What it's like to live in Auburn Hills
Auburn Hills is a small city in Michigan with home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, a highly educated workforce, and a growing population. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Auburn Hills deals with air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, cold winters, and snowy winters.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Air quality concerns
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 36" per year
How Auburn Hills compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Auburn Hills
Based on Auburn Hills's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,954
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $59,080 a year
- 40% of Auburn Hills renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$49,000
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $24,500
- Homes cost 2.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,477/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,477 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $245,000. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $245,000 · 40% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.2% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.2%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
SafetyNear US average
332 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 1925/100k · Auburn Hills Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 15% below US
22 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.1 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 19% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 80°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 20°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 38% above US
50% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 50% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary and 2 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 River Raisin National Battlefield Park (53 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Auburn Hills's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are air quality that falls short of national benchmarks and cold winters. A year of median rent ($1,477/mo) equals 21% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (19% of workers here already work from home) and college-educated professionals.
Other places near Auburn Hills
All Michigan guides →Moving to Pontiac →
3 mi away · pop. 62,104
Rent $1,063/mo · Income $44,329
Compare with Auburn Hills →Moving to Rochester Hills →
5 mi away · pop. 77,089
Rent $1,644/mo · Income $120,694
Compare with Auburn Hills →Moving to Rochester →
6 mi away · pop. 12,934
Rent $1,350/mo · Income $111,750
Compare with Auburn Hills →Not sure Auburn Hills is the one?
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