Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Dearborn, MI
VS
Livonia, MI
🏆 Livonia leads 13 of 22 categories
Dearborn
Michigan
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0
Median Household Income
$64,600
Violent Crime Index
77
Population
108,414 ✓ Larger
Livonia
Michigan
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0
Median Household Income
$92,458 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
60 ✓ Safer
Population
94,928
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Dearborn, MI
Pros
Homes cost $60k less ($189,400 vs $249,000)
Cons
Median income trails Livonia by $27,858/yr
Higher unemployment (6.8% vs 5.0%)
Livonia, MI
Pros
Households earn $27,858 more per year on average
22% less violent crime than Dearborn
Violent crime is well below the national average (228.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (5.0%)
More college-educated — 39.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Dearborn
Median Home Value
$60k less
$189,400 vs $249,000
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 98.0 on the COL index
Livonia
Median Income
$27,858
$92,458 vs $64,600/yr
Livonia
Violent Crime
22% lower
228.1 vs 292.6 per 100k
Livonia
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
5.0% vs 6.8% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Dearborn, MI | Livonia, MI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 | 98.0 |
| Median Home Value | $189,400 ✓ Lower | $249,000 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,205 ✓ Lower | $1,235 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,600 | $92,458 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.8%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.3 min ✓ Shorter | 23.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 9.9% | 13.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 84 | 60 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 77 | 60 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 | 60 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) | B+ (108) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.8% | 39.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 85.1% | 94.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Dearborn City School District | Livonia Public Schools School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.0°F ✓ Warmer | 30.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 83.6°F ✓ Warmer | 82.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.0" | 33.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 30.8" ✓ Less | 36.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 108,414 ✓ Larger | 94,928 |
| Median Age | 32.3 | 45.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 69.1% | 87.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 28.6% ✓ More | 18.2% |
| Over 65 | 12.9% | 21.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Dearborn's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Livonia's 98.0 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Livonia leads 13 of 22 categories. Dearborn wins 9 and Livonia wins 13. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Dearborn to Livonia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($189,400 vs $249,000 median home), income ($64,600 vs $92,458), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Dearborn, MI and Livonia, MI are about 10 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.