Battle Creek, MI
Census place 2605920 · pop 52,374
Known as "Cereal City," it's the longtime home of the Kellogg Company, born from the breakfast-food experiments of brothers W.K. and John Harvey Kellogg.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
990 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
44.4% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
5.6% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
18.8% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
2850 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
19.6% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$55,693 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
30.6% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
17.6% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.52% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
21.9% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.45 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
90.5% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
+2.1% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
9.3% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities
66.0% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
73/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
19 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$141,900 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,162/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
Not measured for Battle Creek: Air, Bad air. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Battle Creek, MI a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Battle Creek scores 38/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is rent and its weakest is violent crime rate. Michigan overall ranks #42 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Battle Creek, MI?
- Battle Creek reports 990 violent crimes per 100k and 2850 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Battle Creek, MI expensive to live in?
- Battle Creek has a median home value of $141,900 and typical rent around $1,162/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Battle Creek, MI?
- Its weakest measured area is violent crime rate (990/100k) — 4/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Battle Creek, MI best at?
- Its strongest measured area is rent ($1,162/mo) — 90/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Known as "Cereal City," it's the longtime home of the Kellogg Company, born from the breakfast-food experiments of brothers W.K. and John Harvey Kellogg.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.