What it's like to live in Wyoming
Wyoming is a smaller city in Michigan with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Wyoming deals with crime rates above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and cold winters.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Crime above national average
- Air quality concerns
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
- Heavy snowfall — 75" per year
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Wyoming compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Wyoming
Based on Wyoming's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,392
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $47,840 a year
- 51% of Wyoming renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$45,040
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $22,520
- Homes cost 3.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 15% below US
$1,196/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,196 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $225,200. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $225,200 · 51% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.3% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.3%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 40% above US
459 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 1968/100k · Wyoming Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 16% below US
22 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 21.9 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 10% 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 19°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 29% below US
26% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 26%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
26 public schools inside the boundary
There are 26 public schools inside the boundary and 10 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Bottom line
Wyoming's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are crime rates above the national average and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,196/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Wyoming
All Michigan guides →Not sure Wyoming is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.