Ann Arbor vs Garden City
Ann Arbor, Michigan versus Garden City, Michigan: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Garden City edges out Ann Arbor on overall objective livability (54 vs 49 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Ann Arbor | Garden City |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $79k | $64k |
| Cost of Living | $54k | $43k |
| Home Value | $417k | $153k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $950 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.69% | 1.82% |
| Income Tax | 4.30% | 4.30% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.22% | 10.64% |
| Unemployment | 3.7% | 7.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 24°F | 26°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.9 in | 35.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 59.3 in | 30.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 230 days | 147 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 82 days | 96 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 32.4 | 14.9 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 36 AQI |
| School Quality | 89.6 | 93.3 |
| Violent Crime | 911/100k | 2591/100k |
| Property Crime | 1725/100k | 2612/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 122,216 | 27,203 |
| Median Age | 27.4 | 40.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.48 | 0.25 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | D+47 | D+39 |
| White (%) | 67.6% | 84.6% |
| Black (%) | 6.4% | 6.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.8% | 4.8% |
| Asian (%) | 16.1% | 0.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.2% | 3.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 20 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 15.4/20 | 8.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 20 mi | 8 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.2% | 90.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 50.40 | 131.60 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Ann Arbor or Garden City more affordable?
- Garden City has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Ann Arbor's $54k and Garden City's $43k. Median rent is $1k in Ann Arbor versus $950 in Garden City.
- Is Ann Arbor or Garden City safer?
- Ann Arbor has the lower violent crime rate. Ann Arbor reports 911/100k and Garden City reports 2591/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Ann Arbor or Garden City?
- The median home value is $417k in Ann Arbor and $153k in Garden City, so homes are more affordable in Garden City.