Ferndale, MI Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for Ferndale. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for Ferndale compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in Ferndale, Michigan

Cost of living in Ferndale 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 Ferndale 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:

101 Cost of living index 1.0x higher vs US
#140 Cheapest in Michigan (of 179)
#2,614 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$250,327 Median home value
$1,311 Median rent
$94,640 Median income
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What is the cost of living in Ferndale, MI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Ferndale has an overall cost of living index of 101, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Michigan, Ferndale has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Michigan's index of 91.

The standard of living in Ferndale ranks as #140 most affordable out of the 179 places we measured in Michigan. By definition, that implies Ferndale ranks as the #39 most expensive place in the Wolverine State.

For more reading on life in Ferndale, check out:

Ferndale Cost Of Living Vs. Michigan

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

  • The Services index in Ferndale is 101.

  • The Groceries index in Ferndale is 97.

  • The Health index in Ferndale is 103.

  • The Housing index in Ferndale is 98.

  • The Transportation index in Ferndale is 98.

  • The Utilities index in Ferndale is 101.

Living Expense Ferndale Michigan National Average
Overall 101 91 100
Services 101 97 100
Groceries 97 98 100
Health 103 75 100
Housing 98 98 100
Transportation 98 101 100
Utilities 101 98 100

Ferndale Cost Of Living Compared To Michigan Averages

Services
Ferndale 101
Michigan avg 97
Groceries
Ferndale 97
Michigan avg 98
Health
Ferndale 103
Michigan avg 75
Housing
Ferndale 98
Michigan avg 98
Transportation
Ferndale 98
Michigan avg 101
Utilities
Ferndale 101
Michigan avg 98

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around Michigan, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

Ferndale, MI Housing Cost Breakdown

$250,327Median Home Value
$1,311Median Rent
$94,640Median Income

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 2020-2024. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Ferndale is $250,327.

  • The Median Rent in Ferndale is $1,311.

  • The Median Income in Ferndale is $94,640.

  • The Home Value To Income in Ferndale is 2.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Ferndale is 0.17x.

Statistic Ferndale Michigan United States
Median Home Value $250,327 $259,857 $332,700
Median Rent $1,311 $1,129 $1,413
Median Income $94,640 $72,875 $80,734
Home Value To Income 2.6x 3.6x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.17x 0.19x 0.21x

Ferndale, MI Costs By Category

Detailed Ferndale Services costs vs. Michigan
Item Ferndale 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 Ferndale Groceries costs vs. Michigan
Item Ferndale 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 Ferndale Health costs vs. Michigan
Item Ferndale Michigan
Optometrist $85.0 $125.68
Doctor $103.33 $135.78
Dentist $91.0 $113.29
Detailed Ferndale Transportation costs vs. Michigan
Item Ferndale Michigan
Gasoline $3.35 $3.46
Tire Balancing $56.0 $59.92
Detailed Ferndale Utilities costs vs. Michigan
Item Ferndale Michigan
All Electricity $219.2 $193.99
Phone $184.44 $192.25

Ferndale SnackAbility

8.5Overall SnackAbility
Jobs 8.5/10
Housing 8/10
Affordability 8.5/10
Diversity 7/10
Safety 6/10
Amenities 9/10
Education 9/10
Commute 7/10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Ferndale

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

  • Troy, MI has a cost of living index of 114, 1.1x Ferndale.

  • Rochester Hills, MI has a cost of living index of 118, 1.2x Ferndale.

  • Novi, MI has a cost of living index of 116, 1.1x Ferndale.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Ferndale
Troy, MI 87,898 114 1.1x
Rochester Hills, MI 77,089 118 1.2x
Novi, MI 66,717 116 1.1x
Royal Oak, MI 57,950 107 1.1x
Oak Park, MI 29,318 95 0.9x
Madison Heights, MI 28,419 94 0.9x
Birmingham, MI 21,763 146 1.4x
Berkley, MI 15,149 105 1.0x
Hazel Park, MI 14,963 87 0.9x
Clawson, MI 11,374 101 1.0x