What it's like to live in New Baltimore
New Baltimore is a small city in Michigan with rent 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. New Baltimore deals with commute times longer than most cities, larger class sizes than the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and cold winters.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
The not so good
- Above-average commute times
- High student-teacher ratio
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How New Baltimore compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to New Baltimore
Based on New Baltimore's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,078
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $41,560 a year
- 57% of New Baltimore renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$64,640
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $32,320
- Homes cost 3.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 26% below US
$1,039/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $1,039 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $323,200. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $323,200 · 57% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.9% county unemployment
Unemployment in Macomb County is 4.9%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Macomb County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 92% below US
25 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 173/100k · New Baltimore Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 18% above US
31 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 30.7 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. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 80°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 20°F and snow a regular occurrence.
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▼ 15% below US
31% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 31% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
3 public schools inside the boundary
There are 3 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 20:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is River Raisin National Battlefield Park (62 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
New Baltimore's strongest points are rent below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are commute times longer than most cities and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin. A year of median rent ($1,039/mo) equals 12% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and anyone prioritizing low crime.
Other places near New Baltimore
All Michigan guides →Moving to Mount Clemens →
9 mi away · pop. 15,511
Rent $847/mo · Income $52,310
Compare with New Baltimore →Moving to St. Clair Shores →
15 mi away · pop. 58,140
Rent $1,183/mo · Income $73,500
Compare with New Baltimore →Moving to Roseville →
16 mi away · pop. 47,123
Rent $1,233/mo · Income $62,182
Compare with New Baltimore →Not sure New Baltimore is the one?
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