If you’re about to move to the Wolverine State but want to avoid living in an outrageously expensive city, you’re in the right place. We’ve done the research to discover which places in Michigan are the most expensive to live in.
While big Michigan cities like Detroit and Grand Rapids may be the first to come to mind, they aren’t among the most expensive cities in the state. Michigan’s priciest places are distributed throughout the state.
To come up with this list, we used Saturday Night Science to narrow the analysis to the 154 cities in Michigan with populations of 5,000 or more. Then we looked at data from American Community Survey on the cost of living for each city.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Michigan For 2025
What’s the most expensive place to live in Michigan? Well, HomeSnacks crunched the numbers and discovered that Birmingham is the most expensive place to live in Michigan.
Albion (the cheapest place to live in Michigan) can show these guys how to live on a budget in the coming years. Read on for how these places had costs rise faster than inflation.
And if you already knew these places were expensive, check out some more reading about Michigan and the most expensive cities in the country:
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Michigan For 2025
/10
Population: 21,612
Cost Of Living Index: 136
Median Income: $153,125
Average Home Price: $712,700
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.7x
More on Birmingham: Data
The overall cost of living in Birmingham is 136. The median income in Birmingham comes in at $153,125 and the average home value is $712,700 for 2025.
/10
Population: 10,507
Cost Of Living Index: 122
Median Income: $175,460
Average Home Price: $488,800
Home Price To Income Ratio: 2.8x
More on Beverly Hills: Data
The overall cost of living in Beverly Hills is 122. The median income in Beverly Hills comes in at $175,460 and the average home value is $488,800 for 2025.
/10
Population: 6,322
Cost Of Living Index: 122
Median Income: $188,229
Average Home Price: $470,600
Home Price To Income Ratio: 2.5x
More on Huntington Woods: Data
The overall cost of living in Huntington Woods is 122. The median income in Huntington Woods comes in at $188,229 and the average home value is $470,600 for 2025.
/10
Population: 11,394
Cost Of Living Index: 118
Median Income: $168,487
Average Home Price: $488,500
Home Price To Income Ratio: 2.9x
More on East Grand Rapids: Data
The overall cost of living in East Grand Rapids is 118. The median income in East Grand Rapids comes in at $168,487 and the average home value is $488,500 for 2025.
/10
Population: 11,394
Cost Of Living Index: 118
Median Income: $121,796
Average Home Price: $460,500
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.8x
More on Grosse Pointe Park: Data
The overall cost of living in Grosse Pointe Park is 118. The median income in Grosse Pointe Park comes in at $121,796 and the average home value is $460,500 for 2025.
/10
Population: 9,957
Cost Of Living Index: 118
Median Income: $160,589
Average Home Price: $418,600
Home Price To Income Ratio: 2.6x
More on Grosse Pointe Farms: Data
The overall cost of living in Grosse Pointe Farms is 118. The median income in Grosse Pointe Farms comes in at $160,589 and the average home value is $418,600 for 2025.
/10
Population: 5,561
Cost Of Living Index: 118
Median Income: $141,985
Average Home Price: $391,800
Home Price To Income Ratio: 2.8x
More on Grosse Pointe: Data
The overall cost of living in Grosse Pointe is 118. The median income in Grosse Pointe comes in at $141,985 and the average home value is $391,800 for 2025.
/10
Population: 12,939
Cost Of Living Index: 116
Median Income: $104,920
Average Home Price: $450,800
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.3x
More on Rochester: Data
The overall cost of living in Rochester is 116. The median income in Rochester comes in at $104,920 and the average home value is $450,800 for 2025.
/10
Population: 6,080
Cost Of Living Index: 114
Median Income: $143,875
Average Home Price: $455,100
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.2x
More on Northville: Data
The overall cost of living in Northville is 114. The median income in Northville comes in at $143,875 and the average home value is $455,100 for 2025.
/10
Population: 121,179
Cost Of Living Index: 112
Median Income: $81,089
Average Home Price: $435,100
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.4x
More on Ann Arbor: Data
The overall cost of living in Ann Arbor is 112. The median income in Ann Arbor comes in at $81,089 and the average home value is $435,100 for 2025.
Methodology: How We Determined The Most Expensive Places To Live In The Wolverine State For 2025
The two most important things to think about when it comes to being able to afford a city in Michigan are:
- How much money do I make?
- How much do I have to spend to live there?
You need to understand your costs in the context of how much money you make.
For example, if the median household earns $100,000 and spends $40,000 on housing, it’s actually cheaper to live there than a place with a median income of $50,000 and housing costs of $21,000. You might spend more on housing, but you have more money overall to play with.
With that example in mind, we derived several statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2019-2023 around incomes and costs. They are:
- Overall Cost Of Living Index
- Median Home Price / Median Income (lower is better)
- Median Income / Median Rent (Higher is better)
- Median Home Price
You can then compare these metrics in each of the places in Michigan to figure out which is the most expensive.
You are left with a “Cost of Living Index” by taking the average rank of each of these metrics for each city.
So we used that cost of living index to rank all of the 154 places in Michigan that have more than 5,000 people.
The place with the highest cost of living in Michigan according to the data is Birmingham. We updated this article for 2025. This article is our tenth time ranking the most expensive places to live in Michigan.
Summary: Taking A Chunk Out Of Your Paycheck In Michigan For 2025
Well, there you have it, the places in Michigan that have the highest cost of living, with Birmingham ranking as the most expensive city in the Wolverine State.
The most expensive cities in Michigan are Birmingham, Beverly Hills, Huntington Woods, East Grand Rapids, Grosse Pointe Park, Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe, Rochester, Northville, and Ann Arbor.
Here’s a look at the most affordable cities in Michigan according to the data:
- Albion
- Benton Harbor
- Springfield
For more Michigan reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Michigan
- Cheapest Places To Live In Michigan
- Most Dangerous Places in Michigan
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Michigan
- Safest Places In Michigan
- Worst Places To Live In Michigan
Most Expensive Cities In Michigan
| Rank | City | Cost Of Living | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Home/Income Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birmingham | 136 | 21,612 | $153,125 | $712,700 | 4.7x |
| 2 | Beverly Hills | 122 | 10,507 | $175,460 | $488,800 | 2.8x |
| 3 | Huntington Woods | 122 | 6,322 | $188,229 | $470,600 | 2.5x |
| 4 | East Grand Rapids | 118 | 11,394 | $168,487 | $488,500 | 2.9x |
| 5 | Grosse Pointe Park | 118 | 11,394 | $121,796 | $460,500 | 3.8x |
| 6 | Grosse Pointe Farms | 118 | 9,957 | $160,589 | $418,600 | 2.6x |
| 7 | Grosse Pointe | 118 | 5,561 | $141,985 | $391,800 | 2.8x |
| 8 | Rochester | 116 | 12,939 | $104,920 | $450,800 | 4.3x |
| 9 | Northville | 114 | 6,080 | $143,875 | $455,100 | 3.2x |
| 10 | Ann Arbor | 112 | 121,179 | $81,089 | $435,100 | 5.4x |
| 11 | Novi | 112 | 66,224 | $110,938 | $399,100 | 3.6x |
| 12 | Troy | 111 | 87,307 | $119,299 | $396,800 | 3.3x |
| 13 | Rochester Hills | 110 | 76,086 | $119,054 | $377,400 | 3.2x |
| 14 | Farmington Hills | 109 | 83,316 | $101,863 | $333,200 | 3.3x |
| 15 | Grosse Pointe Woods | 109 | 16,177 | $129,442 | $322,500 | 2.5x |
| 16 | Plymouth | 106 | 9,234 | $111,742 | $418,200 | 3.7x |
| 17 | Chelsea | 105 | 5,420 | $71,702 | $301,100 | 4.2x |
| 18 | Royal Oak | 102 | 57,880 | $95,182 | $305,900 | 3.2x |
| 19 | Berkley | 101 | 15,084 | $113,103 | $289,200 | 2.6x |
| 20 | Saline | 101 | 8,976 | $90,662 | $310,600 | 3.4x |
| 21 | Brighton | 101 | 7,576 | $81,772 | $302,800 | 3.7x |
| 22 | East Lansing | 100 | 45,394 | $43,547 | $251,600 | 5.8x |
| 23 | Wixom | 100 | 17,126 | $68,319 | $336,200 | 4.9x |
| 24 | South Lyon | 100 | 11,825 | $83,822 | $280,900 | 3.4x |
| 25 | Livonia | 99 | 94,058 | $96,317 | $265,300 | 2.8x |
| 26 | New Baltimore | 99 | 12,060 | $97,027 | $309,800 | 3.2x |
| 27 | Farmington | 99 | 11,472 | $94,115 | $273,000 | 2.9x |
| 28 | Milford | 99 | 6,467 | $102,521 | $348,600 | 3.4x |
| 29 | Sterling Heights | 98 | 133,473 | $78,429 | $260,700 | 3.3x |
| 30 | Traverse City | 97 | 15,491 | $71,731 | $367,600 | 5.1x |
| 31 | Howell | 97 | 10,074 | $57,122 | $240,700 | 4.2x |
| 32 | Milan | 97 | 6,070 | $93,016 | $233,700 | 2.5x |
| 33 | Dearborn | 96 | 107,846 | $65,192 | $205,900 | 3.2x |
| 34 | Clawson | 96 | 11,314 | $86,630 | $250,800 | 2.9x |
| 35 | Frankenmuth | 96 | 5,108 | $84,583 | $277,600 | 3.3x |
| 36 | Southfield | 95 | 76,025 | $65,848 | $226,900 | 3.4x |
| 37 | Grand Blanc | 95 | 7,995 | $67,284 | $228,000 | 3.4x |
| 38 | Rockford | 95 | 6,162 | $100,156 | $294,800 | 2.9x |
| 39 | Richmond | 95 | 5,839 | $61,715 | $228,000 | 3.7x |
| 40 | Dundee | 95 | 5,584 | $71,058 | $233,000 | 3.3x |
| 41 | Midland | 94 | 42,461 | $74,906 | $192,400 | 2.6x |
| 42 | Walker | 94 | 25,201 | $73,835 | $266,400 | 3.6x |
| 43 | Trenton | 94 | 18,242 | $78,565 | $202,400 | 2.6x |
| 44 | Grandville | 94 | 16,135 | $78,551 | $251,100 | 3.2x |
| 45 | Woodhaven | 94 | 12,761 | $83,291 | $221,200 | 2.7x |
| 46 | Marysville | 94 | 9,942 | $69,661 | $185,500 | 2.7x |
| 47 | New Haven | 94 | 6,341 | $68,203 | $207,600 | 3.0x |
| 48 | St. Clair | 94 | 5,581 | $68,482 | $241,700 | 3.5x |
| 49 | Utica | 94 | 5,184 | $55,524 | $216,800 | 3.9x |
| 50 | St. Clair Shores | 93 | 58,287 | $72,693 | $196,400 | 2.7x |
| 51 | Kentwood | 93 | 54,114 | $73,647 | $249,000 | 3.4x |
| 52 | Oak Park | 93 | 29,370 | $65,882 | $198,500 | 3.0x |
| 53 | Allen Park | 93 | 28,128 | $80,045 | $174,500 | 2.2x |
| 54 | Auburn Hills | 93 | 24,911 | $78,727 | $233,900 | 3.0x |
| 55 | Ypsilanti | 93 | 19,937 | $44,141 | $223,700 | 5.1x |
| 56 | Flat Rock | 93 | 10,418 | $73,288 | $201,400 | 2.7x |
| 57 | Walled Lake | 93 | 7,275 | $67,335 | $213,000 | 3.2x |
| 58 | Warren | 92 | 138,128 | $63,741 | $181,900 | 2.9x |
| 59 | Garden City | 92 | 26,910 | $64,396 | $162,400 | 2.5x |
| 60 | Norton Shores | 92 | 25,000 | $73,390 | $214,000 | 2.9x |
| 61 | Ferndale | 92 | 19,156 | $91,732 | $233,600 | 2.5x |
| 62 | Flushing | 92 | 8,323 | $77,372 | $189,500 | 2.4x |
| 63 | Hudsonville | 92 | 7,711 | $88,606 | $260,500 | 2.9x |
| 64 | Swartz Creek | 92 | 5,856 | $73,862 | $168,900 | 2.3x |
| 65 | Grand Rapids | 91 | 197,768 | $65,526 | $225,500 | 3.4x |
| 66 | Southgate | 91 | 29,551 | $64,635 | $165,400 | 2.6x |
| 67 | Mount Pleasant | 91 | 21,420 | $39,924 | $168,700 | 4.2x |
| 68 | Marquette | 91 | 20,691 | $55,825 | $254,100 | 4.6x |
| 69 | Fraser | 91 | 14,604 | $61,118 | $193,600 | 3.2x |
| 70 | Riverview | 91 | 12,269 | $71,783 | $200,500 | 2.8x |
| 71 | Fenton | 91 | 11,950 | $83,077 | $211,700 | 2.5x |
| 72 | Tecumseh | 91 | 8,655 | $64,086 | $193,600 | 3.0x |
| 73 | Grand Ledge | 91 | 7,797 | $66,515 | $189,300 | 2.8x |
| 74 | Westland | 90 | 84,155 | $62,216 | $176,500 | 2.8x |
| 75 | Taylor | 90 | 62,405 | $59,537 | $141,200 | 2.4x |
| 76 | Eastpointe | 90 | 34,003 | $58,196 | $129,100 | 2.2x |
| 77 | Burton | 90 | 29,529 | $57,767 | $131,200 | 2.3x |
| 78 | Harper Woods | 90 | 15,205 | $61,446 | $143,600 | 2.3x |
| 79 | Lapeer | 90 | 9,053 | $53,038 | $165,300 | 3.1x |
| 80 | Holly | 90 | 5,971 | $61,221 | $174,900 | 2.9x |
| 81 | Dearborn Heights | 89 | 62,099 | $61,035 | $174,900 | 2.9x |
| 82 | Roseville | 89 | 47,240 | $61,222 | $142,700 | 2.3x |
| 83 | Romulus | 89 | 24,951 | $72,235 | $149,100 | 2.1x |
| 84 | Monroe | 89 | 20,330 | $59,532 | $161,500 | 2.7x |
| 85 | Mount Clemens | 89 | 15,567 | $57,663 | $169,000 | 2.9x |
| 86 | Houghton | 89 | 8,341 | $35,417 | $233,700 | 6.6x |
| 87 | St. Johns | 89 | 7,712 | $63,030 | $175,300 | 2.8x |
| 88 | Ludington | 89 | 7,664 | $44,471 | $192,800 | 4.3x |
| 89 | Petoskey | 89 | 5,851 | $71,783 | $319,300 | 4.4x |
| 90 | Davison | 89 | 5,082 | $50,450 | $166,100 | 3.3x |
| 91 | Wyoming | 88 | 76,865 | $72,163 | $203,900 | 2.8x |
| 92 | Holland | 88 | 34,266 | $72,905 | $235,800 | 3.2x |
| 93 | Adrian | 88 | 20,493 | $42,851 | $119,900 | 2.8x |
| 94 | Wayne | 88 | 17,413 | $54,467 | $142,200 | 2.6x |
| 95 | Owosso | 88 | 14,658 | $53,702 | $121,500 | 2.3x |
| 96 | Grand Haven | 88 | 10,966 | $60,665 | $242,400 | 4.0x |
| 97 | St. Joseph | 88 | 7,805 | $77,765 | $271,100 | 3.5x |
| 98 | Zeeland | 88 | 5,691 | $49,367 | $248,100 | 5.0x |
| 99 | Port Huron | 87 | 28,724 | $49,377 | $136,000 | 2.8x |
| 100 | Madison Heights | 87 | 28,411 | $66,726 | $190,300 | 2.9x |