Dearborn vs Royal Oak
Dearborn, Michigan versus Royal Oak, Michigan: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Royal Oak edges out Dearborn on overall objective livability (58 vs 53 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Dearborn | Royal Oak |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $65k | $93k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $43k |
| Home Value | $189k | $290k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.97% | 1.37% |
| Income Tax | 4.30% | 4.30% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.06% | 10.56% |
| Unemployment | 6.8% | 3.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 26°F | 25°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.0 in | 29.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 30.8 in | 36.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 147 days | 244 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 98 days | 101 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 47.8 | 27.5 |
| Air Quality | 26 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 63.3 | 71.6 |
| Violent Crime | 1234/100k | 554/100k |
| Property Crime | 1934/100k | 799/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 108,414 | 58,053 |
| Median Age | 32.3 | 35.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.22 | 0.27 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 1.05 |
| Political Leaning | D+39 | D+39 |
| White (%) | 86.7% | 83.0% |
| Black (%) | 3.2% | 5.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.8% | 4.4% |
| Asian (%) | 2.5% | 3.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.8% | 3.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 12.2/20 | 8.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 10 mi | 23 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.7% | 93.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 51.10 | 138.84 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Limited |
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 Dearborn or Royal Oak more affordable?
- Royal Oak has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Dearborn's $43k and Royal Oak's $43k. Median rent is $1k in Dearborn versus $1k in Royal Oak.
- Is Dearborn or Royal Oak safer?
- Royal Oak has the lower violent crime rate. Dearborn reports 1234/100k and Royal Oak reports 554/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Dearborn or Royal Oak?
- The median home value is $189k in Dearborn and $290k in Royal Oak, so homes are more affordable in Dearborn.