Lansing, MI
Census place 2646000 · pop 113,023
Michigan's capital and the birthplace of Oldsmobile, where Ransom Olds began building automobiles in 1897.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
1305 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
2.11% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-3.5% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
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 964/100k · worse than most cities
2674 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
20.1% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$54,382 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
39.9% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
16.8% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
53.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
89.4% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.0% 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 26.5% · worse than most cities
26.7% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
30.2% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
9.3% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.43 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
38 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
65/100 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 1 days · better than most cities
0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,219/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$128,700 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
Frequently asked
- Is Lansing, MI a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Lansing scores 44/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is housing cost 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 Lansing, MI?
- Lansing reports 1305 violent crimes per 100k and 2674 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Lansing, MI expensive to live in?
- Lansing has a median home value of $128,700 and typical rent around $1,219/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Lansing, MI?
- Its weakest measured area is violent crime rate (1305/100k) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Lansing, MI best at?
- Its strongest measured area is housing cost ($128,700) — 91/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Michigan's capital and the birthplace of Oldsmobile, where Ransom Olds began building automobiles in 1897.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.