Garden is a small town of 169 in Michigan, with a median household income of $34,722
and a 4.1% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 88 (US average = 100), which is
12% below the national average.
Strengths:
Garden stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include longer commutes. Whether Garden is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Garden city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 87.6
Garden's overall cost of living index is 87.6,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Garden costs roughly 12% less than the average American city.
Metric
Garden, MI
National Avg
Median Home Value
$79,300
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$596
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
59.8%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$34,722
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Garden's violent crime rate is 139.7 per 100,000 residents
— 63% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
139.7 /100k
Property Crime
866.3 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Garden, MI
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
29.4%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
95.8%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Garden sees average highs of 25.7°F in January
and 78.0°F in July,
with 34.1 inches of annual precipitation
and 46.9 inches of snow per year.
Garden's cost of living index is 88, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Garden roughly 12% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $79,300 and median rent is $596/month.
Garden's violent crime rate is 139.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 866.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Garden, MI has a population of 169, a median household income of $34,722, and an unemployment rate of 4.1%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Garden averages 25.7°F in January and 78.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 34.1 inches
with about 46.9 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Garden, MI is covered by 1 ZIP code: 49835.
The population of Garden, Michigan is 169 with a median age of 45.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Garden: cost of living index 88 (100 = US average), median home $79,300, median household income $34,722, crime index 39 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Garden side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
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