Ludington, MI Cost Of Living

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

Cost of living in Ludington, Michigan

Cost of living in Ludington 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 Ludington 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:

92 Cost of living index 0.9x lower vs US
#80 Cheapest in Michigan (of 179)
#1,359 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$298,512 Median home value
$902 Median rent
$46,411 Median income
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What is the cost of living in Ludington, MI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Ludington has an overall cost of living index of 92, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Michigan, Ludington has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Michigan's index of 91.

The standard of living in Ludington ranks as #80 most affordable out of the 179 places we measured in Michigan. By definition, that implies Ludington ranks as the #99 most expensive place in the Wolverine State.

For more reading on life in Ludington, check out:

Ludington Cost Of Living Vs. Michigan

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

  • The Services index in Ludington is 100.

  • The Groceries index in Ludington is 99.

  • The Health index in Ludington is 76.

  • The Housing index in Ludington is 95.

  • The Transportation index in Ludington is 103.

  • The Utilities index in Ludington is 95.

Living Expense Ludington Michigan National Average
Overall 92 91 100
Services 100 97 100
Groceries 99 98 100
Health 76 75 100
Housing 95 98 100
Transportation 103 101 100
Utilities 95 98 100

Ludington Cost Of Living Compared To Michigan Averages

Services
Ludington 100
Michigan avg 97
Groceries
Ludington 99
Michigan avg 98
Health
Ludington 76
Michigan avg 75
Housing
Ludington 95
Michigan avg 98
Transportation
Ludington 103
Michigan avg 101
Utilities
Ludington 95
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

Ludington, MI Housing Cost Breakdown

$298,512Median Home Value
$902Median Rent
$46,411Median 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 Ludington is $298,512.

  • The Median Rent in Ludington is $902.

  • The Median Income in Ludington is $46,411.

  • The Home Value To Income in Ludington is 6.4x.

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

Statistic Ludington Michigan United States
Median Home Value $298,512 $259,857 $332,700
Median Rent $902 $1,129 $1,413
Median Income $46,411 $72,875 $80,734
Home Value To Income 6.4x 3.6x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.19x 0.21x

Ludington, MI Costs By Category

Detailed Ludington Services costs vs. Michigan
Item Ludington 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 Ludington Groceries costs vs. Michigan
Item Ludington 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 Ludington Health costs vs. Michigan
Item Ludington Michigan
Optometrist $78.75 $125.68
Doctor $157.9 $135.78
Dentist $104.06 $113.29
Detailed Ludington Transportation costs vs. Michigan
Item Ludington Michigan
Gasoline $3.32 $3.46
Tire Balancing $63.04 $59.92
Detailed Ludington Utilities costs vs. Michigan
Item Ludington Michigan
All Electricity $191.22 $193.99
Phone $185.4 $192.25

Ludington SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Ludington

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

  • Manistee, MI has a cost of living index of 89, 1.0x Ludington.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Ludington
Manistee, MI 6,275 89 1.0x