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Living in
Berkley.
About
Life in Berkley
Berkley is a tightly planned inner-ring suburb of Detroit—14 miles northwest of downtown—where you get genuine walkability and a tight-knit community feel without sacrificing access to urban opportunities or suburbs. The grid-street layout and small lots that define the neighborhood actually work in your favor; locals say this design fosters real community connection, and it's paid off in one of Michigan's healthiest housing markets. The median household income sits around $116,000, and while homes average $316,700, Money.com rated Berkley as the 28th-best place to live for the money in the entire country, which tells you something about the value-to-quality ratio you're getting here.
Berkley at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
4.5%
Foreign-Born
2.8%
Broadband Internet
97.4%
of households
Population Growth
-0.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.8% foreign-born, most often from Canada
Who lives in Berkley: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Berkley, the largest foreign-born group is from Canada (19.3%), and 0.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.4%
of residents
65 and Older
14.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
24.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
36.1%
of households
Married Couples
45.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.21
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 35% above MI average
Rent, home values, and income in Berkley
In Berkley, rent runs 35% above the MI average, and home values are 37% above the MI average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
33.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
15.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
100.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,934
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
87.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1949
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $312,861 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.3 pts below MI average
Unemployment in Berkley and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Oakland County, which includes Berkley, is 1.3 percentage points lower than the MI average.
Unemployment rate
Berkley: Oakland County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Oakland County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Berkley is about 1% of Oakland County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Berkley Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area
Commute22 min avg
How Berkley residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Berkley, most residents drive alone to work (70%), and 68% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 22 mi
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)
Major hub16.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 74% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Berkley runs 74% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
84.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
416.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Berkley Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 13 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
97.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Oakland County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Oakland County, which includes Berkley, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 13 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $40,500 |
| 2024 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $20,000 |
| 2023 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $18.0M |
| 2022 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $85,000 |
| 2021 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $17.9M |
| 2020 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.0M |
| 2019 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.0M |
| 2018 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $11.0M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
2 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Oakland County, county-wide
Berkley is about 1% of Oakland County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality41 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Oakland County, which includes Berkley, is typically good — 242 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
41
Good Days
242
per year
Moderate Days
99
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
Oakland County, county-wide
Berkley is about 1% of Oakland County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate81°F summers, 18°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Berkley has warm summers (avg high 81°F) and very cold winters (avg low 18°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
56°/35°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
81°/58°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
60°/40°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
33°/18°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
33.0"
Annual Snowfall
36.0"
Hot Days/Year
11
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
146
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
129
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°F | 16°F | 2.34" |
| Feb | 34°F | 16°F | 1.75" |
| Mar | 44°F | 24°F | 2.07" |
| Apr | 57°F | 34°F | 3.05" |
| May | 69°F | 46°F | 3.61" |
| Jun | 78°F | 56°F | 3.31" |
| Jul | 83°F | 60°F | 3.21" |
| Aug | 81°F | 59°F | 3.17" |
| Sep | 74°F | 51°F | 3.35" |
| Oct | 60°F | 40°F | 2.65" |
| Nov | 47°F | 30°F | 2.48" |
| Dec | 35°F | 22°F | 2.03" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Berkley
Uninsured
2.7%
of residents
No hospitals inside Berkley's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Beaumont Hospital Royal Oak
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 1.4 mi away · Royal Oak
Ascension Providence Hospital, Southfield and Novi
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.9 mi away · Southfield
Surgeons Choice Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · 3 mi away · Southfield
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Berkley
Berkley's student/teacher ratio is 16.9:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 58.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
58.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Berkley (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 15,587 students · in-state tuition $15,862 · 61% graduate · median earnings $59,525 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 13,876 students · in-state tuition $3,745 · 18% graduate · median earnings $44,976 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 12,748 students · in-state tuition $3,220 · 31% graduate · median earnings $40,666 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 12,351 students · in-state tuition $16,176 · 63% graduate · median earnings $63,565 (10 yrs after entry)
Schoolcraft Community College District
13.7 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 7,511 students · in-state tuition $4,736 · 20% graduate · median earnings $45,652 (10 yrs after entry)
Wayne County Community College District
13.6 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 7,423 students · in-state tuition $3,112 · 20% graduate · median earnings $34,732 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: River Raisin National Battlefield Park, 42 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Berkley
Berkley has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being River Raisin National Battlefield Park (42 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
River Raisin National Battlefield Park
National Battlefield Park
42 mi awayPerry's Victory & International Peace Memorial
Memorial
61 mi awayPublic Libraries in Berkley
Berkley Public Library
3155 Coolidge Highway, Berkley
Cities Near Berkley
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Berkley?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Berkley FAQ
Is Berkley, Michigan affordable?⌄
Berkley's median rent is $1,526/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $116,239/year. Median home value is $316,700.
Is Berkley, Michigan safe?⌄
Berkley's violent crime rate was 85 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 417 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Berkley, Michigan?⌄
Oakland County, which includes Berkley, has an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Berkley, Michigan?⌄
The cost of living in Berkley is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,526/month and median household income is $116,239/year. The median home value is $316,700. About 33% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Berkley, Michigan?⌄
The average commute in Berkley is 22 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from