Is Oak Park, MI a Good Place to Live?
Oak Park is a small city of 29,495 in Michigan, with a median household income of $61,991 and a 9.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 98 (US average = 100), which is 2% below the national average.
Strengths: Oak Park stands out for below-average home prices, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Oak Park is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Oak 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: 98.0Oak Park's overall cost of living index is 98.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Oak Park costs roughly 2% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Oak Park, MI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $176,900 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,274 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.9% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $61,991 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Near National AverageOak Park's violent crime rate is 398.5 per 100,000 residents — 5% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Oak Park is served primarily by Berkley School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.1:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Oak Park, MI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Berkley School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 5 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 14.1:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.1% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 92.6% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Oak Park sees average highs of 33.0°F in January and 84.1°F in July, with 34.9 inches of annual precipitation and 36.0 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Oak Park, MI |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 33.0°F |
| Average High — July | 84.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 34.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 36.0" |
Demographics
| Metric | Oak Park, MI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,495 | — |
| Median Age | 37.9 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 9.9% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 21.3 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 36.2% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 53.3% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.5% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 2.5% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 19.0% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 16.9% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Oak Park
Oak Park, MI is covered by 1 ZIP code: