Residential comparison · 13 facts
Kentwood, MI vs Royal Oak, 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 Kentwood needs about $87,000 in Royal Oak to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Royal Oak, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $83,000 in Kentwood.
A few differences
- Royal Oak is higher on median household income ($101,109 vs $74,373).
- Kentwood is lower on cost of living index (90 vs 94).
- Kentwood is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,398/mo vs $1,463/mo).
Kentwood vs Royal Oak · facet by facet
| Facet | Kentwood, MI | Royal Oak, MI |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $268,200 | $328,700 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,398/mo | $1,463/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.35% | 1.35% |
| State & local income tax | 5.25% | 5.25% |
| Sales tax | 6% | 6% |
| Cost of living index | 90 | 94 |
| Groceries index | 95 | 95 |
| Utilities | $175/mo | $175/mo |
| Median household income | $74,373 | $101,109 |
| 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: Kentwood, MI · Royal Oak, MI
Questions & answers
- Is Kentwood cheaper than Royal Oak?
- Kentwood has the lower day-to-day cost index (90 vs 94 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Royal Oak equals $85,000 in Kentwood?
- A household earning $85,000 in Kentwood needs about $87,000 in Royal Oak to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Royal Oak lifestyle costs about $83,000 in Kentwood.