What it's like to live in Birmingham
Birmingham is a small city in Michigan with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Birmingham deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and cold winters.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Air quality concerns
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 36" per year
How Birmingham compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Birmingham
Based on Birmingham's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,804
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $76,080 a year
- 37% of Birmingham renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$139,660
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $69,830
- Homes cost 4.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 35% above US
$1,902/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,902 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are steep, with a median around $698,300. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $698,300 · 37% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.9% county unemployment
Unemployment in Oakland County is 3.9%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Oakland County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 90% below US
31 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 820/100k · Birmingham Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 22% below US
20 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.3 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 26% 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
Education & workforce▲ 113% above US
77% 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
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary and 2 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 (44 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Birmingham's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,902/mo) equals 15% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (26% of workers here already work from home), and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
Other places near Birmingham
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