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Living in
Flint.
About
Life in Flint
If you're seriously considering a move to Flint, here's what you need to know: this is an affordable city with a rich industrial history but real challenges that persist today. The job market is improving slightly with unemployment around 13.7%, though the city hasn't recovered from decades of automotive industry collapse. Your daily life will revolve around neighborhoods with distinct characters: Carriage Town and the College/Cultural Neighborhood around UM-Flint and Mott Community College have more stability and investment, while other areas struggle with disinvestment.
Flint at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
34.1%
Foreign-Born
3.2%
Broadband Internet
83.1%
of households
Population Growth
-2.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.2% foreign-born, most often from Cuba
Who lives in Flint: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Flint, the largest foreign-born group is from Cuba (24.9%), and 1.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.6%
of residents
65 and Older
14.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
41.2%
of households
Married Couples
18.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.25
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 19% below MI average
Rent, home values, and income in Flint
In Flint, rent runs 19% below the MI average, and home values are 77% below the MI average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
52.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
28.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
93.0
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,106
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
53.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1954
median year built
Vacant Homes
19.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $64,412 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 8.5 pts above MI average
Unemployment in Flint
Unemployment in Flint is 8.5 percentage points higher than the MI average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Flint Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute22.7 min avg
How Flint residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Flint, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 75% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 4 mi
Bishop International Airport (FNT)
Regional airport · few flights344k passengers boarded in 2025
- 58 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 233% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Flint runs 233% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
1,097
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,092
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Flint Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 10 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
92.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Genesee County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Genesee County, which includes Flint, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 10 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.0M |
| 2023 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $20.0M |
| 2022 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $35,000 |
| 2021 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.4M |
| 2020 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $352,000 |
| 2019 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $675,500 |
| 2018 | 8 | Heat | $4.5M |
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
Genesee County, county-wide
Air Quality38 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Genesee County, which includes Flint, is typically good — 252 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
38
Good Days
252
per year
Moderate Days
48
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Genesee County, county-wide
Climate80°F summers, 18°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Flint has mild summers (avg high 80°F) and very cold winters (avg low 18°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
56°/35°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/59°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
60°/40°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
33°/18°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
32.9"
Annual Snowfall
40.4"
Hot Days/Year
8
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
148
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
126
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°F | 16°F | 2.15" |
| Feb | 33°F | 16°F | 1.67" |
| Mar | 43°F | 24°F | 1.87" |
| Apr | 56°F | 35°F | 3.41" |
| May | 68°F | 46°F | 3.68" |
| Jun | 78°F | 56°F | 3.06" |
| Jul | 82°F | 60°F | 3.35" |
| Aug | 79°F | 59°F | 3.34" |
| Sep | 73°F | 51°F | 2.88" |
| Oct | 60°F | 40°F | 2.97" |
| Nov | 47°F | 30°F | 2.37" |
| Dec | 35°F | 22°F | 2.13" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Flint
Flint has 2 hospitals, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
5.4%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Hurley Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Mclaren Flint
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
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.
Education19.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Flint
Flint's student/teacher ratio is 19.2:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 14.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
25
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
14.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
19.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Flint
Public · 2-year · 5,251 students · in-state tuition $7,009 · 22% graduate · median earnings $37,337 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 4,411 students · in-state tuition $15,354 · 53% graduate · median earnings $58,635 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,205 students · in-state tuition $50,650 · 71% graduate · median earnings $96,136 (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, 78 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Flint
Flint has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being River Raisin National Battlefield Park (78 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
River Raisin National Battlefield Park
National Battlefield Park
78 mi awayPublic Libraries in Flint
Gloria Coles Flint Public Library
1026 East Kearsley Street, Flint
Cities Near Flint
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Flint?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Flint FAQ
Is Flint, Michigan affordable?⌄
Flint's median rent is $915/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $37,646/year. Median home value is $53,500.
Is Flint, Michigan safe?⌄
Flint's violent crime rate was 1097 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1092 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Flint, Michigan?⌄
Flint has an unemployment rate of 13.7%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Flint, Michigan?⌄
The cost of living in Flint is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $915/month and median household income is $37,646/year. The median home value is $53,500. About 52% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Flint, Michigan?⌄
The average commute in Flint is 23 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