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Wayne County, Michigan

Among the top 4% of US counties for getting around.

AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 18% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 48% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 3% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 96% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 50% of US counties
  • top 1% for airport distance
  • top 7% for walkability
  • bottom 1% for natural disaster risk

Wayne County is a county in Michigan with about 1,782,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include airport distance, walkability, and comfortable days. It rates lower on air quality and natural disaster risk.

Official websitewaynecounty.com (opens in new tab)

Climate

Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy

very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
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cool
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v.cold
63%28%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.4 in2.1 in
humid 90%dry

Livability factors

Affordability

Median Household Income$57k39th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$43kbetter than 80% of US counties
Home Value$159k49th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 20% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 30% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.73%better than 8% of US counties
Income Tax5.32%better than 41% of US counties
State 4.30% + Local 1.02%
Sales Tax6.00%better than 84% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden12.09%better than 17% of US counties
Unemployment9.0%better than 7% of US counties

Weather

Winter Temp (Jan)26°F26th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)74°F31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation34.1 in31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall36.9 inbetter than 22% of US counties
Sunny Days190 daysbetter than 10% of US counties
Summer Humidity61°Fbetter than 71% of US counties
Comfortable Days99 daysbetter than 91% of US counties

Safety & Wellbeing

Natural Disaster Risk99.0better than 1% of US counties
Air Quality61 AQIbetter than 1% of US counties
School Quality63.4better than 66% of US counties
Violent Crime2591/100kbetter than 2% of US counties
Property Crime2612/100kbetter than 6% of US counties

Community

Population1,781,64199th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age37.720th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6094th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9413th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+394th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)48.7%14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)37.4%94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)6.3%59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)3.4%91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.2%67th percentile — neutral, not ranked

Getting Around

Commute Time25 minbetter than 44% of US counties
Walkability10.2/20better than 93% of US counties
Airport Distance8 mibetter than 99% of US counties

Lifestyle & Connectivity

Broadband Access85.7%better than 66% of US counties
Amenities Nearby3.36better than 57% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 33% of US counties

Frequently asked questions

Is Wayne County an affordable place to live?
Wayne County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $43k, better than 80% of comparable areas.
What is the median home value in Wayne County?
The median home value in Wayne County is $159k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
What is the median household income in Wayne County?
Median household income in Wayne County is $57k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
How much is rent in Wayne County?
Median gross rent in Wayne County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Is Wayne County safe?
Wayne County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 2591/100k (better than 2%). Property crime is 2612/100k.
What is the weather like in Wayne County?
Wayne County averages 74°F in July and 26°F in January, with 34.1 in of annual precipitation and about 190 sunny days a year.
How are the schools in Wayne County?
Public-school quality in Wayne County is above average, scoring better than 66% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
How long is the commute in Wayne County?
The average one-way commute in Wayne County is 25 min.

Other counties in Michigan

Explore Michigan

Data sources

  • EPA Air Quality (AQI)
  • EPA Smart Location Database
  • EPI Family Budget Calculator
  • FAA airport enplanements
  • FBI Uniform Crime Reports
  • FEMA National Risk Index
  • MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
  • NCES School Finance Survey
  • NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
  • NOAA nClimGrid
  • OpenStreetMap
  • Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
  • U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
  • USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)