2026 editionMidwestPop. 10,127,884Capital Lansing26th state, admitted 1837Cook PVI Even
Is Michigan a Good Place to Live? Michigan Rankings, Cost of Living, Crime & Taxes
Michigan ranks #45 of 50 with a composite score of 42.7 and a D grade, strongest in affordability (#22) and weakest in economy (#50). The median household earns $72,389 (11% below the national median), homes typically cost $266,292 (28% below the national average), and violent crime is 416 per 100,000 (27% above the national average).
Michigan pairs a home price to income ratio of 3.7x, #15 of 50, with an economy that ranks #50: houses are cheap because the auto cycle set the wages. Weigh unemployment of 5.2%, 1.3 points above the national average, against a shoreline, a cost index of 96.2 and winters that run five months in the north.
Michigan by the numbers
Six measures every state is judged on, each with Michigan's rank of 50 and the national figure beside it.
Sources, latest releases: Census Bureau ACS (income), Zillow Research (home value), BEA Regional Price Parities (cost index), FBI state crime estimates (crime), BLS LAUS (unemployment), WalletHub tax burden study (taxes). Rank 1 is the best value in each measure: highest income, lowest cost, lowest crime.
Read the Michigan overview
Michigan scores above the national average in 2 of 11 categories and ranks #12 of 12 states in the Midwest, behind 11 regional neighbors. Its biggest edge over the country is typical home value ($266,292, 28% below the national average); its biggest shortfall is unemployment rate (5.2%, 1.3 points above the national average). With 4 bottom-10 finishes and no top-10 category, its case rests on price rather than performance.
Where does Michigan rank in each category?
All 11 categories that make up the composite, heaviest weight first. Michigan is top 10 in 0 and bottom 10 in 4.
| Category | Score | Rank | Grade | Weight | US avg | The numbers behind it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | 21.9 | #50 of 50 | F | 15% | 47.1 | Its unemployment rate is 5.2% and median household income is $72,389. |
| Safety | 63.9 | #31 of 50 | C+ | 12% | 68.9 | The FBI estimates 416.2 violent crimes and 1,258.5 property crimes per 100,000 residents. |
| Health | 55.4 | #27 of 50 | C+ | 12% | 54.4 | Life expectancy is 76.8 years, 36.1% of adults have obesity, and 5.1% of residents are uninsured. |
| Education | 42.2 | #44 of 50 | D | 12% | 57.5 | Eighth graders average 270 in NAEP math and 255 in reading, and the high school graduation rate is 81%. |
| Affordability | 73.3 | #22 of 50 | B | 10% | 65.2 | Typical home value $266,292 (3.7x median income); cost of living index 96.2 (100 = US); center-based infant care $14,064 a year. |
| Fiscal Health | 56.2 | #32 of 50 | C+ | 8% | 58.1 | It carries $3,180 of debt per resident, has 68% of pensions funded, and holds a AA credit rating. |
| Growth | 24.3 | #41 of 50 | C | 7% | 38.8 | Population grew 0.28% last year; Census net domestic migration is +0.2 per 1,000 residents (the Moving section below uses IRS household counts, a different series). |
| Transportation | 49.4 | #27 of 50 | C+ | 7% | 49.8 | The average commute is 24.3 minutes, 1% of workers use public transit, and 11.2% work from home. |
| Livability | 24.7 | #41 of 50 | C | 7% | 34.3 | It has 1.673 restaurants and 0.018 arts venues per 1,000 residents, plus 0.127 bars and 0.078 social associations per 1,000. |
| Outdoor Access | 17.8 | #32 of 50 | C+ | 6% | 29.4 | 13.4% of its land is public, with 2.01 recreation facilities per 10,000 residents. |
| Environment | 42.0 | #23 of 50 | B | 4% | 42.5 | Its median air quality index is 40, 13% of its electricity is renewable, and its FEMA disaster risk score is 10.5. |
Weight, US average and the evidence sentence for each category are shown on wider screens.
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. US avg is the mean score of the 50 states. Click a category for its 50-state ranking.
Category shape
Michigan's 11 category scores. A balanced state fills the wheel evenly; Michigan bulges toward affordability and dips at economy.
How expensive is Michigan?
Michigan's cost of living index is 96.2 against a national baseline of 100, 4% below the national average and #24 of 50 (1 = cheapest). The typical home is worth $266,292 (28% below the national average); buying it takes an income of about $73,945, $1,556 more than the median household earns. Inside the state the spread is wide: among tracked cities, Battle Creek is cheapest (index 90.5) and Ann Arbor priciest (100.9).
Housing market snapshot · August
Cool marketRanked #39 of 50 most expensive by typical value and #12 on price relative to income (1 = most affordable). The median household is $1,556 short of the income needed to buy the typical home.
Full Michigan housing market: 26-year chart, rent vs. buy, cities →What a household keeps at $75,000
| Household | Michigan | Median state | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family of fourTwo adults, two kids, one in daycare | −$5,634 | −$11,758 | #17 of 50 |
| Single adultOne-bedroom rent, no childcare | +$34,427 | +$31,418 | #18 of 50 |
| Retiree coupleOwn the home, no payroll tax | +$39,007 | +$35,970 | #19 of 50 |
Take-home pay minus housing, childcare, utilities, groceries and transport for a $75,000 household, from the affordability engine. Positive = money left over; negative = costs exceed take-home. Rank 1 = most left over.
What are taxes like in Michigan?
Michigan's tax mix is low sales tax, with income and property taxes in the middle of the pack. The total state and local tax burden comes to 8.25% of income, 0.5 points below the national average (#18 of 50, 1 = lightest). Property tax is 1.35% of home value (#37), and combined sales tax averages 6% (#13).
Tax Foundation (rates) and WalletHub tax burden study (burden as a share of income), latest releases. Rank 1 = lowest. Income tax is the top marginal rate including typical local taxes where they apply.
Can the state pay its bills?
Fiscal health scores 56.2 out of 100, #32 of 50. Pew Fiscal 50, Census state finances and the rating agencies, latest releases.
Is Michigan safe?
Michigan reports 416 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 27% above the national average and #40 of 50 (1 = safest). Property crime runs 1,259 per 100,000, 18% below the national average (#13 of 50). The safety score is 63.9 out of 100, #31 of 50; among tracked cities, Rochester Hills has the lowest violent crime rate.
Michigan vs. the United States, per 100,000 residents
FBI state crime estimates, latest release. US is the mean of the 50 states; blue = below it, terracotta = above it. Florida and North Dakota use the FBI's prior-year estimate because their latest year is based on limited data.
Safest tracked cities in Michigan
| City | Population | Violent / 100K | Property / 100K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester Hills | 77,089 | 62 | 630 |
| Troy | 87,898 | 93 | 928 |
| Novi | 66,717 | 97 | 539 |
| Farmington Hills | 83,515 | 144 | 787 |
| Royal Oak | 57,950 | 153 | 746 |
Lowest violent crime among the 24 Michigan cities we track with 50,000 or more residents. City rates come from each city's police agency and are not strictly comparable across agencies.
What is the job market like in Michigan?
Michigan's unemployment rate is 5.2%, 1.3 points above the national average and #48 of 50 (1 = lowest), and the median household earns $72,389, 11% below the national median. Real GDP grew +1.8% in the latest year (#30 of 50) and GDP per capita is $55,326, 14% below the national average. The population is growing 0.28% a year, 0.2 points below the national average. The economy score is 21.9 out of 100, #50 of 50.
Census Bureau ACS (income), BLS LAUS (unemployment), BEA (GDP), Census population estimates (growth), latest releases.
Highest-paying tracked occupations in Michigan, adjusted for cost of living
| Occupation | Cost-adjusted | Median wage | Metro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physicians | $248,727 | $233,803 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn |
| Lawyers | $152,435 | $143,289 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn |
| Software Developers | $143,840 | $135,210 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn |
| Computer Systems Analysts | $113,783 | $106,956 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn |
| General & Operations Managers | $107,373 | $100,931 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, latest release, for the 20 occupations we track. Cost-adjusted wage divides the metro median by its cost of living index.
How are Michigan's schools and healthcare?
Michigan's education score is 42.2 out of 100, #44 of 50. Eighth graders average 270 in NAEP math (#31 of 50) and 255 in reading (#33 of 50), and the high school graduation rate is 81%, 4.6 points below the national average (#45 of 50).
Best public school cities we track, by graduation rate
| City | Grad rate | Students / teacher | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farmington Hills | 94.2% | 16.5 | $17,396 |
| Novi | 93.7% | 17.1 | $15,146 |
| Sterling Heights | 93.6% | 18.2 | $15,169 |
NCES Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey, latest release. Cities with at least three schools.
Michigan is #27 of 50 for health, with a life expectancy of 76.8 years, 0.1 years below the national average. 36.1% of adults have obesity (#33 of 50) and 5.1% of residents have no health insurance (#8 of 50). The health score is 55.4 out of 100, weighted 12% of the composite.
CDC National Center for Health Statistics (state life tables), CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (obesity), and Census Bureau American Community Survey (health insurance), latest releases.
Who is moving to Michigan, and who is leaving?
Michigan lost a net 8,770 households to other states in the latest IRS release: 71,800 moved in and 80,570 moved out, -0.9 per 1,000 residents (#38 of 50). Arriving households report an average income of $74,145 against $77,943 for those leaving. The Census Bureau's American Community Survey, which counts people rather than households, shows a net +6.1K people (140.3K in, 134.2K out, ±14.3K), pointing the other way, so treat the direction as uncertain.
Where they come from
- 1Florida8,263 · $77,440
- 2Ohio5,728 · $68,708
- 3Illinois5,300 · $107,008
- 4Indiana5,153 · $65,703
- 5Texas5,039 · $65,794
Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households arrived from these states in the latest IRS release.
Where they go
- 1Florida10,659 · $118,637
- 2Texas6,285 · $76,561
- 3Ohio5,970 · $59,979
- 4Illinois5,881 · $74,920
- 5California5,218 · $95,447
Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households left for these states in the latest IRS release.
Where should you live in Michigan?
By composite score, the best of the 24 Michigan cities we track are Troy (69.5), Rochester Hills (68.7), and Royal Oak (68.6). Battle Creek is the cheapest (cost index 90.5), Rochester Hills the richest ($120,694), and Grand Rapids the fastest growing (+0.9% a year). City ranks are among the 24 Michigan cities we cover, not every city in the state.
Standout cities in Michigan
| Best for | City | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Safest | Rochester Hills | 62 violent crimes per 100K |
| Cheapest | Battle Creek | cost of living index 90.5 |
| Most walkable | Ann Arbor | walkability 13.5 of 20 |
| Cleanest air | Lansing | median AQI 38 (county) |
| Best schools | Farmington Hills | 94.2% graduation rate |
| Richest | Rochester Hills | $120,694 |
Among the 24 Michigan cities we track. Safest uses a full year of FBI reports from the city's own police agency; air quality is measured by county, so cities in the same county share a reading.
Regions of Michigan
Half the state's people; Oakland County suburbs have the incomes and schools, Macomb has the plants, Wayne has Detroit, the cheapest houses and the highest crime.
The university town; the most expensive housing in the state, the shortest commutes and a job market that runs on the hospital rather than the plant.
Grand Rapids is the steadier economy and the faster-growing metro; the Lake Michigan beach towns to its west are pricey and the winters bring heavy lake-effect snow.
State government, Michigan State, Western Michigan and the old GM towns; the cheapest tracked housing in the state and crime rates that change block by block.
Forests, cabins, snowmobile season and two-lane roads; cheap land, thin jobs, long winters and the longest drives to a hospital in the state.
All 24 tracked cities, best to worst
| # | City | Grade | Score | Population | Income | Violent / 100K | Cost index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Troy | A+ | 69.5 | 87,898 | $120,045 | 93 | 100.3 |
| 2 | Rochester Hills | A+ | 68.7 | 77,089 | $120,694 | 62 | 100.3 |
| 3 | Royal Oak | A+ | 68.6 | 57,950 | $101,109 | 153 | 100.3 |
| 4 | Novi | A+ | 68.5 | 66,717 | $110,723 | 97 | 100.3 |
| 5 | Farmington Hills | A | 65.8 | 83,515 | $104,836 | 144 | 100.3 |
| 6 | Ann Arbor | A | 64.7 | 122,036 | $82,212 | 297 | 100.9 |
| 7 | Livonia | A | 64.4 | 93,851 | $98,460 | 217 | 100.3 |
| 8 | St. Clair Shores | B | 57.9 | 58,140 | $73,500 | 233 | 100.3 |
| 9 | Sterling Heights | B | 56.9 | 133,573 | $79,909 | 220 | 100.3 |
| 10 | Wyoming | B | 55.9 | 77,353 | $73,677 | 459 | 95.5 |
| 11 | Dearborn | C+ | 54.8 | 107,423 | $65,324 | 249 | 100.3 |
| 12 | Westland | C+ | 54.1 | 83,633 | $62,076 | 424 | 100.3 |
| 13 | Kentwood | C+ | 53.8 | 54,296 | $74,373 | 583 | 95.5 |
| 14 | Southfield | C | 51.2 | 76,236 | $68,166 | 585 | 100.3 |
| 15 | Grand Rapids | C | 50.9 | 198,535 | $69,108 | 894 | 95.5 |
| 16 | Dearborn Heights | C | 50.8 | 61,771 | $60,391 | 387 | 100.3 |
| 17 | Warren | C | 49.4 | 137,928 | $64,016 | 497 | 100.3 |
| 18 | Taylor | D | 45.3 | 62,081 | $61,081 | 749 | 100.3 |
| 19 | Lansing | D | 45.0 | 113,023 | $54,382 | 1,337 | 95 |
| 20 | Battle Creek | F | 42.3 | 52,374 | $55,693 | 1,055 | 90.5 |
| 21 | Kalamazoo | F | 40.7 | 73,076 | $52,272 | 1,084 | 94.8 |
| 22 | Pontiac | F | 38.1 | 62,104 | $44,329 | 820 | 100.3 |
| 23 | Flint | F | 32.6 | 80,175 | $37,646 | 1,097 | 93 |
| 24 | Detroit | F | 32.4 | 638,530 | $39,938 | 1,654 | 100.3 |
Swipe the table sideways for more columns. Rank is among the 24 Michigan cities we track: every city of 50,000 or more, plus the state's other largest places. City scores use city-level Census, FBI, BLS, CDC, EPA and NCES data, and a category with no city data is left out of the score rather than filled with the state's figure.
Best cities in Michigan for…
| # | City | Score | Education | Safety | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Novi | 71.6 | 63.0 | 96.7 | 58.6 |
| 2 | Troy | 71.2 | 62.4 | 94.2 | 60.4 |
| 3 | Rochester Hills | 70.4 | 58.1 | 98.3 | 60.4 |
| 4 | Royal Oak | 69.7 | 68.4 | 91.7 | 67.0 |
| 5 | Farmington Hills | 69.4 | 68.7 | 92.0 | 63.8 |
Who is Michigan best for?
The same 11 category scores, re-weighted for six kinds of household. Rank is among the 50 states; click through for the best Michigan cities for each.
Weights differ by household: families lean on education, safety and housing; retirees on fiscal health, healthcare and cost. See the weights →
How does Michigan compare with its neighbors?
Michigan ranks #45. Among its bordering states, Wisconsin ranks highest (#11) and Ohio lowest (#33). Ohio is the most similar on the composite score and Wisconsin the most different. Bordering states are listed best to worst; the national line is the mean of the 50 states.
| State | Overall | Score | Median income | Typical home | Cost index | Violent crime | Tax burden | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | #45 | 42.7 | $72,389 | $266,292 | 96.2 | 416 | 8.25% | |
| Wisconsin | #11 | 70.6 | $77,488 | $339,699 | 94.1 | 240 | 8.31% | Compare → |
| Indiana | #22 | 59.2 | $71,959 | $260,095 | 93.3 | 254 | 9.09% | Compare → |
| Ohio | #33 | 52.1 | $72,212 | $248,803 | 92.8 | 276 | 9.36% | Compare → |
| United States | — | 57.9 | $80,903 | $368,697 | 100 | 328 | 8.74% |
Overall rank, median income, cost index and tax burden columns are shown on wider screens.
How the score works
Eleven categories, each scored 0–100 and weighted into one composite. Grades follow rank.
The weights
Economy 15% · Safety 12% · Health 12% · Education 12% · Affordability 10% · Fiscal Health 8% · Growth 7% · Transportation 7% · Livability 7% · Outdoor Access 6% · Environment 4%. The composite is the weighted sum, stretched linearly so states spread across most of the 0–100 range.
From raw numbers to scores
Every raw measure is placed on a 0–100 scale between a fixed floor and ceiling, inverted where lower is better (crime, cost, taxes), then combined within its category. The same scale applies to every state.
Letter grades
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. A C+ state is not failing; it is in the middle third.
Cities, budgets and neighbors
The 24 Michigan city scores, the household budgets and the neighbor table on this page are computed from the same sources as the state score. City ranks are among the cities we track, not all cities in the state.
Editor's notes
Passages marked as editor's notes are written for this state and add context the numbers cannot: regions, tradeoffs, who the state fits. Every figure inside them is pulled from the data at build time, so the words cannot drift from the numbers.
Always the latest release
Each source is the most recent release its agency has published. The page is rebuilt when a source updates, so the score can move without any change in the state itself.
What the score cannot tell you
Weather and climate, culture and pace, politics beyond the Cook index shown for context, the quality of a specific school, hospital or neighborhood, job prospects in your field, and anything without a public, comparable, 50-state source. Statewide averages also hide the metro-versus-rural split, which is why the editor's notes name places.
Category briefs
Economy: Unemployment rate and median household income. Safety: Violent and property crime rates per 100,000 residents. Health: Health outcomes, behaviors, and access to care. Education: K-12 school quality, test scores, and graduation rates. Full methodology →
Key takeaways
What the Michigan numbers say when read together.
Affordability is Michigan's strongest suit
Michigan is a #45 state overall but #22 of 50 for affordability, 23 places better than its composite rank, with a score of 73.3 against a national average of 65.2. Environment (#23) is next. Affordability carries 10% of the composite.
Economy is where Michigan falls furthest behind
Michigan ranks #50 of 50 for economy, 5 places below its overall #45, with a score of 21.9 against a national average of 47.1. At 15% of the composite, it is the category holding the overall score down most.
Typical home value is 28% below the national average
Michigan's typical home value is $266,292, 28% below the national average of $368,697, #12 of 50 (1 = cheapest). The largest gap in the other direction is unemployment rate: 5.2%, 1.3 points above the national average. Source: Zillow Research ZHVI, latest release.
More households leave than arrive
Michigan ranks #38 of 50 on net household flow per 1,000 residents (-0.9). The households arriving report $3,798 less in average income than those leaving ($74,145 against $77,943), so the state is trading down on income even as the headcount shrinks. Florida is both the largest source and the largest destination.
A middle income is squeezed less here than in most states
A family of four earning $75,000 ends the year at a $5,634 shortfall after housing, childcare, utilities, groceries, transport and taxes, against a $11,758 shortfall in the median state (#17 of 50). A single adult on the same income comes out at a $34,427 surplus; a retiree couple at a $39,007 surplus. Infant childcare runs $14,064 a year, 10% below the national average.
Every bordering state outranks Michigan
All 3 of Michigan's bordering states rank above its #45; the closest match on the composite is Ohio. Median income among them runs from $71,959 in Indiana to $77,488 in Wisconsin; Michigan is at $72,389.
Frequently asked questions about living in Michigan
Is Michigan a good place to live?
Michigan ranks #45 of 50 with a D grade, #12 of 12 in the Midwest. It is bottom 10 in growth, livability, education, and economy. On the six headline measures it beats the national figure on 3 of 6 (home prices, cost of living, and tax burden) and trails on income, violent crime, and unemployment. Whether that adds up to a good place to live depends on what you weigh; the household rankings below re-weight the same numbers for families, retirees and remote workers.
Where does Michigan rank among US states?
Michigan ranks #45 of 50 overall with a composite score of 42.7 (grade D), and #12 of 12 states in the Midwest. Its best category rank is #22 (affordability) and its worst #50 (economy). The composite weights eleven categories, with economy, safety, health and education counting most; grades follow rank, so D means rank 43–48.
Is it expensive to live in Michigan?
At #24 of 50 for cost of living (1 = cheapest), Michigan is 4% below the national average: its index is 96.2 against a national baseline of 100. The typical home value is $266,292 (28% below the national average), and buying it takes an income of about $73,945 against a median household income of $72,389. At $75,000, a family of four comes out at a $5,634 shortfall after all costs, #17 of 50 (1 = most left over).
Does Michigan have a state income tax?
Yes. Michigan's top state income tax rate is 6.65% (#36 of 50, 1 = lowest), and the total state and local tax burden is 8.25% of income, 0.5 points below the national average. Property tax is 1.35% of home value and combined sales tax 6%.
What is the crime rate in Michigan?
Michigan reports 416 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 27% above the national average and #40 of 50 (1 = safest), and 1,259 property crimes per 100,000, 18% below the national average (#13). Its safety score is 63.9 out of 100, #31 of 50. Figures are FBI estimates from the latest release.
Does Michigan have good schools?
Michigan is #44 of 50 for education (score 42.2 out of 100). Its public school students average 270 in eighth-grade math on NAEP (#31) and 255 in eighth-grade reading (#33), and the high school graduation rate is 81%, 4.6 points below the national average (#45). Among tracked cities with at least three schools, Farmington Hills has the highest graduation rate at 94.2%.
Why are people leaving Michigan?
Michigan lost a net 8,770 households in the latest IRS release: 71,800 moved in and 80,570 moved out, -0.9 per 1,000 residents (#38 of 50). The largest source of arrivals is Florida (8,263 households) and the most common destination is Florida (10,659). Arriving households report an average income of $74,145 against $77,943 for those leaving, so movers out earn more than movers in. The IRS files count tax returns and say nothing about motives.
Is Michigan a red or blue state?
Michigan is an even split on the Cook Partisan Voting Index. The political lean is shown for context and is not part of the composite score.
Why is housing so cheap in Michigan?
Because Michigan lost people while the country gained them, and the houses stayed. Population growth is +0.28%, #35, and Detroit has room for many more residents. The cheapness is concentrated: Detroit, Flint and Pontiac pull the state figure down, while Oakland County and Ann Arbor cost what suburbs cost. Prices are now climbing, +4% in a year, 2.8 points above the national average, where supply is tight.
What is the weather like in Michigan year-round?
Four real seasons, two of them short. Summers are warm and humid, and the lakes keep the shoreline cooler. Winter runs December into March in the south and longer north, with heavy lake-effect snow on the west side from Grand Rapids to Traverse City and in the Upper Peninsula. Metro Detroit is grayer than it is snowy. Spring arrives late and muddy.
Is Michigan a good place to retire?
Middling, #30 of 50, depending on whether you'll winter here. Social Security isn't taxed, retirement income is partly exempt, and a retiree couple at $75,000 ends the year at a $39,007 surplus, #19. Uncapping means a retirement house costs more in tax than the listing suggests. Health access is strong near Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids, thin up north. Florida is where Michigan retirees keep going.
Do I need a car in Michigan?
Yes, almost everywhere, and you'll insure it under no-fault rules that make premiums among the country's highest. 1% of commuters use transit statewide; Detroit's DDOT and SMART buses and Ann Arbor's system are the only networks people rely on daily, and the QLine streetcar is short. Mean commute is 24.3 minutes, 0.9 minutes below the national average. Winter driving on lake-effect roads is a skill you'll learn or avoid.
Is Michigan cheaper than Ohio?
Not quite. Michigan's cost index is 96.2 against Ohio's lower one, and Ohio's typical home is a bit cheaper. Michigan pays more, though: median income is $72,389, above Ohio's, and Michigan's tax burden of 8.25% is lower because sales tax is 6% with no local add-ons. Ohio wins on electricity, Michigan on natural gas. On unemployment Ohio is clearly better.
All the numbers
Every metric behind Michigan's 11 category scores, with the national figure beside each. Pick a category.