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Living in
Royal Oak.
About
Life in Royal Oak
Living in Royal Oak means joining a stable, prosperous suburb with genuine urban amenities—this isn't just bedroom community sprawl. The downtown has real character with independent restaurants, live music venues, comedy clubs, and weekend foot traffic, especially during events like Arts, Beats & Eats over Labor Day weekend. The median household income of $101,109 and 62.6% college degree rate signal an educated professional base, and the 2.6% unemployment rate suggests solid job stability, though you'll likely still commute into Detroit or elsewhere—the average is 24 minutes.
Royal Oak at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.2%
Foreign-Born
6.5%
Broadband Internet
95.0%
of households
Population Growth
-1.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics6.5% foreign-born, most often from Canada
Who lives in Royal Oak: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Royal Oak, the largest foreign-born group is from Canada (14.4%), and 1.9% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
14.8%
of residents
65 and Older
15.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
17.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
43.3%
of households
Married Couples
33.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
1.98
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 22% above MI average
Rent, home values, and income in Royal Oak
In Royal Oak, rent runs 22% above the MI average, and home values are 42% above the MI average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
32.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
14.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
100.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,203
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
68.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1956
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $328,150 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 2.6 pts below MI average
Unemployment in Royal Oak and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Royal Oak is 2.6 percentage points lower than the MI average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Royal Oak 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
Commute23.8 min avg
How Royal Oak residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Royal Oak, most residents drive alone to work (67%), and 69% 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 54% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Royal Oak runs 54% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
152.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
746.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Royal Oak 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 Royal Oak, 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
Royal Oak is about 5% 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 Royal Oak, 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
Royal Oak is about 5% of Oakland County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate81°F summers, 22°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Royal Oak has warm summers (avg high 81°F) and cold winters (avg low 22°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
57°/39°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
81°/63°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
61°/45°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
35°/22°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
29.9"
Annual Snowfall
36.0"
Hot Days/Year
13
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
112
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
125
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 20°F | 1.45" |
| Feb | 35°F | 21°F | 1.41" |
| Mar | 45°F | 28°F | 2.02" |
| Apr | 58°F | 39°F | 2.82" |
| May | 70°F | 50°F | 3.49" |
| Jun | 79°F | 60°F | 3.10" |
| Jul | 84°F | 65°F | 3.22" |
| Aug | 81°F | 64°F | 3.10" |
| Sep | 74°F | 56°F | 3.09" |
| Oct | 61°F | 45°F | 2.30" |
| Nov | 48°F | 34°F | 2.16" |
| Dec | 37°F | 26°F | 1.73" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Royal Oak
Royal Oak has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
2.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Beaumont Hospital Royal Oak
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
- Main campus: Beaumont Hospital Royal Oak · 3601 W Thirteen Mile Rd
- Outpatient center: Beaumont · 6900 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Ascension Providence Hospital, Southfield and Novi
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.3 mi away · Southfield
Surgeons Choice Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · 4.3 mi away · Southfield
Henry Ford Health Behavioral Health Hospital
Psychiatric · 4.3 mi away · Ferndale
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. Campus locations © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Education15.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Royal Oak
Royal Oak's student/teacher ratio is 15.3:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 64.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
5
within city limits
College Degree Rate
64.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Royal Oak (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)
Wayne County Community College District
13.5 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 7,423 students · in-state tuition $3,112 · 20% graduate · median earnings $34,732 (10 yrs after entry)
University of Michigan-Dearborn
13.8 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 5,952 students · in-state tuition $16,240 · 61% graduate · median earnings $66,897 (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, 43 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Royal Oak
Royal Oak has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being River Raisin National Battlefield Park (43 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
River Raisin National Battlefield Park
National Battlefield Park
43 mi awayPerry's Victory & International Peace Memorial
Memorial
62 mi awayPublic Libraries in Royal Oak
Royal Oak Public Library
222 East Eleven Mile Road, Royal Oak
Cities Near Royal Oak
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Royal Oak?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Royal Oak FAQ
Is Royal Oak, Michigan affordable?⌄
Royal Oak's median rent is $1,381/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $101,109/year. Median home value is $328,700.
Is Royal Oak, Michigan safe?⌄
Royal Oak's violent crime rate was 153 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 746 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Royal Oak, Michigan?⌄
Royal Oak has an unemployment rate of 2.6%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Royal Oak, Michigan?⌄
The cost of living in Royal Oak is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,381/month and median household income is $101,109/year. The median home value is $328,700. About 32% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Royal Oak, Michigan?⌄
The average commute in Royal Oak is 24 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