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Moving to Detroit, Michigan

Detroit pays new residents up to $1,000 through Make Detroit Home ($1,000 newcomer relocation grants). Here is what life costs in Wayne County, home of Detroit, where people work, what there is to do, and remote jobs you can bring with you.
  • $1,000Paid to move hereMake Detroit Home ($1,000 newcomer relocation grants)
  • $178,500Typical home value1Wayne County
  • $1,132Typical rent1Utilities included
  • 1,769,038Population-1.4% since 2020

By Sol Lakein.Checked November 4, 2026.How we compare costs

Get paid to move to Detroit

Tap a program for who qualifies, how it pays, whether it is open and the official link.

Every program in Michigan

Something to know about Detroit

Did you know?

In 1909 the Wayne County Road Commission paved the first mile of concrete road, on Woodward Avenue between Six Mile and Seven Mile roads in what is now Detroit.

Source: Wayne County, Michigan, read November 2026

A fact about Detroit

What it costs to live in Detroit

Wayne County next to Michigan and the US.1
MeasureWayne CountyMichiganUnited States
Typical home value$178,500$231,600$332,700
Monthly owner costs with a mortgage$1,556$1,569$1,963
Typical rent, with utilities$1,132$1,129$1,413
Typical household income$60,539$72,875$80,734
Homes lived in by their owners64.8%73.2%65.2%
Households with broadband89.7%90.5%91.0%
Average commute, one way25 min24 min26 min

On the typical home here, the mortgage comes to about $981 a month2.

Current home prices, rent and weather for Detroit

Jobs and work in Wayne County

  • 665,558Jobs at local employers2023, +3.1% vs 2022
  • 33,699Employer businesses2023
  • 169,690Self-employed businessesNonemployer firms, 2024
  • 89.7%Households with broadbandUS: 91.0%

59.1% of residents 16 and older are in the labor force, the average commute is 24.7 minutes, and 27.6% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree1,3. Builders pulled permits for 3,922 new homes in 2025.

Remote jobs you can do from Detroit

Current remote openings for people living in the US.

Loading current remote jobs.

Things to do in Detroit

Notable places in Wayne County, by type.4

Parks, lakes and the outdoors

  • Lake Saint Clair
  • Belle Isle Park
  • Lower Huron Metropark
  • Willow Metropark
  • Oakwoods Metropark

Museums, theaters and libraries

  • Detroit Institute of Arts
  • The Henry Ford
  • Detroit Opera House
  • Grand Circus Park Historic District

Colleges and universities

  • University of Michigan–Dearborn
  • Henry Ford College
  • College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Wayne State University
  • Wayne State University College of Fine, Performing, and Communication Arts

Sports and recreation

  • Ford Field
  • Comerica Park

Attractions

  • Statue of Alexander Macomb

Thinking about Detroit? Get the free moving guide

12 pages: what a move costs, hiring movers safely, an 8-week checklist and how to apply for programs like these.

Get the guide

Moving to Detroit: questions people ask

Does Detroit pay you to move there?

Yes. Make Detroit Home ($1,000 newcomer relocation grants): $1,000 cash. Each program has its own rules, status and official link on its page, checked October 30, 2026.

How much does it cost to live in Detroit?

In Wayne County, the median owner-occupied home is valued at $178,500 and median gross rent is $1,132 a month (US Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). Michigan: $231,600 and $1,129. United States: $332,700 and $1,413. With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest on a home at the county median value come to about $981 a month (our arithmetic).

Is Detroit a good place to live?

It depends on what you need. On the numbers: home values in Wayne County are below the US median, household income is below the US median, and the population fell 1.4% from April 2020 to July 2025 (US Census Bureau). Visit before you decide.

Can I work remotely from Detroit?

89.7% of households in Wayne County have a broadband subscription (US: 91.0%; ACS 2020-2024). Check the program rules for job requirements.

What is there to do in Detroit?

Notable places in Wayne County include Lake Saint Clair, Belle Isle Park, Detroit Institute of Arts, The Henry Ford, University of Michigan–Dearborn. The full list by type is on this page (Wikidata).

Other Michigan towns that pay you to move

Notes on the numbers
  1. 1Costs and people: US Census Bureau QuickFacts, American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimates (dollars in 2024 terms), read November 4, 2026. "Typical" is the median. Census figures cover all homes and renters, not just recent sales or new leases. QuickFacts
  2. 2Mortgage: principal and interest on the county's typical home value with 20% down at 7.32% (Freddie Mac 30-year fixed average, week of October 22, 2026), our arithmetic. Rate source
  3. 3Jobs and businesses: US Census Bureau QuickFacts, County Business Patterns 2023, Nonemployer Statistics 2024, Building Permits Survey 2025, ACS 2020-2024.
  4. 4Things to do: notable places from Wikidata (CC0), read November 4, 2026. Know a place we should add? Email hello@slowersundays.com.
Sources for this page