Crystal vs Howard City
Crystal, Michigan versus Howard City, Michigan: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Howard City edges out Crystal on overall objective livability (53 vs 46 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Crystal | Howard City |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $41k | $52k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $43k |
| Home Value | $161k | $119k |
| Monthly Rent | — | $682 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $419 | $477 |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.94% | 1.15% |
| Income Tax | 4.30% | 4.30% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.02% | 8.91% |
| Unemployment | 5.2% | 1.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 24°F | 26°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 72°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.6 in | 36.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 72.9 in | 63.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 171 days | 163 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 99 days | 100 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 57.5 | 39.0 |
| Air Quality | 50 AQI | 49 AQI |
| School Quality | 49.6 | 80.8 |
| Violent Crime | 1256/100k | 1256/100k |
| Property Crime | 1120/100k | 1120/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 909 | 1,836 |
| Median Age | 55.9 | 31.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.06 | 0.10 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.70 | 1.10 |
| Political Leaning | R+38 | R+38 |
| White (%) | 97.1% | 90.3% |
| Black (%) | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 0.0% | 5.3% |
| Asian (%) | 1.0% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 1.9% | 4.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | — | 31 min |
| Walkability | 3.7/20 | 4.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 40 mi | 35 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.5% | 84.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 110.01 | 54.47 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
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 Crystal or Howard City more affordable?
- Howard City has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Crystal's $43k and Howard City's $43k.
- Is Crystal or Howard City safer?
- Howard City has the lower violent crime rate. Crystal reports 1256/100k and Howard City reports 1256/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Crystal or Howard City?
- The median home value is $161k in Crystal and $119k in Howard City, so homes are more affordable in Howard City.