Is Highland Park, MI a Good Place to Live?
Highland Park is a small town of 9,032 in Michigan, with a median household income of $30,341 and a 18.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 98 (US average = 100), which is 2% below the national average.
Strengths: Highland Park stands out for below-average home prices, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Highland Park is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Highland Park 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: 98.0Highland Park's overall cost of living index is 98.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Highland Park costs roughly 2% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Highland Park, MI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $59,400 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $620 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 45.2% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $30,341 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
High CrimeHighland Park's violent crime rate is 3019.3 per 100,000 residents — 695% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Highland Park is served primarily by George Washington Carver Academy. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.9:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Highland Park, MI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | George Washington Carver Academy | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 13.9:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 16.2% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 83.1% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Highland Park sees average highs of 32.4°F in January and 83.5°F in July, with 29.9 inches of annual precipitation and 30.8 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Highland Park, MI |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 32.4°F |
| Average High — July | 83.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 29.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 30.8" |
Demographics
| Metric | Highland Park, MI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 9,032 | — |
| Median Age | 45.9 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 18.2% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 24.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 8.6% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 88.1% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.9% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 19.3% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 23.8% | 16.8% |