Residential comparison · 13 facts
Ann Arbor, MI vs Lansing, MI
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Ann Arbor needs about $75,500 in Lansing to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Lansing, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $94,500 in Ann Arbor.
A few differences
- Ann Arbor is higher on median household income ($82,212 vs $54,382).
- Lansing is lower on cost of living index (78 vs 106).
- Lansing is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,068/mo vs $1,759/mo).
Ann Arbor vs Lansing · facet by facet
| Facet | Ann Arbor, MI | Lansing, MI |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $453,400 | $128,700 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,759/mo | $1,068/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.35% | 1.35% |
| State & local income tax | 5.25% | 5.25% |
| Sales tax | 6% | 6% |
| Cost of living index | 106 | 78 |
| Groceries index | 95 | 95 |
| Utilities | $175/mo | $175/mo |
| Median household income | $82,212 | $54,382 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.1% |
| Crime index | 45/100 | 45/100 |
| School rating | 5.3/10 | 5.3/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 175 days | 175 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Ann Arbor, MI · Lansing, MI
Questions & answers
- Is Ann Arbor cheaper than Lansing?
- Lansing has the lower day-to-day cost index (78 vs 106 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Lansing equals $85,000 in Ann Arbor?
- A household earning $85,000 in Ann Arbor needs about $75,500 in Lansing to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Lansing lifestyle costs about $94,500 in Ann Arbor.