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 93, 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 91.
The standard of living in Houghton ranks as #88 most affordable out of the 179 places we measured in Michigan. By definition, that implies Houghton ranks as the #91 most expensive place in the Wolverine State.
For more reading on life in Houghton, check out:
Houghton Cost Of Living Vs. Michigan
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Houghton. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Houghton is 95.
The Groceries index in Houghton is 101.
The Health index in Houghton is 85.
The Housing index in Houghton is 99.
The Transportation index in Houghton is 98.
The Utilities index in Houghton is 97.
| Living Expense | Houghton | Michigan | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 93 | 91 | 100 |
| Services | 95 | 97 | 100 |
| Groceries | 101 | 98 | 100 |
| Health | 85 | 75 | 100 |
| Housing | 99 | 98 | 100 |
| Transportation | 98 | 101 | 100 |
| Utilities | 97 | 98 | 100 |
Houghton Cost Of Living Compared To Michigan Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around Michigan, check out:
Protect your home budget Compare home warranties in Houghton Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
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 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Houghton is $262,334.
The Median Rent in Houghton is $978.
The Median Income in Houghton is $43,456.
The Home Value To Income in Houghton is 6.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Houghton is 0.27x.
