Muskegon, MI vs Flint, MI: cost of living compared
Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).
The short answer
- Overall, living costs in Flint, MI and Muskegon, MI are within 1% of each other (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Muskegon works out to about $75,400 in Flint, before taxes.
- Housing is 0.3% lower in Flint, goods 0.0% higher and other services 0.0% higher, which roughly cancel out.
- Typical asking rent is $1,041 a month in Flint and $1,288 in Muskegon, $2,964 a year less in Flint (Zillow, September 2026).
- A typical home is valued at about $196,000 in Flint and $255,000 in Muskegon.
- The gap is about where it was in 2019 (1.4%).
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.
Overall prices are about the same in Muskegon and Flint
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Muskegon, MI
- Flint, MI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Muskegon, MI | Flint, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 92.5 | 93.0 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.7 |
| Housing (rents) | 74.2 | 74.0 |
| Utilities | 92.8 | 97.1 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 99.6 |
| Category | Muskegon | Flint | Flint vs Muskegon |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 92.5 | 93.0 | +0.6% |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.7 | 0.0% |
| Housing (rents) | 74.2 | 74.0 | −0.3% |
| Utilities | 92.8 | 97.1 | +4.6% |
| Other services | 99.6 | 99.6 | 0.0% |
| Typical asking rent | $1,288 | $1,041 | −19.2% |
| Typical home value | $255,000 | $196,000 | −23.3% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Muskegon | $75,000 | $75,400 | +0.6% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Muskegon and Flint has narrowed since 2008: 2.8 points then, 0.5 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Muskegon, MI
- Flint, MI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Muskegon, MI | Flint, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 93.2 | 96.0 |
| 2009 | 93.9 | 95.0 |
| 2010 | 93.6 | 94.7 |
| 2011 | 91.3 | 93.2 |
| 2012 | 90.8 | 93.0 |
| 2013 | 90.7 | 93.4 |
| 2014 | 92.7 | 93.2 |
| 2015 | 87.3 | 91.7 |
| 2016 | 90.3 | 90.8 |
| 2017 | 89.9 | 89.6 |
| 2018 | 91.8 | 91.8 |
| 2019 | 93.4 | 92.1 |
| 2020 | 93.4 | 89.8 |
| 2021 | 92.0 | 89.0 |
| 2022 | 91.8 | 90.9 |
| 2023 | 91.7 | 89.9 |
| 2024 | 92.5 | 93.0 |
Goods
- Muskegon, MI
- Flint, MI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Muskegon, MI | Flint, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 99.0 | 99.9 |
| 2009 | 97.5 | 102.1 |
| 2010 | 96.5 | 100.4 |
| 2011 | 96.0 | 101.0 |
| 2012 | 97.2 | 99.5 |
| 2013 | 97.0 | 100.0 |
| 2014 | 98.4 | 99.5 |
| 2015 | 97.7 | 98.2 |
| 2016 | 96.8 | 99.1 |
| 2017 | 94.9 | 99.5 |
| 2018 | 97.1 | 97.1 |
| 2019 | 95.9 | 95.9 |
| 2020 | 93.7 | 93.7 |
| 2021 | 94.4 | 94.4 |
| 2022 | 92.1 | 92.1 |
| 2023 | 94.1 | 94.1 |
| 2024 | 93.7 | 93.7 |
Housing (rents)
- Muskegon, MI
- Flint, MI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Muskegon, MI | Flint, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 70.7 | 79.4 |
| 2009 | 75.5 | 71.7 |
| 2010 | 74.5 | 76.4 |
| 2011 | 71.9 | 67.6 |
| 2012 | 65.6 | 72.0 |
| 2013 | 64.4 | 69.4 |
| 2014 | 73.6 | 67.2 |
| 2015 | 56.6 | 67.7 |
| 2016 | 65.8 | 65.2 |
| 2017 | 67.3 | 63.0 |
| 2018 | 68.8 | 69.4 |
| 2019 | 75.2 | 70.3 |
| 2020 | 80.8 | 64.8 |
| 2021 | 71.8 | 57.9 |
| 2022 | 76.2 | 68.6 |
| 2023 | 73.6 | 65.0 |
| 2024 | 74.2 | 74.0 |
Utilities
- Muskegon, MI
- Flint, MI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Muskegon, MI | Flint, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 93.0 | 100.3 |
| 2009 | 100.3 | 107.5 |
| 2010 | 102.3 | 107.5 |
| 2011 | 103.9 | 109.3 |
| 2012 | 104.6 | 111.2 |
| 2013 | 101.7 | 112.7 |
| 2014 | 93.6 | 105.5 |
| 2015 | 93.1 | 106.7 |
| 2016 | 91.9 | 107.3 |
| 2017 | 94.0 | 108.7 |
| 2018 | 97.0 | 103.9 |
| 2019 | 94.8 | 98.6 |
| 2020 | 98.0 | 103.3 |
| 2021 | 99.0 | 104.7 |
| 2022 | 93.2 | 96.6 |
| 2023 | 91.9 | 96.4 |
| 2024 | 92.8 | 97.1 |
Other services
- Muskegon, MI
- Flint, MI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Muskegon, MI | Flint, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 100.1 | 100.2 |
| 2009 | 99.7 | 99.2 |
| 2010 | 99.1 | 98.0 |
| 2011 | 96.9 | 97.4 |
| 2012 | 97.1 | 96.6 |
| 2013 | 97.9 | 97.5 |
| 2014 | 96.6 | 98.8 |
| 2015 | 95.0 | 96.6 |
| 2016 | 96.3 | 94.9 |
| 2017 | 95.3 | 93.4 |
| 2018 | 96.5 | 96.5 |
| 2019 | 98.6 | 98.6 |
| 2020 | 97.8 | 97.8 |
| 2021 | 97.9 | 97.9 |
| 2022 | 98.2 | 98.2 |
| 2023 | 97.7 | 97.7 |
| 2024 | 99.6 | 99.6 |
Rent and home values
Typical asking rent: $1,041 in Flint vs $1,288 in Muskegon
Typical asking rent for a new lease, dollars per month. Quarterly.
- Muskegon, MI
- Flint, MI
- United States
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (typical asking rent, all homes, smoothed), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Muskegon, MI | Flint, MI | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | – | $562 | $1,145 |
| Jun 2015 | – | $567 | $1,170 |
| Sep 2015 | – | $586 | $1,181 |
| Dec 2015 | – | $570 | $1,182 |
| Mar 2016 | – | $581 | $1,195 |
| Jun 2016 | – | $603 | $1,219 |
| Sep 2016 | – | $599 | $1,225 |
| Dec 2016 | – | $606 | $1,222 |
| Mar 2017 | – | $608 | $1,245 |
| Jun 2017 | – | $616 | $1,270 |
| Sep 2017 | – | $618 | $1,276 |
| Dec 2017 | – | $624 | $1,275 |
| Mar 2018 | – | $634 | $1,296 |
| Jun 2018 | – | $646 | $1,320 |
| Sep 2018 | – | $651 | $1,327 |
| Dec 2018 | – | $645 | $1,329 |
| Mar 2019 | – | $656 | $1,349 |
| Jun 2019 | – | $682 | $1,376 |
| Sep 2019 | – | $687 | $1,383 |
| Dec 2019 | – | $673 | $1,381 |
| Mar 2020 | – | $679 | $1,402 |
| Jun 2020 | – | $713 | $1,406 |
| Sep 2020 | – | $716 | $1,410 |
| Dec 2020 | – | $734 | $1,407 |
| Mar 2021 | – | $751 | $1,443 |
| Jun 2021 | $909 | $782 | $1,512 |
| Sep 2021 | $952 | $818 | $1,590 |
| Dec 2021 | $958 | $824 | $1,622 |
| Mar 2022 | $992 | $844 | $1,661 |
| Jun 2022 | $1,026 | $881 | $1,721 |
| Sep 2022 | $1,044 | $879 | $1,748 |
| Dec 2022 | $1,032 | $875 | $1,735 |
| Mar 2023 | $1,043 | $857 | $1,757 |
| Jun 2023 | $1,066 | $870 | $1,785 |
| Sep 2023 | $1,071 | $894 | $1,797 |
| Dec 2023 | $1,079 | $903 | $1,786 |
| Mar 2024 | $1,108 | $922 | $1,807 |
| Jun 2024 | $1,152 | $934 | $1,837 |
| Sep 2024 | $1,160 | $969 | $1,845 |
| Dec 2024 | $1,172 | $971 | $1,836 |
| Mar 2025 | $1,167 | $964 | $1,860 |
| Jun 2025 | $1,201 | $988 | $1,880 |
| Sep 2025 | $1,225 | $989 | $1,881 |
| Dec 2025 | $1,196 | $1,002 | $1,873 |
| Mar 2026 | $1,270 | $1,006 | $1,894 |
| Jun 2026 | $1,302 | $1,034 | $1,921 |
| Sep 2026 | $1,288 | $1,041 | $1,932 |
Typical home value: $196,000 in Flint vs $255,000 in Muskegon
Typical home value, dollars. Quarterly.
- Muskegon, MI
- Flint, MI
- United States
Source: Zillow Home Value Index (typical home value, middle tier, smoothed, seasonally adjusted), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Muskegon, MI | Flint, MI | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $96K | $75K | $189K |
| Jun 2015 | $99K | $77K | $192K |
| Sep 2015 | $102K | $79K | $195K |
| Dec 2015 | $104K | $81K | $199K |
| Mar 2016 | $107K | $83K | $202K |
| Jun 2016 | $110K | $86K | $204K |
| Sep 2016 | $112K | $88K | $206K |
| Dec 2016 | $115K | $91K | $209K |
| Mar 2017 | $119K | $93K | $213K |
| Jun 2017 | $122K | $96K | $216K |
| Sep 2017 | $126K | $98K | $219K |
| Dec 2017 | $129K | $101K | $223K |
| Mar 2018 | $132K | $104K | $227K |
| Jun 2018 | $136K | $108K | $230K |
| Sep 2018 | $139K | $110K | $234K |
| Dec 2018 | $140K | $111K | $236K |
| Mar 2019 | $143K | $115K | $239K |
| Jun 2019 | $147K | $119K | $242K |
| Sep 2019 | $149K | $119K | $244K |
| Dec 2019 | $154K | $121K | $247K |
| Mar 2020 | $158K | $124K | $252K |
| Jun 2020 | $159K | $126K | $255K |
| Sep 2020 | $164K | $129K | $260K |
| Dec 2020 | $174K | $137K | $271K |
| Mar 2021 | $184K | $145K | $282K |
| Jun 2021 | $195K | $153K | $296K |
| Sep 2021 | $199K | $155K | $306K |
| Dec 2021 | $201K | $155K | $314K |
| Mar 2022 | $212K | $162K | $330K |
| Jun 2022 | $223K | $168K | $346K |
| Sep 2022 | $224K | $167K | $348K |
| Dec 2022 | $221K | $164K | $345K |
| Mar 2023 | $218K | $163K | $343K |
| Jun 2023 | $221K | $166K | $347K |
| Sep 2023 | $225K | $171K | $352K |
| Dec 2023 | $227K | $173K | $354K |
| Mar 2024 | $231K | $176K | $357K |
| Jun 2024 | $237K | $180K | $361K |
| Sep 2024 | $238K | $180K | $361K |
| Dec 2024 | $239K | $181K | $363K |
| Mar 2025 | $241K | $182K | $364K |
| Jun 2025 | $241K | $184K | $362K |
| Sep 2025 | $245K | $188K | $362K |
| Dec 2025 | $248K | $191K | $364K |
| Mar 2026 | $251K | $194K | $366K |
| Jun 2026 | $253K | $195K | $365K |
| Sep 2026 | $255K | $196K | $366K |
More about each city
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
- Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.