Kent County vs Macomb County
Kent County, Michigan versus Macomb County, Michigan: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Kent County and Macomb County score about the same overall (46 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Kent County | Macomb County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $76k | $74k |
| Cost of Living | $51k | $46k |
| Home Value | $242k | $216k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.19% | 1.47% |
| Income Tax | 4.97% | 4.30% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.73% | 10.59% |
| Unemployment | 4.5% | 5.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 25°F | 25°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.6 in | 33.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 72.4 in | 31.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 164 days | 211 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 100 days | 101 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 92.2 | 96.7 |
| Air Quality | 49 AQI | 51 AQI |
| School Quality | 79.4 | 65.9 |
| Violent Crime | 2061/100k | 1343/100k |
| Property Crime | 1994/100k | 1219/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 657,321 | 878,453 |
| Median Age | 35.6 | 41.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.41 | 0.38 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 71.9% | 76.3% |
| Black (%) | 9.2% | 12.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 11.1% | 2.9% |
| Asian (%) | 3.1% | 4.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.7% | 4.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 9.7/20 | 7.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 11 mi | 39 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.8% | 91.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 1.61 | 1.01 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Kent County or Macomb County more affordable?
- Macomb County has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Kent County's $51k and Macomb County's $46k. Median rent is $1k in Kent County versus $1k in Macomb County.
- Is Kent County or Macomb County safer?
- Macomb County has the lower violent crime rate. Kent County reports 2061/100k and Macomb County reports 1343/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Kent County or Macomb County?
- The median home value is $242k in Kent County and $216k in Macomb County, so homes are more affordable in Macomb County.