Royal Oak, MI
Census place 2670040 · pop 57,950
Home of the Detroit Zoo, whose main entrance and most of its grounds sit within Royal Oak.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
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 77/100 · worse than most cities
96/100 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 $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,075/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.28% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
45 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 $214,900 · worse than most cities
$328,700 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
3.8% 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 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 24 min · better than most cities
24 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities
68.0% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
1 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 152/100k · better than most cities
127 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities
807 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
15.2% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$101,109 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
29.6% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
95.0% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
6.2% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
9.5% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
64.1% 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
4.7% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
15.4% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
Frequently asked
- Is Royal Oak, MI a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Royal Oak scores 59/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is physical inactivity and its weakest is population growth (5yr). 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 Royal Oak, MI?
- Royal Oak reports 127 violent crimes per 100k and 807 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Royal Oak, MI expensive to live in?
- Royal Oak has a median home value of $328,700 and typical rent around $2,075/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Royal Oak, MI?
- Its weakest measured area is population growth (5yr) (-2.1%) — 18/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Royal Oak, MI best at?
- Its strongest measured area is physical inactivity (15.4%) — 95/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Home of the Detroit Zoo, whose main entrance and most of its grounds sit within Royal Oak.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.