What are the schools like in Garden City, MI?

Garden City is served primarily by Garden City Public Schools. The district operates 3 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 2 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 13.4:1.

What is the median household income in Garden City?

The median household income in Garden City, MI is $63,630 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 7.7%.

What is the weather like in Garden City, MI?

Garden City has an average high temperature of 32.0°F in January and 83.6°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 35.1 inches and annual snowfall averages 30.8 inches.

Garden City, MI Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Garden City, MI affordable or expensive?

Garden City's cost of living index is 98, where 100 represents the national average. This means Garden City is 2% less expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $152,800 and the median rent is $950 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Garden City, MI?

Garden City has a violent crime rate of 280.7 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 772.8 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Garden City, MI a Good Place to Live?

Garden City is a small city of 27,203 in Michigan, with a median household income of $63,630 and a 7.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 98 (US average = 100), which is 2% below the national average.

Strengths: Garden City stands out for below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Garden City is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Garden City 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: 98.0

Garden City's overall cost of living index is 98.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Garden City costs roughly 2% less than the average American city.

Metric	Garden City, MI	National Avg
Median Home Value	$152,800	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$950	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	80.7%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$63,630	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Garden City's violent crime rate is 280.7 per 100,000 residents — 26% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

280.7 /100k

Property Crime

772.8 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Garden City is served primarily by Garden City Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.4:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Garden City, MI	National Avg
School District	Garden City Public Schools	—
Elementary Schools	3	—
Middle Schools	2	—
High Schools	2	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	13.4:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	13.9%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	90.6%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Garden City sees average highs of 32.0°F in January and 83.6°F in July, with 35.1 inches of annual precipitation and 30.8 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Garden City, MI
Average High — January	32.0°F
Average High — July	83.6°F
Annual Precipitation	35.1"
Annual Snowfall	30.8"

Demographics

Metric	Garden City, MI	National Avg
Population	27,203	—
Median Age	40.9	38.9
Unemployment Rate	7.7%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	26.7 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	86.3%	59.3%
Black or African American	6.1%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	3.1%	18.9%
Asian	0.9%	6.3%
Under 18	20.0%	22.2%
65 and over	15.7%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Westland, MI 2 mi Inkster, MI 2 mi Dearborn Heights, MI 3 mi Wayne, MI 4 mi Livonia, MI 5 mi

ZIP Codes in Garden City

Garden City, MI is covered by 1 ZIP code:

48135

Garden City vs Other Cities

Garden City, MI vs Westland, MI Garden City, MI vs Inkster, MI Garden City, MI vs Dearborn Heights, MI Garden City, MI vs Wayne, MI Garden City, MI vs Livonia, MI

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Garden City, MI affordable or expensive?

Garden City's cost of living index is 98, where 100 is the national average. That makes Garden City roughly 2% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $152,800 and median rent is $950/month.

What is the crime rate in Garden City, MI?

Garden City's violent crime rate is 280.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 772.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Garden City?

Public schools in Garden City are operated by Garden City Public Schools. The district has 3 elementary, 2 middle, and 2 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.4:1. 13.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Garden City, MI a good place to live?

Garden City, MI has a population of 27,203, a median household income of $63,630, and an unemployment rate of 7.7%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Garden City?

Garden City averages 32.0°F in January and 83.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 35.1 inches with about 30.8 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Garden City?

Garden City, MI is covered by 1 ZIP code: 48135.

What is the population of Garden City?

The population of Garden City, Michigan is 27,203 with a median age of 40.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Garden City?

Key numbers for living in Garden City: cost of living index 98 (100 = US average), median home $152,800, median household income $63,630, crime index 59 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Garden City side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.