Houghton, MI Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Houghton, MI Summary

Cost of living in Houghton 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 Houghton 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 Houghton is 94, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Houghton is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Houghton ranks as the #96 cheapest in Michigan out of 180.

  • Houghton ranks as the #1,806 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Houghton is $267,135.

  • The median income in Houghton is $35,417.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
94
Houghton's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Houghton, MI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Houghton has an overall cost of living index of 94, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Michigan, Houghton has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Michigan's index of 90.

The standard of living in Houghton ranks as #96 most affordable out of the 180 places we measured in Michigan. By definition, that implies Houghton ranks as the #84 most expensive place in the Wolverine State.

For more reading on life in Houghton, check out:

96 out of 180
In Michigan
1,806 out of 6,489
In America

Houghton Cost Of Living Vs. Michigan

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

  • The Services index in Houghton is 97.

  • The Groceries index in Houghton is 99.

  • The Health index in Houghton is 95.

  • The Housing index in Houghton is 88.

  • The Transportation index in Houghton is 100.

  • The Utilities index in Houghton is 96.

Living Expense Houghton Michigan National Average
Overall 94 90 100
Services 97 93 100
Groceries 99 97 100
Health 95 91 100
Housing 88 72 100
Transportation 100 96 100
Utilities 96 99 100
For more reading on cost of living around Michigan, check out:
Houghton Cost of Living Vs. MI

Houghton, 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 Houghton is $267,135.

  • The Median Rent in Houghton is $861.

  • The Median Income in Houghton is $35,417.

  • The Home Value To Income in Houghton is 7.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Houghton is 0.29x.

Statistic Houghton Michigan United States
Median Home Value $267,135 $258,642 $303,400
Median Rent $861 $1,084 $1,348
Median Income $35,417 $71,149 $78,538
Home Value To Income 7.5x 3.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.29x 0.18x 0.21x
$267,135
Median Home Value
$861
Median Rent
$35,417
Median Income

Houghton, MI Costs By Category

Detailed Houghton Services Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Houghton Michigan
Shampoo $1.29 $1.28
Movie $14.24 $12.13
Bowling $17.83 $18
Haircut $20.11 $24.26
Beauty Salon $30.55 $45.56

Detailed Houghton Groceries Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Houghton Michigan
Ground Beef $6.1 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.42 $1.57
Milk $4.73 $4.67
Potatoes $4.35 $4.93
Pizza $10.54 $12.09
Beer $8.87 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.73 $3.7

Detailed Houghton Health Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Houghton Michigan
Optometrist $78.75 $125.68
Doctor $157.9 $135.78
Dentist $104.06 $113.29

Detailed Houghton Transportation Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Houghton Michigan
Gasoline $3.32 $3.46
Tire Balancing $63.04 $59.92

Detailed Houghton Utilities Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Houghton Michigan
All Electricity $191.22 $193.99
Phone $185.4 $192.25

Houghton SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
4/10
Housing
6
Affordability
2
Diversity
8
Safety
8
Amenities
8
Education
8.5
Commute
10

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