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Verified Neighborhood Report

Detroit, MI

Location verified via US geocoding. Safety, Schools, and Noise scores are deterministically modeled for this exact place.

Report status

US location · verified

Neighborhood intelligence

Your Detroit relocation brief

Safety, noise, schools, air quality, true cost, hazard, and commute intelligence for Detroit.

Median rent

$1,411/mo

HUD 2024

Median household income

$57,223

Census ACS 2022

Median home value

$158,600

Census ACS 2022

Safety score

75/100

FBI CDE

Schools

B+

Estimated

Weather

69°F (H 77° / L 61°)

Open-Meteo

Safety & Crime Index

75/100

FBI CDE

Above-average peace of mind — 1% below average

Above Average

Noise Level

41 dB — Quiet Suburb

Open-Meteo

Open-Meteo 16-day avg 69°F

Quiet — Low environmental index

High-Level School Grade

B+

Estimated

16:1 staffing ratio · Modeled district estimate from public data

Top 35% statewide

Environmental / Air Quality

AQI 35 — Good

Open-Meteo

Low pollen & dust baseline · wind index 53 (100 = avg)

Good / Low Pollen

Side-by-side

Compare with another city

See how Detroit stacks up on rent, safety, schools, and weather.

Neighborhood guide

Living in Detroit MI

Typical home values in Detroit, MI sit near $158,600. That is still an entry point for buyers priced out of $500k+ metros.

Detroit has about 1,781,641 residents. Scores below are citywide. Your ZIP can land better or worse on rent, crime, and schools.

Is Detroit MI Safe?

Detroit MI scores 75/100 on safety (above average). Crime is about 1% below the national average. Pick the neighborhood carefully. Some ZIPs are fine, others are not.

Detail: overall crime index 99 (100 = avg); violent crime index 120; property crime index 77. Indexes near 100 track a typical U.S. load. Higher means more crime pressure on that category.

Schools in Detroit MI

Campus scores in the report: Detroit Elementary (elementary) at 7/10; Detroit Middle School (middle) at 7/10; Detroit High School (high) at 8/10. On this 10-point scale, 7 is solidly middle; 9 is a standout.

District picture: about B+ (above average) · Top 35% statewide. Student-teacher staffing: 16:1. If schools drive your move, compare the specific campuses that serve your target address against statewide peers.

Cost of Living in Detroit MI

Typical rent in Detroit is about $1,411/month (moderate). At $1,411/month for a typical unit, you need about $50,796+ in household income to rent comfortably without stretching (3× rent × 12). Typical home value: $158,600.

Median household income is $57,223, property taxes run about 1.45%, and homes typically sell in around 28 days. Local median income ($57,223) clears the $50,796 comfort line for that rent.

Walk Score 68 (Somewhat Walkable); transit score 42 (Some Transit).

Weather and Climate in Detroit MI

Average temperature is about 69°F (highs near 77°F, lows near 61°F).

You can be outside most of the year without extreme gear. Heating and cooling costs are usually moderate compared with hotter or colder metros. If you visit, go in winter or midsummer (not only in spring) to see the extremes.

Who Should Move to Detroit MI?

Who tends to thrive in Detroit: (1) Households that want quieter streets (safety sits at 75/100) (2) People relocating for a job who can pick a safer ZIP (citywide safety is 75/100) (3) Households earning $50,796+ who can clear the 3× rent rule at $1,411/month (4) Movers with a locked job offer in Detroit who already priced rent, schools, and commute

Who should look elsewhere: (1) Households expecting top marks on rent, safety, and schools at once (Detroit does not clear every bar) (2) People who will not research ZIP-level crime and school maps before leasing

Income sniff test: clear about $50,796 household income for $1,411/month rent. Under that, pick a cheaper ZIP or a different city.

Bottom Line

Detroit MI is a yes only if you can live with the main downside below. Otherwise skip it.

The strongest upside is safety at 75/100 (above what many metros post).

The biggest practical risk is still housing: confirm you can carry $1,411/month plus utilities before you sign.

Relocation deep-dive

Before you sign anything

True ownership costs, insurance hazards, and commute math for Detroit.

True Cost Matrix

Property tax trajectories and climate-adjusted utility estimates

Monthly carrying cost

$1,145

Mortgage + tax + insurance + HOA

Annual property tax

$2,300

Annual est. $5,580

Est. monthly utilities

$290

Climate-adjusted electric, gas & water

Median home price

$158,600

Census ACS 2022

Home price trend

5-year median sale price

+11.2% · 5 yr
$143k
2022
$146k
2023
$150k
2024
$154k
2025
$159k
2026

Modeled from +14.2% cumulative appreciation · median sale price by year

Rent vs buy index

Estimated monthly cost comparison

Buying saves ~$266/mo vs renting
$1,411HUD 2024
Rent
$1,145
Buy

Mortgage

$802

Property tax

$192

Insurance

$57

HOA

$95

Buy estimate: 20% down, 30-yr fixed at 6.5% APR · taxes, insurance & HOA included

Property tax trajectory

Effective rate and estimated annual bill on median home

2023

1.33%

$2,105/yr

2024

1.37%

$2,168/yr

2025

1.41%

$2,233/yr

2026

1.45%

$2,300/yr

Disaster & Insurance Risk

Flood zone exposure and average insurance premium impacts

Flood zone

Zone X — minimal flood risk

moderate exposure

Wildfire hazard index

52 (100 = avg)

low exposure

Est. annual homeowners insurance

$680/yr

moderate exposure
Wind hazard index53 (100 = avg)
Tornado index
Earthquake index
Insurance trendTypical near-term temperature around 69°F

Flood and wind exposure can materially affect premiums — verify FEMA maps and carrier quotes before closing. Estimated annual homeowners insurance: $680.

Custom Commute Calculator

Work address, MPG, and toll footprint estimates

Work commute & expense calculator

Monthly gas and toll footprint from Detroit to your workplace

One-way drive

~24 min

At ~30 mph average

Monthly fuel

$66

18.9 gal · 22 days

Monthly tolls

$0

Round-trip toll estimate

Monthly total

$66

Gas + tolls · 48 min/day

Annual footprint

$792

Commute-only estimate

✓ Data sourced from U.S. Census Bureau, HUD, FBI & Open-Meteo