City profile · Michigan · Census ACS 2023

Garden City, MI

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Garden City - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

26,910
Residents
$64,396
Median income
$162,400
Median home
$1,411
Median rent (state)

Garden City - the verdict

Nationally, Garden City sits in the 42nd percentile for household income and the 62nd percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

42nd
percentile, household income
31st
percentile, home value
55th
percentile, median rent
62nd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Garden City, MI

Garden City is a small city in Michigan, home to 26,910 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $64,396 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 9.1%. Home values in Garden City run a median of $162,400, and the median resident age is 40.8 years. 14.6% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 59.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 19 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Low Activity). Garden City reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1053.5 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Michigan run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Michigan at 96.2 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,411 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Michigan's average monthly utility costs around $238 (state average). Workers in Garden City report an average commute of 24.1 minutes, with 81.8% driving alone and 7.8% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 99.0 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

26,910 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Michigan

Median Household Income

$64,396 /yr

Poverty 9.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Michigan average

How does Garden City compare to other US cities?

Where Garden City sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 42% higher than other cities
Home value 31% pricier than other cities
Median rent 55% pricier than other cities
Safety 62% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Michigan, Garden City ranks #103 of 254 Michigan cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Garden City against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Michigan only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Michigan-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Garden City toward the top of Michigan's cities

Among the 727 Michigan cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Garden City ranks #61 - the 76th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Garden City only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#293 of 718
59th percentile in Michigan
Median Gross Rent
#61 of 727
76th percentile in Michigan
Median Home Value
#322 of 721
55th percentile in Michigan
Poverty Rate
#325 of 727
55th percentile in Michigan
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#498 of 727
31st percentile in Michigan

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Michigan only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

42ndIncome percentile
62ndSafety percentile

42nd percentile nationally for median household income · 62nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Garden City's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Garden City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 54 Avg. percentile National median
Garden City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Garden City's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$162,400 Among the most affordable more affordable than 69% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Garden City $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Garden City, MI Garden City, MI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Garden City, MI-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Garden City, MI median $64,396/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Garden City, MI's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Garden City, MI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 14.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 9.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
26,910
Median Income
$64,396
Median Home Value
$162,400
Median Age
40.8
Poverty Rate
9.1%
Labor force participation
59.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
14.6%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1053.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
280.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
772.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
9
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
26,000 residents26,500 residents27,000 residents27,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 27,286 residents 26,280 residents ▼ -3.7%
Garden City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Low Activity
Total Permits (2024)
19
housing units authorized
Single-Family
3
detached homes
Multifamily
16
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 2
2021 4
2022 2
2023 4
2024 19

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
24.1 minutes
Drive Alone
81.8%
Carpool
8.7%
Public Transit
0.3%
Walk
0.3%
Work from Home
7.8%
Other
1.1%

Based on 12,664 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Michigan - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$85
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$238
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Michigan state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Michigan state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Garden City sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.2
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,411/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Michigan

Hamtramck
27,830 people
Allendale
25,741 people
Allen Park
28,128 people
Inkster
25,602 people
Okemos
25,503 people
Madison Heights
28,411 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Garden City's 26,910 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Leisure, FL
26,917 people
Temple Terrace, FL
26,922 people
Paducah, KY
26,894 people
Oak Forest, IL
26,888 people
Brawley, CA
26,934 people
Chicago Heights, IL
26,938 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Garden City's $64,396 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Warrenton, MO
$64,400 median income
Menasha, WI
$64,392 median income
Carbonville, UT
$64,405 median income
Middlefield, OH
$64,406 median income
Stuart, FL
$64,409 median income
Parkway, CA
$64,380 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Garden City, MI Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Garden City, MI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 83.8% 6.7% 7.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.4% White 83.8% Black or African American 6.7% Asian 0.9% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.6% Two or more races 7.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Garden City compares to nearby Michigan cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Garden City (this city) 26,910 $64,396
Hamtramck 27,830 $40,103
Allendale 25,741 $68,449
Allen Park 28,128 $80,045
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MI FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Garden City, MI?

What is the population of Garden City, MI? +

26,910 people live in Garden City, MI according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Garden City, MI? +

Median annual household income in Garden City runs $64,396, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Garden City? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Garden City; the closest available measure is the Michigan state average, a cost of living index of 96.2 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Michigan vary by metro area.

Is Garden City, MI safe? +

Garden City has a total crime rate of 1053.5 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Garden City, MI? +

The median home value in Garden City is $162,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.