Residential comparison · 13 facts
Bay City, MI vs Jackson, 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 Bay City needs about $87,000 in Jackson to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Jackson, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $83,000 in Bay City.
A few differences
- Bay City is higher on median household income ($49,420 vs $44,558).
- Bay City is lower on cost of living index (72 vs 74).
- Bay City is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($822/mo vs $931/mo).
Bay City vs Jackson · facet by facet
| Facet | Bay City, MI | Jackson, MI |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $97,600 | $103,200 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $822/mo | $931/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.35% | 1.35% |
| State & local income tax | 5.25% | 5.25% |
| Sales tax | 6% | 6% |
| Cost of living index | 72 | 74 |
| Groceries index | 95 | 95 |
| Utilities | $175/mo | $175/mo |
| Median household income | $49,420 | $44,558 |
| 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: Bay City, MI · Jackson, MI
Questions & answers
- Is Bay City cheaper than Jackson?
- Bay City has the lower day-to-day cost index (72 vs 74 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Jackson equals $85,000 in Bay City?
- A household earning $85,000 in Bay City needs about $87,000 in Jackson to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Jackson lifestyle costs about $83,000 in Bay City.