Jackson, MI Cost Of Living

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

Cost of living in Jackson, Michigan

Cost of living in Jackson 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 Jackson 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:

85 Cost of living index 0.8x lower vs US
#34 Cheapest in Michigan (of 179)
#362 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$187,175 Median home value
$898 Median rent
$44,558 Median income
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What is the cost of living in Jackson, MI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Jackson has an overall cost of living index of 85, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Michigan, Jackson has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Michigan's index of 91.

The standard of living in Jackson ranks as #34 most affordable out of the 179 places we measured in Michigan. By definition, that implies Jackson ranks as the #145 most expensive place in the Wolverine State.

For more reading on life in Jackson, check out:

Jackson Cost Of Living Vs. Michigan

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

  • The Services index in Jackson is 100.

  • The Groceries index in Jackson is 97.

  • The Health index in Jackson is 52.

  • The Housing index in Jackson is 95.

  • The Transportation index in Jackson is 102.

  • The Utilities index in Jackson is 92.

Living Expense Jackson Michigan National Average
Overall 85 91 100
Services 100 97 100
Groceries 97 98 100
Health 52 75 100
Housing 95 98 100
Transportation 102 101 100
Utilities 92 98 100

Jackson Cost Of Living Compared To Michigan Averages

Services
Jackson 100
Michigan avg 97
Groceries
Jackson 97
Michigan avg 98
Health
Jackson 52
Michigan avg 75
Housing
Jackson 95
Michigan avg 98
Transportation
Jackson 102
Michigan avg 101
Utilities
Jackson 92
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

Jackson, MI Housing Cost Breakdown

$187,175Median Home Value
$898Median Rent
$44,558Median 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 Jackson is $187,175.

  • The Median Rent in Jackson is $898.

  • The Median Income in Jackson is $44,558.

  • The Home Value To Income in Jackson is 4.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Jackson is 0.24x.

Statistic Jackson Michigan United States
Median Home Value $187,175 $259,857 $332,700
Median Rent $898 $1,129 $1,413
Median Income $44,558 $72,875 $80,734
Home Value To Income 4.2x 3.6x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.19x 0.21x

Jackson, MI Costs By Category

Detailed Jackson Services costs vs. Michigan
Item Jackson Michigan
Shampoo $1.4 $1.28
Movie $11.22 $12.13
Bowling $22.17 $18
Haircut $24.53 $24.26
Beauty Salon $56.27 $45.56
Detailed Jackson Groceries costs vs. Michigan
Item Jackson Michigan
Ground Beef $5.51 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.69 $1.57
Milk $4.84 $4.67
Potatoes $4.77 $4.93
Pizza $10.99 $12.09
Beer $9.38 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.64 $3.7
Detailed Jackson Health costs vs. Michigan
Item Jackson Michigan
Optometrist $91.4 $125.68
Doctor $139.14 $135.78
Dentist $120.35 $113.29
Detailed Jackson Transportation costs vs. Michigan
Item Jackson Michigan
Gasoline $3.42 $3.46
Tire Balancing $60.57 $59.92
Detailed Jackson Utilities costs vs. Michigan
Item Jackson Michigan
All Electricity $180.47 $193.99
Phone $184.98 $192.25

Jackson SnackAbility

5Overall SnackAbility
Jobs 4/10
Housing 4/10
Affordability 8/10
Diversity 8.5/10
Safety 3/10
Amenities 9/10
Education 6/10
Commute 9/10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Jackson

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

  • Ann Arbor, MI has a cost of living index of 122, 1.4x Jackson.

  • Novi, MI has a cost of living index of 116, 1.4x Jackson.

  • Okemos, MI has a cost of living index of 107, 1.3x Jackson.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Jackson
Ann Arbor, MI 122,036 122 1.4x
Novi, MI 66,717 116 1.4x
Okemos, MI 26,396 107 1.3x
South Lyon, MI 11,950 103 1.2x
Plymouth, MI 9,214 113 1.3x
Saline, MI 9,006 109 1.3x
Whitmore Lake, MI 7,878 99 1.2x
Wauseon, OH 7,505 90 1.1x
Milford, MI 6,487 108 1.3x
Northville, MI 6,069 116 1.4x