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Flint vs Saginaw

Flint, Michigan versus Saginaw, Michigan: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Flint

Solid · objective livability53/100

Saginaw

Solid · objective livability50/100

Flint and Saginaw score about the same overall (53 vs 50 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorFlintSaginaw
Affordability
Median Household Income$35k$36k
Cost of Living$39k$41k
Home Value$43k$52k
Monthly Rent$825$868
Monthly Owner Costs$1k$958
Property Tax Rate2.47%2.46%
Income Tax5.30%5.80%
Sales Tax6.00%6.00%
Estimated total tax burden10.29%11.36%
Unemployment17.6%11.7%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)23°F23°F
Summer Temp (Jul)71°F71°F
Annual Precipitation32.9 in34.0 in
Annual Snowfall40.4 in40.7 in
Sunny Days211 days226 days
Summer Humidity60°F61°F
Comfortable Days93 days95 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk36.126.5
Air Quality47 AQI48 AQI
School Quality88.074.4
Violent Crime2870/100k4543/100k
Property Crime1317/100k2071/100k
Community
Population81,86344,316
Median Age36.134.5
Racial Diversity0.550.62
Male/Female Ratio0.980.96
Political LeaningEvenEven
White (%)33.7%34.1%
Black (%)55.6%45.1%
Hispanic (%)4.3%16.4%
Asian (%)0.5%0.2%
Other / Multiracial (%)5.9%4.3%
Getting Around
Commute Time22 min19 min
Walkability14.0/209.0/20
Airport Distance58 mi88 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access76.3%81.3%
Amenities Nearby30.9130.91
Park & Nature AccessExcellentModerate

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 Flint or Saginaw more affordable?
Flint has the lower cost of living: its index is $39k, compared with Flint's $39k and Saginaw's $41k. Median rent is $825 in Flint versus $868 in Saginaw.
Is Flint or Saginaw safer?
Flint has the lower violent crime rate. Flint reports 2870/100k and Saginaw reports 4543/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Flint or Saginaw?
The median home value is $43k in Flint and $52k in Saginaw, so homes are more affordable in Flint.
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