Cost of living in Melvindale 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 Melvindale 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 Melvindale is 86, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Melvindale is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Melvindale ranks as the #46 cheapest in Michigan out of 180.
Melvindale ranks as the #639 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Melvindale is $141,664.
The median income in Melvindale is $41,356.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Melvindale has an overall cost of living index of 86, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Michigan, Melvindale has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Michigan's index of 90.
The standard of living in Melvindale ranks as #46 most affordable out of the 180 places we measured in Michigan. By definition, that implies Melvindale ranks as the #134 most expensive place in the Wolverine State.
For more reading on life in Melvindale, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Melvindale. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Melvindale is 101.
The Groceries index in Melvindale is 103.
The Health index in Melvindale is 100.
The Housing index in Melvindale is 55.
The Transportation index in Melvindale is 102.
The Utilities index in Melvindale is 92.
| Living Expense | Melvindale | Michigan | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 86 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 101 | 93 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 103 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 100 | 91 | 100 | |
| Housing | 55 | 72 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 102 | 96 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 92 | 99 | 100 | |
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 Melvindale is $141,664.
The Median Rent in Melvindale is $1,116.
The Median Income in Melvindale is $41,356.
The Home Value To Income in Melvindale is 3.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Melvindale is 0.32x.
| Statistic | Melvindale | Michigan | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $141,664 | $258,642 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,116 | $1,084 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $41,356 | $71,149 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.4x | 3.6x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.32x | 0.18x | 0.21x |
| Item | Melvindale | 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 |
| Item | Melvindale | 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 |
| Item | Melvindale | Michigan |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $85.0 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $103.33 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $91.0 | $113.29 |
| Item | Melvindale | Michigan |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.35 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $56.0 | $59.92 |
| Item | Melvindale | Michigan |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $219.2 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $184.44 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Melvindale. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Dearborn, MI has a cost of living index of 98, 1.1x Melvindale.
Livonia, MI has a cost of living index of 104, 1.2x Melvindale.
Taylor, MI has a cost of living index of 90, 1.0x Melvindale.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Melvindale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dearborn, MI | 107,846 | 98 | 1.1x |
| Livonia, MI | 94,058 | 104 | 1.2x |
| Taylor, MI | 62,405 | 90 | 1.0x |
| Dearborn Heights, MI | 62,099 | 93 | 1.1x |
| Royal Oak, MI | 57,880 | 107 | 1.2x |
| Lincoln Park, MI | 39,511 | 88 | 1.0x |
| Southgate, MI | 29,551 | 91 | 1.1x |
| Allen Park, MI | 28,128 | 97 | 1.1x |
| Inkster, MI | 25,602 | 86 | 1.0x |
| Wyandotte, MI | 24,593 | 92 | 1.1x |