Detailed Dearborn Services Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Dearborn Michigan
Shampoo $1.13 $1.28
Movie $12.99 $12.13
Bowling $12.33 $18
Haircut $16.8 $24.26
Beauty Salon $24.78 $45.56

Detailed Dearborn Groceries Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Dearborn Michigan
Ground Beef $5.75 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.41 $1.57
Milk $4.78 $4.67
Potatoes $4.8 $4.93
Pizza $8.99 $12.09
Beer $9.04 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.66 $3.7

Detailed Dearborn Health Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Dearborn Michigan
Optometrist $85.0 $125.68
Doctor $103.33 $135.78
Dentist $91.0 $113.29

Detailed Dearborn Transportation Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Dearborn Michigan
Gasoline $3.35 $3.46
Tire Balancing $56.0 $59.92

Detailed Dearborn Utilities Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Dearborn Michigan
All Electricity $219.2 $193.99
Phone $184.44 $192.25

Dearborn SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
8
Affordability
7
Diversity
6
Safety
6
Amenities
9.5
Education
6
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Dearborn

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Dearborn. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Detroit, MI has a cost of living index of 85, 0.9x Dearborn.

  • Troy, MI has a cost of living index of 120, 1.2x Dearborn.

  • Novi, MI has a cost of living index of 118, 1.2x Dearborn.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Dearborn
Detroit, MI 636,644 85 0.9x
Troy, MI 87,307 120 1.2x
Novi, MI 66,224 118 1.2x
Taylor, MI 62,405 90 0.9x
Dearborn Heights, MI 62,099 93 0.9x
Royal Oak, MI 57,880 107 1.1x
Lincoln Park, MI 39,511 88 0.9x
Allen Park, MI 28,128 97 1.0x
Inkster, MI 25,602 86 0.9x
Birmingham, MI 21,612 149 1.5x

Articles About Michigan

Enjoy The Snack?