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Midland vs Saginaw

Midland, 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

Midland

Solid · objective livability51/100

Saginaw

Solid · objective livability50/100

Midland and Saginaw score about the same overall (51 vs 50 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorMidlandSaginaw
Affordability
Median Household Income$72k$36k
Cost of Living$46k$41k
Home Value$178k$52k
Monthly Rent$952$868
Monthly Owner Costs$1k$958
Property Tax Rate1.76%2.46%
Income Tax4.30%5.80%
Sales Tax6.00%6.00%
Estimated total tax burden10.63%11.36%
Unemployment4.5%11.7%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)23°F23°F
Summer Temp (Jul)71°F71°F
Annual Precipitation33.4 in34.0 in
Annual Snowfall49.0 in40.7 in
Sunny Days226 days226 days
Summer Humidity61°F61°F
Comfortable Days94 days95 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk56.526.5
Air Quality49 AQI48 AQI
School Quality51.074.4
Violent Crime662/100k4543/100k
Property Crime792/100k2071/100k
Community
Population42,40444,316
Median Age38.834.5
Racial Diversity0.200.62
Male/Female Ratio0.950.96
Political LeaningR+15Even
White (%)87.7%34.1%
Black (%)2.2%45.1%
Hispanic (%)4.4%16.4%
Asian (%)2.8%0.2%
Other / Multiracial (%)2.8%4.3%
Getting Around
Commute Time21 min19 min
Walkability8.1/209.0/20
Airport Distance83 mi88 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access88.9%81.3%
Amenities Nearby37.2630.91
Park & Nature AccessGoodModerate

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 Midland or Saginaw more affordable?
Saginaw has the lower cost of living: its index is $41k, compared with Midland's $46k and Saginaw's $41k. Median rent is $952 in Midland versus $868 in Saginaw.
Is Midland or Saginaw safer?
Midland has the lower violent crime rate. Midland reports 662/100k and Saginaw reports 4543/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Midland or Saginaw?
The median home value is $178k in Midland and $52k in Saginaw, so homes are more affordable in Saginaw.
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