Cost of Living in Detroit, Michigan
Rent, everyday costs and taxes in Detroit, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.
- Population
- 649,095
- Median household income
- $39,209
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 100.3
- Unemployment rate
- 10.5%
Is Detroit a good place to live?
Detroit is a good place to live if you want your pay to go further: a typical worker keeps more here than in 140 of the 178 other large US cities we track.
A typical worker in Detroit keeps $10,105 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job
- Cost of livingAbout the same as the US average (BEA, 2024)
- Rent$1,047 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
- Taxes$1,963 of state income tax on a typical wage, plus $1,236 of local income tax
Cost of living in Detroit
Prices in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI area run about the same as the US average. Utilities is the biggest difference, at 7% above the US average.
- Housing5% below the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)1% below the US average
- Utilities7% above the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)3% above the US average
- All itemsAbout the same as the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,047 | $12,564 |
| Food | $488 | $5,856 |
| Transportation | $386 | $4,632 |
| Healthcare | $361 | $4,332 |
| Utilities | $279 | $3,348 |
| Total before taxes | $2,561 | $30,732 |
Rent by apartment size
| Monthly rent | Detroit | Whole metro area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $939 | $1,047 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,047 | $1,167 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,307 | $1,459 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,592 | $1,777 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,728 | $1,929 |
Living in Detroit
How Detroit compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year).
| Measure | Detroit | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $39,209 | $81,604 |
| Median home value | $95,900 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,091 | $1,487 |
| Households renting | 49% | 34.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 10.5% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 34.5% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 18.9% | 36.9% |
| Median age | 35.9 years | 39.2 years |
| Average commute, one way | 22.9 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 9.8% | 13.3% |
| Commuting by public transit | 3.9% | 3.7% |
Home internet
4 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Detroit, led by Xfinity, T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T. Fiber reaches 22.4% of homes and 71.6% can get gigabit speeds. Compare providers in Detroit
Pros and cons of living in Detroit
Pros
- Affordable homes to buy. The median home is worth $95,900, against $360,600 nationally.
- Paychecks go further. A typical worker keeps $10,105 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs, more than in 140 of 178 large cities.
- Cheaper rent. Median rent is $1,091 a month, against $1,487 nationally.
- Shorter commutes. The average one-way commute is 22.9 minutes, against 27.2 nationally.
Cons
- Higher unemployment. Unemployment is 10.5%, against 4.6% nationally (ACS 2024 1-year).
- Higher poverty rate. 34.5% of residents live below the poverty line, against 12.2% nationally.
- Lower incomes. Median household income is $39,209, against $81,604 nationally.
- Local income tax. Residents also pay City of Detroit income tax: $1,236 on a typical wage.
What your job keeps in Detroit
Pick a job, or enter your salary, to see what's left after federal, payroll, state and local taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
- Typical salary
- $52,080
- Federal income tax
- −$4,070
- Payroll taxes
- −$3,984
- State income tax
- −$1,963
- Local income tax
- −$1,236
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$12,564
- Everyday costs
- −$18,158
a year, or $842 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules for a single filer.
What the most common jobs keep here
The 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI area.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Software engineer | $130,760 | $61,488 |
| Mechanical engineer | $109,470 | $48,106 |
| Project manager | $105,350 | $45,481 |
| Registered nurse | $97,280 | $40,340 |
| Electrician | $81,990 | $30,601 |
| Accountant | $80,650 | $29,747 |
| Teacher | $68,448 | $21,975 |
| Truck driver | $59,120 | $15,295 |
| Nursing assistant | $39,900 | $1,130 |
| Medical assistant | $39,410 | $769 |
Other jobs, A–Z
What each keeps in Detroit on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.
- Auto mechanic $12,995
- Carpenter $20,226
- Civil engineer $37,327
- Data scientist $44,193
- Dental assistant $8,655
- Dental hygienist $32,186
- Dentist $84,380
- Diesel mechanic $18,420
- Financial analyst $43,060
- Firefighter $17,955
- HVAC technician $18,279
- Lawyer $64,092
- Licensed practical nurse $22,517
- Lineman $44,850
- Nurse practitioner $63,727
- Occupational therapist $35,449
- Paralegal $18,449
- Paramedic $14,035
- Pharmacist $65,814
- Pharmacy technician $3,656
- Physical therapist $43,966
- Physician assistant $62,148
- Plumber $33,392
- Police officer $28,347
- Radiologic technologist $27,760
- Respiratory therapist $29,836
- Social worker $17,367
- Speech-language pathologist $35,474
- Veterinarian $60,853
- Welder $9,908
Local income tax: Resident rate 2.4% after a $600 personal exemption.
Compare Detroit with other cities
Compare Detroit with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.
Moving to Detroit
11 licensed interstate movers are based in Detroit, and 59 more elsewhere in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI area (FMCSA, household-goods authority).
Questions people ask
Is Detroit, MI a good place to live?
Detroit is a good place to live if you want your pay to go further: a typical worker keeps more here than in 140 of the 178 other large US cities we track. The typical worker here earns $52,080 and keeps $10,105 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
What is the cost of living in Detroit?
Prices in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI area are about the same as the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,047 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,513 a month.
How much do you need to earn to live in Detroit?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $38,400 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI area earns $52,080.
What is the average rent in Detroit?
HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $939 for a studio, $1,047 for a 1-bedroom and $1,307 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in Detroit at $1,091 a month (2024).
Does Detroit have a state or city income tax?
Yes. On a typical wage of $52,080, Michigan state income tax comes to about $1,963 a year. Detroit residents also pay City of Detroit income tax, about $1,236 on the same wage.
What internet providers serve Detroit?
4 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Detroit, led by Xfinity, T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T. 22.4% of homes can get fiber and 71.6% can get gigabit speeds (FCC National Broadband Map).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate