Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fishers, IN
VS
Lansing, MI
🏆 Fishers leads 15 of 23 categories
Fishers
Indiana
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.6
Median Household Income
$126,548 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
99,041
Lansing
Michigan
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$50,747
Violent Crime Index
354⚠ High
Population
112,986 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fishers, IN
Pros
Households earn $75,801 more per year on average
95% less violent crime than Lansing
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.8 pts lower (2.5%)
More college-educated — 65.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (72.9 vs 380/100k)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.6)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $339,000
Higher rents — median is $1,478/mo
Lansing, MI
Pros
Homes cost $227k less ($112,200 vs $339,000)
Rent averages $524/mo less ($954 vs $1,478)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.8)
Cons
Median income trails Fishers by $75,801/yr
Violent crime (1345.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2499.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.3% vs 2.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Fishers
Median Income
$75,801
$126,548 vs $50,747/yr
Fishers
Violent Crime
95% lower
72.9 vs 1345.1 per 100k
Fishers
Unemployment
5.8 pp lower
2.5% vs 8.3% unemployment
Lansing
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 92.8 vs 94.6 (100 = US avg)
Lansing
Median Home Value
$227k less
$112,200 vs $339,000
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fishers, IN | Lansing, MI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.6 | 92.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $339,000⚠ High | $112,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,478⚠ High | $954 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $126,548 ✓ Higher | $50,747 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.5% ✓ Lower | 8.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.3 min | 19.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 18.8% ✓ Higher | 10.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 24 ✓ Safer | 260⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 354⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 ✓ Safer | 119⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | C+ (85) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.5:1 | 17.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.7% ✓ Higher | 29.3% |
| High School or Higher | 98.0% ✓ Higher | 90.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Hamilton Southeastern Schools | Lansing Public School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 34.5°F ✓ Warmer | 30.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 84.4°F ✓ Warmer | 82.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.9" | 33.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 26.7" ✓ Less | 50.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,041 | 112,986 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.1 ✓ Older | 32.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.1% ✓ Higher | 53.3% |
| Under 18 | 27.4% ✓ More | 22.8% |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 12.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fishers's cost of living index is 94.6 vs Lansing's 92.8 (US average = 100).
Lansing is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Fishers leads 15 of 23 categories. Fishers wins 15 and Lansing wins 8. 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 Fishers to Lansing or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($339,000 vs $112,200 median home), income ($126,548 vs $50,747), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fishers, IN and Lansing, MI are about 204 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.