What it's like to live in Livonia
Livonia is a smaller city in Michigan with home prices that remain within reach, unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, and crime rates well below the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Livonia deals with air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, a population that has been shrinking, cold, harsh winters, and snowy winters.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Air quality concerns
- Shrinking population
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 36" per year
How Livonia compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Livonia
Based on Livonia's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,644
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $52,880 a year
- 38% of Livonia renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$56,220
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $28,110
- 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
$1,322/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,322 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $281,100. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $281,100 · 38% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 28% below US
3.1% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.1%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 34% below US
217 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1242/100k · Livonia Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 24.3 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 18% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 18°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 2.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 16% above US
42% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 42% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
31 public schools inside the boundary
There are 31 public schools inside the boundary and 6 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 (33 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Livonia's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and unemployment below the national average; the main tradeoffs are air quality that falls short of national benchmarks and a population that has been shrinking. A year of median rent ($1,322/mo) equals 16% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers, anyone prioritizing low crime, and remote workers (18% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Livonia
All Michigan guides →Not sure Livonia is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.