Cost of Living in Lansing, Michigan
Rent, everyday costs and taxes in Lansing, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.
- Population
- 113,884
- Median household income
- $55,366
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 95.0
- Unemployment rate
- 5.4%
Is Lansing a good place to live?
Lansing is a good place to live if you want your pay to go further: a typical worker keeps more here than in 163 of the 178 other large US cities we track.
A typical worker in Lansing keeps $12,576 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job
- Cost of living5% below the US average (BEA, 2024)
- Rent$1,032 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
- Taxes$1,993 of state income tax on a typical wage, plus $522 of local income tax
Cost of living in Lansing
Prices in the Lansing-East Lansing, MI area run 5% below the US average. Housing is the biggest difference, at 17% below the US average.
- Housing17% below the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)6% below the US average
- Utilities4% below the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)About the same as the US average
- All items5% below the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,032 | $12,384 |
| Food | $463 | $5,556 |
| Transportation | $366 | $4,392 |
| Healthcare | $351 | $4,212 |
| Utilities | $249 | $2,988 |
| Total before taxes | $2,461 | $29,532 |
Rent by apartment size
| Monthly rent | Lansing | Whole metro area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,018 | $1,036 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,032 | $1,054 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,297 | $1,323 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,652 | $1,685 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,704 | $1,739 |
Living in Lansing
How Lansing compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year).
| Measure | Lansing | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,366 | $81,604 |
| Median home value | $142,800 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,003 | $1,487 |
| Households renting | 47.1% | 34.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 22.6% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 29.8% | 36.9% |
| Median age | 34.5 years | 39.2 years |
| Average commute, one way | 18.7 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 11% | 13.3% |
| Commuting by public transit | 4% | 3.7% |
Home internet
5 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Lansing, led by Xfinity, T-Mobile, Metronet Holdings, Verizon. Fiber reaches 73.6% of homes and 79.4% can get gigabit speeds.
Pros and cons of living in Lansing
Pros
- Shorter commutes. The average one-way commute is 18.7 minutes, against 27.2 nationally.
- Cheaper rent. Median rent is $1,003 a month, against $1,487 nationally.
- Affordable homes to buy. The median home is worth $142,800, against $360,600 nationally.
- Paychecks go further. A typical worker keeps $12,576 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs, more than in 163 of 178 large cities.
Cons
- Higher poverty rate. 22.6% of residents live below the poverty line, against 12.2% nationally.
- Local income tax. Residents also pay City of Lansing income tax: $522 on a typical wage.
- Lower incomes. Median household income is $55,366, against $81,604 nationally.
What your job keeps in Lansing
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
- $52,800
- Federal income tax
- −$4,156
- Payroll taxes
- −$4,039
- State income tax
- −$1,993
- Local income tax
- −$522
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$12,384
- Everyday costs
- −$17,130
a year, or $1,048 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS Lansing-East Lansing, 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 Lansing-East Lansing, MI area.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Software engineer | $97,120 | $42,798 |
| Project manager | $97,050 | $42,752 |
| Registered nurse | $84,320 | $34,466 |
| Electrician | $80,480 | $31,964 |
| Accountant | $79,210 | $31,138 |
| Teacher | $67,927 | $23,794 |
| Social worker | $62,434 | $19,811 |
| Truck driver | $56,710 | $15,513 |
| Medical assistant | $38,600 | $1,911 |
| Nursing assistant | $38,550 | $1,873 |
Other jobs, A–Z
What each keeps in Lansing on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.
- Auto mechanic $15,076
- Carpenter $21,189
- Civil engineer $42,095
- Data scientist $36,313
- Dental assistant $15,091
- Dental hygienist $38,626
- Dentist $85,878
- Diesel mechanic $19,290
- Financial analyst $33,879
- Firefighter $16,135
- HVAC technician $18,313
- Lawyer $63,162
- Licensed practical nurse $22,981
- Lineman $49,158
- Mechanical engineer $43,728
- Nurse practitioner $63,691
- Occupational therapist $35,943
- Paralegal $18,148
- Paramedic $11,411
- Pharmacist $66,121
- Pharmacy technician $6,583
- Physical therapist $44,224
- Physician assistant $62,922
- Plumber $30,474
- Police officer $28,834
- Radiologic technologist $30,735
- Respiratory therapist $30,695
- Speech-language pathologist $37,615
- Veterinarian $59,313
- Welder $10,751
Local income tax: Resident rate 1% after a $600 personal exemption.
Compare Lansing with other cities
Compare Lansing with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.
Moving to Lansing
5 licensed interstate movers are based in Lansing, and 2 more elsewhere in the Lansing-East Lansing, MI area (FMCSA, household-goods authority).
Questions people ask
Is Lansing, MI a good place to live?
Lansing is a good place to live if you want your pay to go further: a typical worker keeps more here than in 163 of the 178 other large US cities we track. The typical worker here earns $52,800 and keeps $12,576 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
What is the cost of living in Lansing?
Prices in the Lansing-East Lansing, MI area are 5% below the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,032 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,428 a month.
How much do you need to earn to live in Lansing?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $36,100 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the Lansing-East Lansing, MI area earns $52,800.
What is the average rent in Lansing?
HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $1,018 for a studio, $1,032 for a 1-bedroom and $1,297 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in Lansing at $1,003 a month (2024).
Does Lansing have a state or city income tax?
Yes. On a typical wage of $52,800, Michigan state income tax comes to about $1,993 a year. Lansing residents also pay City of Lansing income tax, about $522 on the same wage.
What internet providers serve Lansing?
5 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Lansing, led by Xfinity, T-Mobile, Metronet Holdings, Verizon. 73.6% of homes can get fiber and 79.4% 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