Residential comparison · 13 facts
Dearborn, MI vs Detroit, 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 Dearborn needs about $90,500 in Detroit to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Detroit, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $79,500 in Dearborn.
A few differences
- Dearborn is lower on property tax rate (1.35% vs 2.1%).
- Dearborn is lower on groceries index (95 vs 98).
- Dearborn is higher on median household income ($65,324 vs $37,000).
Dearborn vs Detroit · facet by facet
| Facet | Dearborn, MI | Detroit, MI |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $218,800 | $85,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,341/mo | $1,300/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.35% | 2.1% |
| State & local income tax | 5.25% | 6.65% |
| Sales tax | 6% | 6% |
| Cost of living index | 87 | 88 |
| Groceries index | 95 | 98 |
| Utilities | $175/mo | $185/mo |
| Median household income | $65,324 | $37,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 6.8% |
| Crime index | 45/100 | 70/100 |
| School rating | 5.3/10 | 4.0/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 175 days | 185 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: Dearborn, MI · Detroit, MI
Questions & answers
- Is Dearborn cheaper than Detroit?
- Dearborn has the lower day-to-day cost index (87 vs 88 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Detroit equals $85,000 in Dearborn?
- A household earning $85,000 in Dearborn needs about $90,500 in Detroit to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Detroit lifestyle costs about $79,500 in Dearborn.