Dearborn, MI Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Dearborn, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Dearborn →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Dearborn counts roughly 108,414 residents, and the median household brings in $64,600 annually — -10% relative to the cities in our dataset, putting incomes here below the pack.
In Dearborn, the median home is valued at $189,400 — below the median across the cities we track (-42%) — and typical rent runs $1,205 a month. Factor in mortgage rates and property taxes when sizing up whether buying pencils out.
At roughly 2.9 times median household income, home values in Dearborn are on the affordable end compared to the cities we cover. Dearborn's home prices climbed 5.27% over the past year — steady appreciation without signs of overheating. FEMA rates Dearborn's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively High — worth factoring into home insurance costs.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,205/mo in Dearborn would take 22.4% of your income.
$410/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($189,400) would take 18.8% of your income toward principal & interest.
$496/mo under the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Dearborn
Median home value is $189,400 and median gross rent is $1,205/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Wayne rose 5.27% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $1,411/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Dearborn's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively High. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Dearborn reported a violent crime rate of 249.1 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Dearborn
Planning a move to Dearborn? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Dearborn, MI?
- The US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022) puts Dearborn's median home value at $189,400, median rent at $1,205/month, and median household income at $64,600.
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Dearborn?
- To keep rent under the commonly recommended 30% of income in Dearborn, where median rent runs $1,205/month, you'd want to earn about $48,200 annually. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Dearborn.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Dearborn?
- Buying at Dearborn's median home value of $189,400 takes about $43,334 a year in principal-and-interest income (20% down, 30-year fixed, current mortgage rates), compared with roughly $48,200 a year to comfortably rent at the median $1,205/month. Down payment and expected length of stay usually settle the question.
- Is Dearborn safe?
- Dearborn reported a violent crime rate of 249.1 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data. Compare that figure against other cities you're considering for context.
See the full salary breakdown for Dearborn →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Dearborn's.