The 20 Safest Places to Live in Michigan
When every day seems to bring more bad news to our door, there’s a surprising amount of comfort to be had in knowing you live in one of your state’s safest spots. In Michigan, there are several cities where (at least if you believe the stats) you can sleep peacefully in your bed at night. According to a report by SafeHome.org, Michigan has nine of the 100 safest cities in the US and another 13 in the top 500, while over half of the top 25 safest cities in the state have a safety rating above 80, something the report deems ‘a rare accomplishment among all the other states.” So, where should you be setting up camp? Where can you walk the streets without fear? Where won’t you get robbed the second you leave your house (or even worse, while you’re still inside it)? In a word (well, actually two), Rochester Hills. Find out why as we work our way through all twenty of the safest places to live in Michigan.
20. Orchard Lake Village
Orchard Lake Village is a suburb of Detroit with a population of 2,456, ridiculously wealthy residents (most earn the massive median wage of $171,023), and a very low crime rate. If you want to live somewhere you can sleep easy at night, this might very well be it.
19. Grand Blanc
In Grand Blanc, the one thing residents don’t have to worry about is getting murdered, raped, or assaulted (at least compared to how much they’d need to worry if they lived somewhere else). Violent crime in this little suburb of Flint is a massive 87% lower than the US national average. It fares slightly less well on the property crime side of things, but considering the rate is still 57% lower than it is in the majority of the States, we’ll let it pass. All in all, residents have just a 1 in 104 chance of becoming a victim of crime… and it’s getting lower every year, with a hefty 35% decrease in the number of crimes reported between 2018 and 2019.
18. Troy
Troy has been ranked by Niche as the number one place to live in the Detroit area. While not all of its success can be attributed to its low crime rate (some of the praise has to go the way of the excellent education system, superb array of amenities, and stellar job opportunities), quite a good portion of it can. If you want to live in the kind of place where you can enjoy all the attractions of the big city but experience none of the downsides, this may very well be the place for you.
17. Pleasant Ridge
Pleasant by name, pleasant by nature. So say the locals of Pleasant Ridge (or so we like to think, in any case), and why wouldn’t they? This small suburb of Detroit may only have 2,389 residents to its name, but it’s got some big boasts to make… not least the state of its crime figures. Violent crime is basically unheard of, while property crime is similarly low. According to the latest reports, the burglary rate per 100,000 residents is 0 (compared to a national average of 500.1 per 100,000), thefts are at 850.2 per 100,000 (compared to an average of 2,042.8 per 100,000), and motor vehicle thefts are at 121.5 per 100,000 (compared to an average of 284 per 100,000).
16. Northville
With a population of less than 6000, Northville is by no means the biggest kid on the block. Fortunately, its crime rate is similarly tiny. The total crime rate is a sizeable 71% lower than the US average (breaking it down further, the property crime rate is 70% lower and the violent crime rate is 78% lower). Only 45 crimes in total were reported per 100,000 residents last year, compared to a national average of 2580 per 100,000. Regardless of how you look at it, those are some pretty comforting figures.
15. South Lyon
Want to live somewhere where the average crime rate is 83% lower than the national average? Then may we suggest a move to South Lyon, Michigan? The violent crime rate in this little city of 11,327 is 73% lower than the US average, putting your chances of becoming the victim of crime at a reassuringly low 1 in 227. Year on year, the chances are getting even lower, with a 16% drop in the crime figures reported in 2019 compared to 2018. But this is no rural backwater: located just 20 miles northwest of Detroit, it combines the best of big-city attractions with small—town livability.
14. Chelsea
It’s got great job opportunities, great amenities, and best of all, a fantastically low crime rate. Where are we talking about? Where else but Chelsea, a tiny little city of just 4,944 that ranks as one of Michigan’s safest places to live.
13. Addison Township
According to safewise.com, 37% of Michigan residents are most concerned about being physically assaulted. 23%, meanwhile, believe they’re most likely to be murdered. If the thought of becoming the victim of a violent crime is stopping you from sleeping at night, you might want to consider a move to Addison Township. In the past year, it’s reported some of the lowest numbers of violent crimes in Michigan… just one in fact (which, when you consider it’s still within commuting distance of Detroit, isn’t bad going).
12. Franklin
If you’re attracted to the idea of living somewhere with easy access to the bright lights of the city but would really rather the lights came without a sharp rise in crime, Franklin might just be your ideal match. Located on the outskirts of Detroit, this friendly little suburb offers an easy commute into the center of the big smoke, but also comes with one of the lowest crime rates in the wider Detroit area. According to Niche, your chances of being the victim of a property crime are next to nill (the latest figures show your chance of being burgled is 61.2 in 100,000 (compared to a national average of 500.1 in 100,000, while the chances of your car being robbed are 214.3 in 100,000 compared to a national average of 2042.8). The violent crime rate is similarly low: assault rates are 61.2 in 100,000 compared to a US average of 282.7, while there’ve been no reported murders or aggravated robbery in the past year. Pretty good stats, we’d think you’d agree.
11. New Baltimore
If you want to live somewhere where the average crime rate is a hefty 80% lower than the national average, New Baltimore should be right up your street. The historic coastal resort is a quaint, charming place with plenty of attractions and diversions to keep its residents entertained. So much so, in fact, they clearly lack the time for less wholesome pursuits: live here, and your chances of being the victim of a property crime like burglary, theft, and motor vehicle theft is just 1 in 192, while your chances of falling victim to a violent crime like murder, rape, robbery, and assault is even less at 1 in 1553.
10. Huntington Woods
According to the data over at Home Snacks, Huntington Woods is one exceedingly attractive destination. Not only are the job prospects excellent (a 9/10, according to the site), the education system is outstanding, the amenities are plentiful, and the housing, while relatively expensive at $349,500 for a single-family home, is more than countered by the stonking $130,417 median income. The safety of its residents, meanwhile, is just as noteworthy, scoring a very healthy nine out of ten on Home Snacks.
9. Birmingham
You want safe? Then move to Birmingham, MI. Property crime is a whopping 71% lower than the national average, while violent crime is an even more significant 88% lower (and in case your math skills need a refresher, that makes the total crime rate 73% lower than you’ll find in most other places). In more good news, the crime rate is decreasing by around 28% each year, making the long term prospects for the city more than a little promising.
8. Beverley Hills
Beverly Hills is a village in Southfield Township, Oakland County with a population of around 10,267. With an unemployment rate of just 2.8% and a median income of $116,107, it’s understandably an attractive place to live… particularly when you factor the supremely low crime rate into the equation. With just 593.3 crimes per 100,000 residents, it’s total crime rate is almost 80% less than the national average.
7. Milford
Milford is a small village nestled in the heart of southwest Oakland County. With a small-town charm, friendly locals, a bustling downtown, and a great selection of parks and recreational opportunities, it scores highly on livability. Its crime rate continues the good vibes, with the violent crime rate sitting 84% lower than the national average and the property crime rate sitting 82% lower. And the news just gets better: year on year, the crime rate is falling by 8%.
6. Berkley
According to Area Vibes, Berkley has far more than a rich musical and cultural heritage to recommend it. With an overall crime rate that’s 77% lower than the national average, a violent crime rate that’s 91% lower than the national average, and a year on year decrease in crime of 17%, it’s safer than 90% of all other cities in the US. Live here, and your chance of falling victim to crime is just 1 in 168.
5. Iron Mountain
With a population of just 7,406, Iron Mountain is certainly not one of Michigan’s most populous hubs. It does, however, have the distinction of being one of the safest. With an average crime rate of just 163.8 per 100k people (just to put that into perspective, it means only 12 crimes are reported annually), it’s 93.62% safer than the average US town.
4. West Bloomfield Township
West Bloomfield Township has one of the lowest reported crime rates within the Detroit metropolitan area– not surprising, really, when you consider it’s one of the best places in Michigan to live (even if it is also one of the most expensive).
3. Oakland Township
Oakland Township has a population of 19,495, a very healthy median income of $118,969, and, most importantly of all (at least for this list), one of the lowest crime rates in Michigan… in fact, one of the lowest crime rates in the US. As reported by candgnews.com, the city has been ranked by some as the third safest community in America. Speaking about the achievement, Assistant Oakland Township Manager Jamie Moore says, “We are, historically, a very safe community. So we’re very happy and not surprised at all to be named the third safest community in the nation.”
2. Grosse Ile Township
Set over several islands within the Detroit River, Grosse Ile Township just misses out on a top place position by a whisker. According to alarms.org, the number of crimes reported in this area isn’t just among the lowest in Michigan, it’s among the lowest in the entire country, with a 0.30 per 1,000 violent crime rate, and a 3.36 per 1,000 property crime rate.
1. Rochester Hills
Rochester Hills has a lot going for it… even more, in fact, than simply being the birthplace of Madonna. Located just north of Detroit, it offers its residents all the thrills and spills of the big city but with few, if any, of the downsides. According to wxyz.com, it’s the combination of a first-rate education system, a relatively high median age of 40 years old, and the general prosperity that keeps crime so low. Little wonder, then, why it ranks as one of the best (and safest) places to live in Michigan.
