The 10 Cheapest Places To Live In Michigan In 2024


The most affordable places to live in Michigan for 2024 are Benton Harbor, Albion, and Niles according to Saturday Night Science.

You don’t need to strike it rich in the Michigan lottery or shovel a mountain of snow for cash to afford a home here.

The cheapest places to live in Michigan provide acces to the Mitten’s lakes and Detroit Style Pizza without breaking the bank.

To determine the most affordable places to live in Michigan, we used Saturday Night Science to analyze US Census data for home prices, incomes, and the cost of living. The result is a set of Michigan places that will let you save money to spend on ice fishing and eco-friendly snowmobile trails.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | Summary


Most Affordable Cities In Michigan Map

What is the most affordable place to live in Michigan? The most affordable place in Michigan is Benton Harbor after crunching data from the US Census on median housing costs, median income, and overall cost of living for cities with over 5,000 residents.

If you care about home values, cost of living, and high quality of life, look at the list below to find the most affordable places in Michigan.

Check out some more reading about Michigan and the cheapest places in the country:

The 10 Cheapest Places To Live In Michigan For 2024

Benton Harbor, MI

Source: Wikipedia User Humbles Art | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

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/10

Population: 9,101
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 73
Median Income: $26,592
Median Home Price: $112,898
Median Rent: $791

Benton Harbor, nestled in Michigan’s Berrien County, takes the top overall spot for affordability in Michigan for 2024. With a median home value of $112,898 and rent at $791, the city comes in with an overall cost of living index of 73. Some might say Benton Harbor is an excellent place to harbor your savings.

With all that savings on the cost of living, you can afford a boat on Lake Michigan. Or, you know, renting one for a weekend.

More on Benton Harbor: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Albion, MI

Source: Wikipedia User kennethaw88 | CC BY 4.0
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Population: 7,732
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 73
Median Income: $41,594
Median Home Price: $119,538
Median Rent: $788

While I’ll be, Albion ranks as the second cheapest cities in Michigan. The city’s cost of living index of 73 is 20.7% lower than the state average thanks to a $119,538, according to Zillow.

You can save money on daily activities by taking advantage of free things to do nearby, like the Albion River Trail or Rieger Park. That’ll stretch the average Albion income of $41,594 further.

More on Albion: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Niles, MI

Source: Wikipedia User Chris Light (talk) | CC BY-SA 3.0
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Population: 11,871
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 74
Median Income: $42,181
Median Home Price: $181,757
Median Rent: $800

You’ll feel like the Queen of Nile no matter your income in Niles, Michigan, the third most affordable place in the state. With home values and rents placing 48th and 27th respectively, the overall cost of living clocks in at 74.

Near South Bend on the Indiana border, the city’s 11,871 residents can access Arthur Dodd Memorial Park and the Notre Dame campus within a short drive.

More on Niles: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Springfield, MI

Source: Flickr User coldwarspy1973 | CC BY-SA 2.0
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Population: 5,268
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 74
Median Income: $40,091
Median Home Price: $372,983
Median Rent: $790

Where South Bedford Road meets Avenue A is our fourth most affordable city in Michigan for 2024, Springfield. This city in Calhoun County iis an ideal destination when you’re trying find that affordable big town feel. And while you’re deciding what home to buy, Springfield has great deals. They are the 154th cheapest place to buy based on home price to income ratio.

It’s also a great city when you’re looking for those affordable staycations to keep your budget in check. Springfield currently has four major parks within their city limits, and they are only a short drive from Fort Custer State Recreation Area.

More on Springfield: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Jackson, MI

Source: Wikipedia User Lane Montgomery from Jackson, MI, United States | CC BY 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

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Population: 31,420
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 75
Median Income: $41,988
Median Home Price: $168,255
Median Rent: $838

Ranked as the fifth most affordable city in Michigan, Jackson’s housing market is particularly attractive, with a home price to income ratio of 4.01x. According to the data, Jackson has cost of living index values for utilities, services, and transportation that add up to an overall score of 75.

Jackson is about 45 minutes south of Lansing and 45 minutes west of Ann Arbor.

More on Jackson: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Ironwood, MI

Source: Wikipedia User Bobak Ha’Eri | CC BY 3.0
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Population: 5,088
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 75
Median Income: $35,722
Median Home Price: $88,927
Median Rent: $491

Heading back up to the UP, to the home of the World’s Tallest Indian, we have our sixth most affordable city in Michigan: Ironwood.

Once a mining town, Ironwood scored an 8/10 for affordability and an 8/10 in education. Ironwood has it going on: they are smart and affordable. Probably why they know a good deal when they see one. Ironwood is home to five ski resorts. Do we think that has something to do with why the city is so great and so affordable? Probably. More importantly, if you’re looking for a side hustle, ski instructing might be in your future.

More on Ironwood: Data | Crime | Real Estate

Battle Creek, MI

Source: Wikipedia User battlecreekcvb | CC BY 2.0
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Population: 52,469
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 76
Median Income: $49,684
Median Home Price: $163,207
Median Rent: $879

Battle Creek, the seventh most affordable city in Michigan, has a $163,207 price for homes and a $879 for rent. Nestled in northwest Calhoun County, the cost of living index sits at 76.

With a $49,684 median income that stretches further, you won’t have to battle your wallet to take a long weekend in Detroit or a road trip to Chicago.

More on Battle Creek: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Muskegon Heights, MI

Source: Flickr User dsrins_syb | CC BY 2.0
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Population: 9,954
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 78
Median Income: $35,216
Median Home Price: $65,905
Median Rent: $836

At the height of savings in Michigan, Muskegon Heights ranks as the eighth least expensive place in the state.

Muskegon Heights is a budget-friendly destination with historical and natural sights, such as the Muskegon South Pierhead Lighthouse, the Heritage Landing, and the P.J. Hoffmaster State Park. And you won’t have to worry about gas because the city has an overall cost of living index of 78 that is 15.2% lower than the Wolverine State average.

More on Muskegon Heights: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Three Rivers, MI

Source: Wikipedia User Aaron Smith | CC BY-SA 3.0
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Population: 7,923
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 78
Median Income: $49,018
Median Home Price: $199,425
Median Rent: $821

In St. Joseph County, Three Rivers rushes in with an affordability ranking of 9 in the Wolverine State. Home to 7,923 people, the city offers outdoor activities, such as kayaking on the St. Joseph River, hiking at the Hidden Marsh Sanctuary, and biking on the Network Trail.

This tri-river city entices with a 78 overall cost of living index and a median income of $49,018, according to the most recent Census data.

More on Three Rivers: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Dowagiac, MI

Source: Public domain
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Population: 5,680
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 78
Median Income: $41,864
Median Home Price: $200,572
Median Rent: $696

With a median home value of $200,572 and a median rent of only $696, Dowagiac is a great place to live if you’re looking for an affordable city in Michigan. Additionally, the median income in Dowagiac is $41,864, which means that residents are able to comfortably afford their housing costs and still have money left over for other expenses.

Dowagiac is located in a beautiful area of Michigan. Residents enjoy a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking and fishing. Downtown Dowagiac also offers plenty of local shops and restaurants, making it a great place to explore and support the community.

More on Dowagiac: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Cheapest places to live in Michigan FAQs

The county in Michigan with the lowest cost of living is Lapeer County. The average living wage in Lapeer County is $100,631 according to MIT data. Lapeer County has the lowest cost of living because it has relatively less expensive childcare and housing costs compared to Michigan as a whole. Childcare costs $26,186 a year in Lapeer County for two children compared to the Michigan average of $28,018. Housing costs, defined as a blend of the average rent and average mortgage payment, are $12,588 per year in Lapeer County compared to $11,412 on average in Michigan.

The cost of living in Michigan is 13.0% higher than the US average. According to MIT, the required living wage for a family of four with two working parents in Michigan is $101,378 vs the national average for a family of four with two working parents of $89,744. The median income of a Michigan household is $59,234.

The cheapest housing market in Michigan is Flint. The average home value in Flint is $31,700, the lowest in the state. The average home value in Michigan is $162,600, almost 5.1 times higher than Flint.

Methodology: How we determined the most affordable places to live in the Wolverine State for 2024

Map Of The Cheapest Places To Live In Michigan
Determining affordability for places in Michigan boils down to how much it costs to live here.

You need to understand your costs relative to what people in the rest of the state are paying.

With that logic in mind, we derived several cost of living statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2018-2022 for Michigan using Saturday Night Science. We indexed the cost of living statistics across the following categories:

  • Housing
  • Transportation
  • Services
  • Groceries
  • Healthcare
  • Utilities

These are then weighted together to produce an overall cost of living index where 100 is the United States average. Anything below 100 is relatively affordable. Anything over 100 is relatively expensive.

We applied the biggest weight to housing as it typically accounts for 25% or more of your budget. Additionally, housing costs are the highest variant cost across a state. We then compare these cost of living metrics for each place in Michigan to figure out which is the least expensive.

The “Cost of Living Index” allows you to rank all of the 154 places in Michigan that have more than 5,000 people from least expensive to most expensive. Any ties went to the larger city.

The place in Michigan with the lowest cost of living according to the data is Benton Harbor.

We updated this article for 2024. This report reflects our tenth time ranking the cheapest places to live in Michigan.

Michigan Affordabilility Summary

This is an accurate list of the most affordable places to live in Michigan for 2024, if you’re looking at the cost of living numbers in Michigan.

The cheapest cities in Michigan are Benton Harbor, Albion, Niles, Springfield, Jackson, Ironwood, Battle Creek, Muskegon Heights, Three Rivers, and Dowagiac.

Here’s a look at the most expensive cities in Michigan according to the data:

  1. Birmingham
  2. Huntington Woods
  3. Beverly Hills

For more Michigan reading, check out:

Cheapest Places To Live In Michigan

Rank City Population Cost Of Living Index Median Income Home Prices Rent
1 Benton Harbor 9,101 73 $26,592 $112,898 $791
2 Albion 7,732 73 $41,594 $119,538 $788
3 Niles 11,871 74 $42,181 $181,757 $800
4 Springfield 5,268 74 $40,091 $372,983 $790
5 Jackson 31,420 75 $41,988 $168,255 $838
6 Ironwood 5,088 75 $35,722 $88,927 $491
7 Battle Creek 52,469 76 $49,684 $163,207 $879
8 Muskegon Heights 9,954 78 $35,216 $65,905 $836
9 Three Rivers 7,923 78 $49,018 $199,425 $821
10 Dowagiac 5,680 78 $41,864 $200,572 $696
11 Coldwater 13,704 79 $48,531 $194,078 $912
12 Escanaba 12,403 79 $38,457 $148,191 $615
13 Menominee 8,429 79 $46,821 $151,178 $702
14 Hillsdale 8,005 79 $47,205 $183,760 $765
15 Iron Mountain 7,522 79 $53,215 $138,100 $706
16 Ishpeming 6,191 79 $53,202 $155,185 $599
17 Charlotte 9,273 80 $65,507 $217,499 $798
18 Marshall 6,806 80 $72,813 $220,197 $903
19 Gladstone 5,231 80 $59,133 $162,888 $820
20 Kalamazoo 73,342 81 $48,649 $219,925 $974
21 Sault Ste. Marie 13,409 81 $50,284 $133,384 $790
22 Allegan 5,180 81 $42,162 $235,225 $965
23 St. Louis 6,932 82 $47,662 $139,183 $769
24 Manistee 6,248 82 $57,813 $227,978 $775
25 Eaton Rapids 5,201 82 $62,708 $231,272 $930
26 Lansing 112,986 83 $50,747 $143,798 $954
27 Flint 81,863 83 $35,451 $48,574 $825
28 Muskegon 38,286 83 $40,900 $163,648 $855
29 Hamtramck 27,842 83 $39,648 $157,381 $853
30 Sturgis 11,050 83 $56,337 $190,122 $773
31 Alpena 10,200 83 $43,613 $157,639 $569
32 Highland Park 9,032 83 $30,341 $67,728 $620
33 Kingsford 5,127 83 $59,106 $132,625 $749
34 Detroit 636,787 84 $37,761 $66,544 $989
35 Portage 48,936 84 $74,837 $271,509 $1,062
36 Saginaw 44,316 84 $35,521 $112,429 $868
37 Mason 8,284 84 $75,000 $247,725 $1,048
38 River Rouge 7,200 84 $26,343 $62,263 $731
39 Belding 5,942 84 $52,083 $215,547 $824
40 Bay City 32,664 85 $45,026 $103,660 $726
41 Inkster 25,839 85 $38,381 $86,767 $1,097
42 Ionia 13,081 85 $60,413 $188,448 $855
43 Melvindale 12,639 85 $38,918 $127,178 $1,111
44 Alma 9,436 85 $44,375 $139,255 $738
45 Ecorse 9,292 85 $45,473 $69,697 $829
46 Big Rapids 7,915 85 $36,058 $191,904 $732
47 Pontiac 61,965 86 $40,307 $114,719 $947
48 Lincoln Park 39,807 86 $55,777 $137,851 $943
49 Cadillac 10,400 86 $45,123 $173,364 $753
50 Center Line 8,493 86 $52,067 $158,320 $720
51 Port Huron 28,881 87 $47,906 $155,781 $962
52 Madison Heights 28,521 87 $63,224 $203,911 $1,095
53 Wyandotte 24,857 87 $62,111 $174,297 $933
54 Hazel Park 15,065 87 $59,576 $154,739 $1,175
55 Greenville 8,866 87 $50,332 $227,857 $830
56 Hastings 7,504 87 $54,118 $198,616 $725
57 Wyoming 76,732 88 $67,234 $245,215 $1,070
58 Holland 34,186 88 $69,152 $321,850 $1,065
59 Adrian 20,607 88 $40,797 $168,112 $894
60 Wayne 17,568 88 $52,709 $153,609 $900
61 Owosso 14,678 88 $51,794 $159,765 $806
62 Grand Haven 10,961 88 $57,650 $342,638 $920
63 St. Joseph 7,852 88 $79,103 $300,114 $948
64 Zeeland 5,701 88 $60,505 $336,250 $900
65 Dearborn Heights 62,474 89 $58,335 $186,873 $1,204
66 Roseville 47,476 89 $57,274 $159,392 $1,121
67 Romulus 25,055 89 $63,854 $179,648 $989
68 Monroe 20,400 89 $57,779 $200,178 $870
69 Mount Clemens 15,679 89 $55,154 $156,898 $881
70 Houghton 8,303 89 $29,821 $209,785 $819
71 St. Johns 7,711 89 $60,991 $245,248 $877
72 Ludington 7,691 89 $49,503 $263,304 $838
73 Petoskey 5,859 89 $69,784 $393,626 $894
74 Davison 5,114 89 $48,750 $231,702 $825
75 Westland 84,806 90 $59,930 $194,197 $1,067
76 Taylor 62,937 90 $59,352 $161,574 $984
77 Eastpointe 34,087 90 $57,953 $143,733 $1,274
78 Burton 29,568 90 $55,698 $140,881 $898
79 Harper Woods 15,296 90 $60,030 $146,667 $1,296
80 Lapeer 9,034 90 $50,510 $246,318 $899
81 Holly 5,997 90 $58,957 $286,258 $868
82 Grand Rapids 198,096 91 $61,634 $262,762 $1,138
83 Southgate 29,948 91 $62,792 $175,318 $1,048
84 Mount Pleasant 21,826 91 $41,512 $192,895 $846
85 Marquette 20,673 91 $51,599 $288,904 $944
86 Fraser 14,668 91 $61,039 $217,570 $782
87 Riverview 12,390 91 $69,323 $219,074 $966
88 Fenton 11,967 91 $76,195 $330,634 $1,188
89 Tecumseh 8,678 91 $65,638 $228,128 $956
90 Grand Ledge 7,795 91 $71,179 $272,097 $934
91 Warren 138,588 92 $61,633 $187,656 $1,139
92 Garden City 27,203 92 $63,630 $181,299 $950
93 Norton Shores 24,984 92 $72,699 $257,972 $1,134
94 Ferndale 19,264 92 $86,120 $236,307 $1,238
95 Flushing 8,349 92 $75,813 $216,845 $933
96 Hudsonville 7,633 92 $86,000 $367,928 $1,175
97 Swartz Creek 5,865 92 $70,210 $218,680 $937
98 St. Clair Shores 58,656 93 $71,481 $211,168 $1,135
99 Kentwood 54,042 93 $66,945 $293,250 $1,123
100 Oak Park 29,495 93 $61,991 $212,139 $1,274
About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.