Cost of living in Portage 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 Portage 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 Portage is 94, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Portage is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Portage ranks as the #96 cheapest in Michigan out of 180.
Portage ranks as the #1,806 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Portage is $294,695.
The median income in Portage is $79,529.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Portage has an overall cost of living index of 94, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Michigan, Portage has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Michigan's index of 90.
The standard of living in Portage ranks as #96 most affordable out of the 180 places we measured in Michigan. By definition, that implies Portage ranks as the #84 most expensive place in the Wolverine State.
For more reading on life in Portage, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Portage. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Portage is 90.
The Groceries index in Portage is 96.
The Health index in Portage is 92.
The Housing index in Portage is 95.
The Transportation index in Portage is 96.
The Utilities index in Portage is 104.
| Living Expense | Portage | Michigan | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 94 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 90 | 93 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 96 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 92 | 91 | 100 | |
| Housing | 95 | 72 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 96 | 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 Portage is $294,695.
The Median Rent in Portage is $1,120.
The Median Income in Portage is $79,529.
The Home Value To Income in Portage is 3.7x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Portage is 0.17x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Portage. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Kalamazoo, MI has a cost of living index of 87, 0.9x Portage.
Battle Creek, MI has a cost of living index of 81, 0.9x Portage.
Westwood, MI has a cost of living index of 91, 1.0x Portage.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Portage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kalamazoo, MI | 73,132 | 87 | 0.9x |
| Battle Creek, MI | 52,392 | 81 | 0.9x |
| Westwood, MI | 8,968 | 91 | 1.0x |
| Three Rivers, MI | 7,936 | 82 | 0.9x |
| Eastwood, MI | 6,704 | 82 | 0.9x |
| Comstock Northwest, MI | 5,190 | 90 | 1.0x |