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Living in
Okemos.
Okemos is an unincorporated community in Ingham County, MI. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Okemos
Living in Okemos means joining a solidly middle-to-upper-middle-class suburb where most people are either raising families or established in their careers. The median household income is about $103,000, and about 74% of residents hold a college degree, so you're looking at a fairly educated community. The trade-off is housing costs—median home prices hover around $359,000 and rent runs about $1,300 a month, which isn't cheap for Michigan, though it's reasonable compared to coastal metros.
Okemos at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
34.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
14.5%
Foreign-Born
22.1%
Broadband Internet
93.2%
of households
Population Growth
+5.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics22.1% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Okemos: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Okemos, the largest foreign-born group is from India (29.8%), and 6.1% of residents speak Chinese at home.
Under 18
23.0%
of residents
65 and Older
14.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
33.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
24.0%
of households
Married Couples
52.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.60
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 15% above MI average
Rent, home values, and income in Okemos
In Okemos, rent runs 15% above the MI average, and home values are 55% above the MI average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
46.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
26.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
95.0
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,787
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
59.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1983
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $367,384 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for MI
Unemployment in Okemos
Unemployment in Ingham County, which includes Okemos, is close to the MI average.
Unemployment rate
Okemos: Ingham County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Ingham County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Okemos Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute19.4 min avg
How Okemos residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Okemos, most residents drive alone to work (62%), and 83% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 9 mi
Capital Region International Airport (LAN)
Regional airport · few flights117k passengers boarded in 2025
- 65 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 23% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Meridian Township Police Department, which covers Okemos, runs 23% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
253.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,417.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Meridian Township Police Department (township-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 6 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
87.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Ingham County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Ingham County, which includes Okemos, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 6 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 4 | Hail | $375,000 |
| 2023 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $110.2M |
| 2022 | 6 | Winter Storm | $85,000 |
| 2021 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $70,000 |
| 2020 | 2 | Thunderstorm Wind | $125,000 |
| 2019 | 3 | Thunderstorm Wind | $3.0M |
| 2018 | 2 | Winter Storm | $100,000 |
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
Ingham County, county-wide
Air Quality38 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Ingham County, which includes Okemos, is typically good — 265 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
38
Good Days
265
per year
Moderate Days
92
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Ingham County, county-wide
Climate81°F summers, 20°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Okemos has warm summers (avg high 81°F) and very cold winters (avg low 20°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
58°/38°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
81°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/42°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
34°/20°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
34.6"
Annual Snowfall
36.0"
Hot Days/Year
9
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
145
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
127
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 18°F | 2.08" |
| Feb | 34°F | 19°F | 1.60" |
| Mar | 45°F | 27°F | 1.68" |
| Apr | 58°F | 37°F | 3.55" |
| May | 70°F | 48°F | 4.36" |
| Jun | 79°F | 58°F | 3.79" |
| Jul | 83°F | 61°F | 3.37" |
| Aug | 81°F | 60°F | 3.45" |
| Sep | 76°F | 52°F | 3.17" |
| Oct | 62°F | 42°F | 3.12" |
| Nov | 48°F | 32°F | 2.55" |
| Dec | 37°F | 24°F | 1.60" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Okemos
Uninsured
2.5%
of residents
No hospitals inside Okemos's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Mclaren Greater Lansing
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.9 mi away · Lansing
Brightwell Behavioral Health
Psychiatric · 5.1 mi away · East Lansing
Edward W Sparrow Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.5 mi away · Lansing
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.
Education18.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Okemos
Okemos's student/teacher ratio is 18.8:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 72.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
72.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
18.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Okemos (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 40,922 students · in-state tuition $17,256 · 82% graduate · median earnings $74,168 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 8,207 students · in-state tuition $4,100 · 19% graduate · median earnings $44,318 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 197 students · in-state tuition $19,920 · 30% graduate · median earnings $36,738 (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 Okemos
Okemos 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 Okemos
Hope Borbas Okemos Branch Library
4321 Okemos Road, Okemos
Cities Near Okemos
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Okemos?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Okemos FAQ
Is Okemos, Michigan affordable?⌄
Okemos's median rent is $1,298/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $102,612/year. Median home value is $359,200.
Is Okemos, Michigan safe?⌄
Okemos is policed by the Meridian Township Police Department, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 253 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1418 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Okemos, Michigan?⌄
Ingham County, which includes Okemos, has an unemployment rate of 5.0%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Okemos, Michigan?⌄
The cost of living in Okemos is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,298/month and median household income is $102,612/year. The median home value is $359,200. About 47% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Okemos, Michigan?⌄
The average commute in Okemos is 19 minutes, which is shorter than 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