Macomb County vs Oakland County
Macomb County, Michigan versus Oakland County, Michigan: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Oakland County edges out Macomb County on overall objective livability (50 vs 46 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Macomb County | Oakland County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $74k | $93k |
| Cost of Living | $46k | $48k |
| Home Value | $216k | $303k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.47% | 1.36% |
| Income Tax | 4.30% | 4.40% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.59% | 10.83% |
| Unemployment | 5.7% | 4.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 25°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.7 in | 33.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 31.9 in | 42.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 211 days | 220 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 101 days | 95 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 96.7 | 97.5 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 41 AQI |
| School Quality | 65.9 | 78.7 |
| Violent Crime | 1343/100k | 953/100k |
| Property Crime | 1219/100k | 1162/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 878,453 | 1,272,264 |
| Median Age | 41.0 | 41.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.38 | 0.46 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+14 |
| White (%) | 76.3% | 69.9% |
| Black (%) | 12.3% | 13.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.9% | 4.5% |
| Asian (%) | 4.5% | 8.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.1% | 4.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 27 min | 26 min |
| Walkability | 7.7/20 | 7.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 39 mi | 31 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.2% | 92.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 1.01 | 2.66 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
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 Macomb County or Oakland County more affordable?
- Macomb County has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Macomb County's $46k and Oakland County's $48k. Median rent is $1k in Macomb County versus $1k in Oakland County.
- Is Macomb County or Oakland County safer?
- Oakland County has the lower violent crime rate. Macomb County reports 1343/100k and Oakland County reports 953/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Macomb County or Oakland County?
- The median home value is $216k in Macomb County and $303k in Oakland County, so homes are more affordable in Macomb County.