Wayne County · Michigan · Midwest · 639k residents
Detroit, MI: economy, jobs & business costs
The site-selection read on Detroit: labor costs, talent, corporate tax, energy, and business activity, with the Michigan median as the yardstick. Compare it live against any of 3,000 US cities.
Data coverage: Curated city row; coverage varies by fact.
Average weekly wages in the surrounding labor market run $1,527/wk. Michigan's corporate income tax rate is 6%. Commercial electricity averages 14.0¢/kWh.
Compare Detroit side by side
Avg. weekly wage
$1,527/wk
Corporate income tax
6%
Bachelor's degree or higher
18.1%
Commercial electricity
14.0¢/kWh
Economic momentum
How fast Detroit's economy is moving, ranked against the US cities we track.
46/100
Steady
Ranks Detroit's residential building-permit and jobs growth against the US cities we cover. The label is relative pace, not a direction, so a market can rank low while some figures still rise. A higher score moves faster, it is not cheaper or better. This is economic activity, not commercial lease rates or vacancy. Not investment or relocation advice.
| Median home value | $85,000 |
| Price per sq. ft. | $65 |
| Property tax rate | 2.1% |
| 1-bedroom rent | $1,100/mo |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,300/mo |
| State & local income tax | 6.65% |
| Sales tax | 6% |
| Corporate income tax | 6% |
| Avg. weekly wage | $1,527/wk |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.1% |
| Commercial electricity | 14.0¢/kWh |
| Businesses per 1k residents | 21.6/1k |
| Wage: Software developer | $130,760 |
| Wage: Registered nurse | $97,280 |
| Wage: General manager | $104,010 |
| Wage: Customer service | $44,730 |
| Wage: Warehouse worker | $36,720 |
| Wage: Heavy truck driver | $59,120 |
| Wage: Electrician | $81,990 |
| Wage: Retail salesperson | $35,130 |
| Cost of living index | 88 |
| Groceries index | 98 |
| Utilities | $185/mo |
| Transit pass | $70/mo |
| Gas price | $3.25/gal |
| Healthcare index | 96 |
| Childcare (per child) | $1,100/mo |
| Median household income | $37,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 6.8% |
| Population | 639k |
| Crime index | 70/100 |
| School rating | 4.0/10 |
| Walkability | 55/100 |
| Disaster risk | 99/100 |
| Avg. commute | 26 min |
| Sunny days / year | 185 days |
| July high | 84°F |
| January low | 20°F |
| Annual snowfall | — |
| Home price YoY | -4.8% |
| Home price MoM | -0.7% |
| Rent YoY | +2.4% |
| Rent MoM | +0.4% |
| Employment (jobs) YoY | -0.6% |
| Building permits YoY | +36.5% |
| Ocean coast | 488 mi |
| Big lake | 8 mi |
| Mountains | 313 mi |
| Major airport | 18 mi |
| Ski resort | 210 mi |
Popular comparisons
Nearby
- Hamtramck, MI · 28k
- Dearborn, MI · 107k
- Ferndale, MI · 19k
- Harper Woods, MI · 15k
- Lincoln Park, MI · 39k
Similar size
- Grand Rapids, MI · 199k
- Warren, MI · 138k
- Sterling Heights, MI · 134k
- Ann Arbor, MI · 122k
- Lansing, MI · 113k
Real listings in Detroit
LoopNet ↗Crexi ↗CommercialCafe ↗
Links open third-party listing searches. WhereToHQ has no paid relationship with these sites.
- Is Detroit a good place to run a business?
- Michigan's corporate income tax rate is 6%; average weekly wages in the surrounding labor market run $1,527/wk; commercial electricity averages 14.0¢/kWh. Weigh these against your own priorities in the business comparison tool.
- What is the cost of living in Detroit, MI?
- Detroit indexes at 88 for day-to-day costs against a national baseline of 100, with a typical two-bedroom renting for $1,300/mo and a median home value of $85,000.
- How much does a house cost in Detroit?
- The median home value in Detroit is $85,000 (compiled estimate; individual listings vary).
- How much is rent in Detroit?
- A two-bedroom in Detroit rents for about $1,300/mo.