What it's like to live in Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor is a mid-size city in Michigan with unemployment below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, a highly educated workforce, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Ann Arbor deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 59" per year
How Ann Arbor compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Ann Arbor
Based on Ann Arbor's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,298
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $65,960 a year
- 57% of Ann Arbor renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$90,680
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $45,340
- Homes cost 5.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 17% above US
$1,649/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,649 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices run above average, with a median around $453,400. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $453,400 · 57% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 19% below US
3.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.5%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
SafetyNear US average
297 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 1706/100k · Ann Arbor Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 23% below US
20 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 5 in 10 workers drive to work; 7% take public transit; 29% 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.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 4.5 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 116% above US
78% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
32 public schools inside the boundary
There are 32 public schools inside the boundary and 13 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is River Raisin National Battlefield Park (31 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Ann Arbor's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,649/mo) equals 24% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (29% of workers here already work from home), people who want short commutes, and college-educated professionals.
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