What it's like to live in Lansing
Lansing is a small city in Illinois with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Lansing deals with unemployment above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and a population that has been shrinking.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- Shrinking population
- Cold winters
How Lansing compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Lansing
Based on Lansing's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,536
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $50,720 a year
- 48% of Lansing renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$35,400
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $17,700
- Homes cost 2.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 10% below US
$1,268/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,268 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $177,000. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $177,000 · 48% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 40% above US
6.0% unemployment
Unemployment here is 6.0%, well above the national average of 4.3%. Moving with a job already lined up matters more here.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 16% below US
276 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 1584/100k · Lansing Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 25% above US
33 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 32.6 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 82°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 18°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 22% below US
28% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 28%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Pullman National Historical Park (10 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Lansing's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are unemployment above the national average and commute times longer than most cities. A year of median rent ($1,268/mo) equals 20% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up and people who dread long commutes.
Other places near Lansing
All Illinois guides →Moving to Calumet City →
3 mi away · pop. 35,100
Rent $1,177/mo · Income $55,369
Compare with Lansing →Moving to South Holland →
4 mi away · pop. 20,911
Rent $1,856/mo · Income $85,280
Compare with Lansing →Not sure Lansing is the one?
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