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5 Michigan Cities Rank Among the Most Livable Small Cities

Author Kayla Morgan

Some people find big cities overwhelming, while small rural towns can be too slow-paced. Luckily, there are many small cities in America with populations of 65,000 to 100,000 that offer a balance of both. These cities have similar amenities to big cities but are more affordable.

To identify the most livable small cities for living in, SmartAsset analyzed data concerning 275 such cities. They compared these cities using a range of metrics related to dining and entertainment, healthcare quality, employment opportunities, poverty rates, and average commute times.

Michigan dominates the top 15

Michigan has five cities mentioned on the most livable small cities list. Interestingly, half of the top 10 livable small cities are in Washington or Michigan. The leading two are Redmond and Sammamish in WA. Novi, MI, takes the third spot. Farmington Hills stands at 8, Troy at 10, Livonia at 12, and Rochester Hills at 14.

Farmington Hills, located east of Novi, has a county-level unemployment rate that ties for the third lowest. The study also reveals the city’s housing costs, making up only 16.67% of the median household income (ranking 10th lowest). Lastly, the city ranks 21st overall for health insurance coverage, with only 2.59% of residents lacking it.

The study reveals that Midwest cities like Lakeville and Maple Grove, MN, as well as Livonia, Novi, Farmington Hills, and Shawnee, KS, require under 17% of the local median income for housing maintenance. In contrast, the average housing costs for all small cities comprise 22.87% of local median incomes.

None of the Southern cities made it to the top 10. Alpharetta, Georgia, stands out as the most livable small city in the South, landing at No. 13. This Atlanta suburb has the highest rank among all southern cities. Only one other city in the region, Johns Creek, Georgia, makes it into the top 30 most livable small cities.

Check out the full study and its findings here.

Living Large: Michigan's Wealthiest Counties

Wealthy areas are the kind of places where you’ll find beautiful homes, well-manicured streets, and a sense of luxury in the air. Along with the stunning residences, these areas offer top-notch services like private schools, exclusive clubs, and upscale shopping centers. Safety is a priority too, with gated communities, private security, and advanced security systems ensuring peace of mind. Of course, you can’t forget about wealthy areas flooded with well-kept parks, golf courses, and country clubs. But what is the wealthiest county in Michigan?

A recent study by SmartAsset shows the wealthiest counties in the U.S. To figure out which counties are rolling in the dough, they looked at investment income, property value, and how much cash each person is raking in on average.

“We started the analysis by calculating the Investment Index for each county by evenly weighing the Ordinary Dividends, Qualified Dividends, and Net Capital Gains. From there, we calculated the Median Home Value and the Per Capita Income for each county, and ranked them on all three metrics,” SmartAsset wrote.

The study revealed that Leelanau County, nestled near Traverse City and known for its wineries along the Lake Michigan coast, takes the crown as Michigan’s wealthiest county. With its picturesque Leelanau Peninsula and a population of approximately 23,000, this small northern Michigan county has the highest per-capita wealth in the state. Nationally, Leelanau County had an overall rank of 266.

Wealthiest Counties in The U.S.

When it comes to the richest counties in the nation, California counties consistently find themselves at the top of the ranking. San Mateo County, San Francisco County, Santa Clara County, and Marin County all secured spots in the top five richest counties in the United States. However, breaking California’s streak, Nantucket County in Massachusetts claimed the fifth spot on the ranking.

Check out the full study here. And take a look below to see which counties in Michigan are the wealthiest.

  • 5. Grand Traverse County

    Traverse City Michigan aerial view

    Gary Ennis/ Getty Images

    Median Income: $69, 393
    Investment Income: $47, 522
    Median Home Value: $373, 836
    National Rank: 497

     

  • 4. Oakland County

    Median Income: $86, 275
    Investment Income: $48, 897
    Median Home Value: $334, 448
    National Rank: 310

    Oakland County road sign

    Thomas Pajot/ Getty Images

  • 3. Livingston County

    Median Income: $88, 908
    Investment Income: $25, 044
    Median Home Value: $362, 766
    National Rank: 287

    On the roads of Michigan

    Pierre-Olivier Valiquette/ Getty Images

  • 2. Washtenaw County

    Median Income: $79, 198
    Investment Income: $44, 796
    Median Home Value: $373, 627
    National Rank: 271

    Aerial View of Downtown Ann Arbor, Michigan

    Better Planet Media/ Getty Images

  • 1. Leelanau County

    Median Income: $72, 709
    Investment Income: $56, 192
    Median Home Value: $509, 272
    National Rank: 266

    Leland Michigan lake view with boats

    MGSmith/ Getty Images

Kayla is the midday host on Detroit’s 105.1 The Bounce. She started her career in radio back in 2016 as an intern at another Detroit station and worked her way here. She's made stops in Knoxville, TN, Omaha, Ne and other places before returning to Detroit. She’s done almost everything in radio from promotions to web, creating content on social media, you name it. She’s a true Michigander, born and raised. So, you can catch her camping or vacationing up north to exploring the downtown Detroit or maybe even catching a sports game. During her free time, Kayla enjoys watching movies, roller-skating, crafting, and music festivals. She and her husband together dip into many of the great things Michigan has to offer. Together they also like to travel. A few hobbies of hers include wine and beer tastings, crafting, hiking, roller skating, movies, home improvement projects, gardening, and festivals. She’s always looking to take on more local events happening in the community. She loves connecting with the community. When writing, Kayla covers topics including lifestyle, pop culture, trending stories, hacks, and urban culture.

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