Cost of living in Muskegon 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 Muskegon 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 Muskegon is 79, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Muskegon is 0.8x lower than the national average.
Muskegon ranks as the #6 cheapest in Michigan out of 180.
Muskegon ranks as the #76 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Muskegon is $182,589.
The median income in Muskegon is $46,342.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Muskegon has an overall cost of living index of 79, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Michigan, Muskegon has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Michigan's index of 90.
The standard of living in Muskegon ranks as #6 most affordable out of the 180 places we measured in Michigan. By definition, that implies Muskegon ranks as the #174 most expensive place in the Wolverine State.
For more reading on life in Muskegon, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Muskegon. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Muskegon is 89.
The Groceries index in Muskegon is 95.
The Health index in Muskegon is 92.
The Housing index in Muskegon is 55.
The Transportation index in Muskegon is 94.
The Utilities index in Muskegon is 104.
| Living Expense | Muskegon | Michigan | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 79 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 89 | 93 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 95 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 92 | 91 | 100 | |
| Housing | 55 | 72 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 94 | 96 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 104 | 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 Muskegon is $182,589.
The Median Rent in Muskegon is $927.
The Median Income in Muskegon is $46,342.
The Home Value To Income in Muskegon is 3.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Muskegon is 0.24x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Muskegon. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Wyoming, MI has a cost of living index of 90, 1.1x Muskegon.
Kentwood, MI has a cost of living index of 93, 1.2x Muskegon.
Forest Hills, MI has a cost of living index of 118, 1.5x Muskegon.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Muskegon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming, MI | 76,865 | 90 | 1.1x |
| Kentwood, MI | 54,114 | 93 | 1.2x |
| Forest Hills, MI | 28,494 | 118 | 1.5x |
| Norton Shores, MI | 25,000 | 93 | 1.2x |
| Cutlerville, MI | 19,465 | 93 | 1.2x |
| Jenison, MI | 17,334 | 101 | 1.3x |
| Northview, MI | 15,225 | 94 | 1.2x |
| East Grand Rapids, MI | 11,394 | 123 | 1.6x |
| Muskegon Heights, MI | 9,902 | 78 | 1.0x |
| Hudsonville, MI | 7,711 | 92 | 1.2x |