East Lansing vs Lansing
East Lansing, Michigan versus Lansing, Michigan: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
East Lansing and Lansing score about the same overall (49 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | East Lansing | Lansing |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $44k | $51k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $43k |
| Home Value | $241k | $112k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $954 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.24% | 2.20% |
| Income Tax | 5.30% | 5.30% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 19.49% | 12.15% |
| Unemployment | 6.7% | 8.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 24°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 72°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 34.6 in | 33.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 36.0 in | 50.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 171 days | 171 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 60°F |
| Comfortable Days | 98 days | 98 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 34.4 | 48.2 |
| Air Quality | 52 AQI | 56 AQI |
| School Quality | 61.3 | 76.4 |
| Violent Crime | 870/100k | 2718/100k |
| Property Crime | 1779/100k | 2705/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 45,403 | 112,986 |
| Median Age | 21.4 | 32.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.41 | 0.59 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | D+33 | D+33 |
| White (%) | 73.6% | 52.6% |
| Black (%) | 7.2% | 23.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 5.5% | 12.5% |
| Asian (%) | 9.1% | 4.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.6% | 6.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 16 min | 19 min |
| Walkability | 14.3/20 | 13.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 54 mi | 50 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.7% | 87.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 90.52 | 40.27 |
| 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 East Lansing or Lansing more affordable?
- Lansing has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with East Lansing's $43k and Lansing's $43k. Median rent is $1k in East Lansing versus $954 in Lansing.
- Is East Lansing or Lansing safer?
- East Lansing has the lower violent crime rate. East Lansing reports 870/100k and Lansing reports 2718/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in East Lansing or Lansing?
- The median home value is $241k in East Lansing and $112k in Lansing, so homes are more affordable in Lansing.