East Lansing vs Jackson
East Lansing, Michigan versus Jackson, Michigan: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Jackson edges out East Lansing on overall objective livability (55 vs 49 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | East Lansing | Jackson |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $44k | $42k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $43k |
| Home Value | $241k | $88k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $838 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $949 |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.24% | 1.77% |
| Income Tax | 5.30% | 5.30% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 19.49% | 11.00% |
| Unemployment | 6.7% | 10.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 24°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 72°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 34.6 in | 38.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 36.0 in | 40.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 171 days | 251 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 98 days | 97 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 34.4 | 18.3 |
| Air Quality | 52 AQI | 51 AQI |
| School Quality | 61.3 | 86.4 |
| Violent Crime | 870/100k | 4493/100k |
| Property Crime | 1779/100k | 3560/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 45,403 | 31,420 |
| Median Age | 21.4 | 35.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.41 | 0.49 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 0.91 |
| Political Leaning | D+33 | R+19 |
| White (%) | 73.6% | 65.4% |
| Black (%) | 7.2% | 20.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 5.5% | 6.3% |
| Asian (%) | 9.1% | 0.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.6% | 7.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 16 min | 17 min |
| Walkability | 14.3/20 | 8.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 54 mi | 53 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.7% | 89.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 90.52 | 35.01 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Excellent |
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 East Lansing or Jackson more affordable?
- Jackson has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with East Lansing's $43k and Jackson's $43k. Median rent is $1k in East Lansing versus $838 in Jackson.
- Is East Lansing or Jackson safer?
- East Lansing has the lower violent crime rate. East Lansing reports 870/100k and Jackson reports 4493/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in East Lansing or Jackson?
- The median home value is $241k in East Lansing and $88k in Jackson, so homes are more affordable in Jackson.