Dowagiac, MI Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Dowagiac, MI Summary

Cost of living in Dowagiac 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 Dowagiac 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 Dowagiac is 80, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Dowagiac is 0.8x lower than the national average.

  • Dowagiac ranks as the #7 cheapest in Michigan out of 180.

  • Dowagiac ranks as the #112 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Dowagiac is $221,130.

  • The median income in Dowagiac is $38,433.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
80
Dowagiac's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Dowagiac, MI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Dowagiac has an overall cost of living index of 80, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Michigan, Dowagiac has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Michigan's index of 90.

The standard of living in Dowagiac ranks as #7 most affordable out of the 180 places we measured in Michigan. By definition, that implies Dowagiac ranks as the #173 most expensive place in the Wolverine State.

For more reading on life in Dowagiac, check out:

7 out of 180
In Michigan
112 out of 6,489
In America

Dowagiac Cost Of Living Vs. Michigan

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

  • The Services index in Dowagiac is 88.

  • The Groceries index in Dowagiac is 97.

  • The Health index in Dowagiac is 82.

  • The Housing index in Dowagiac is 49.

  • The Transportation index in Dowagiac is 95.

  • The Utilities index in Dowagiac is 109.

Living Expense Dowagiac Michigan National Average
Overall 80 90 100
Services 88 93 100
Groceries 97 97 100
Health 82 91 100
Housing 49 72 100
Transportation 95 96 100
Utilities 109 99 100
For more reading on cost of living around Michigan, check out:
Dowagiac Cost of Living Vs. MI

Dowagiac, 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 Dowagiac is $221,130.

  • The Median Rent in Dowagiac is $722.

  • The Median Income in Dowagiac is $38,433.

  • The Home Value To Income in Dowagiac is 5.8x.

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

Statistic Dowagiac Michigan United States
Median Home Value $221,130 $258,642 $303,400
Median Rent $722 $1,084 $1,348
Median Income $38,433 $71,149 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.8x 3.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.18x 0.21x
$221,130
Median Home Value
$722
Median Rent
$38,433
Median Income

Dowagiac, MI Costs By Category

Detailed Dowagiac Services Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Dowagiac Michigan
Shampoo $1.14 $1.28
Movie $8.35 $12.13
Bowling $16.07 $18
Haircut $19.25 $24.26
Beauty Salon $26.42 $45.56

Detailed Dowagiac Groceries Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Dowagiac Michigan
Ground Beef $6.62 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.38 $1.57
Milk $4.65 $4.67
Potatoes $4.58 $4.93
Pizza $11.14 $12.09
Beer $9.06 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.59 $3.7

Detailed Dowagiac Health Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Dowagiac Michigan
Optometrist $74.5 $125.68
Doctor $121.31 $135.78
Dentist $112.0 $113.29

Detailed Dowagiac Transportation Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Dowagiac Michigan
Gasoline $3.34 $3.46
Tire Balancing $54.56 $59.92

Detailed Dowagiac Utilities Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Dowagiac Michigan
All Electricity $205.85 $193.99
Phone $184.44 $192.25

Dowagiac SnackAbility

3
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
4/10
Housing
3
Affordability
8.5
Diversity
8
Safety
4
Amenities
8
Education
4
Commute
7

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Dowagiac

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

  • Portage, MI has a cost of living index of 94, 1.2x Dowagiac.

  • Goshen, IN has a cost of living index of 88, 1.1x Dowagiac.

  • Granger, IN has a cost of living index of 102, 1.3x Dowagiac.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Dowagiac
Portage, MI 49,015 94 1.2x
Goshen, IN 34,374 88 1.1x
Granger, IN 30,279 102 1.3x
Niles, MI 11,838 78 1.0x
Sturgis, MI 11,077 85 1.1x
Westwood, MI 8,968 91 1.1x
St. Joseph, MI 7,805 96 1.2x
Nappanee, IN 7,040 87 1.1x
Eastwood, MI 6,704 82 1.0x
Dunlap, IN 6,602 91 1.1x

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