City profile · Michigan · Census ACS 2023

Highland Park, MI

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

8,798
Residents
$27,582
Median income
$75,800
Median home
$1,411
Median rent (state)

Highland Park - the verdict

Highland Park ranks in the 2nd percentile for household income and the 1st percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

2nd
percentile, household income
3rd
percentile, home value
55th
percentile, median rent
1st
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: Highland Park, MI

Highland Park is a small town in Michigan, home to 8,798 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Highland Park households earn a median of $27,582 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 34.2%. Home values in Highland Park run a median of $75,800, and the median resident age is 45.1 years. Educational attainment runs 17.0% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 42.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 0 residential units were authorized in 2024 (No Permits). Highland Park's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 7306.7 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Michigan run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Michigan scores 96.2 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,411 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Michigan run around $238, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Workers in Highland Park report an average commute of 21.8 minutes, with 64.4% driving alone and 9.0% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 99.0 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

8,798 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Michigan

Median Household Income

$27,582 /yr

Poverty 34.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Michigan average

How does Highland Park compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 2% higher than other cities
Home value 3% pricier than other cities
Median rent 55% pricier than other cities
Safety 1% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Michigan alone, Highland Park ranks #253 of 254 Michigan cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Highland Park's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Michigan, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

2ndIncome percentile
1stSafety percentile

2nd percentile nationally for median household income · 1st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Highland Park's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Highland Park'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 25 Avg. percentile National median
Highland Park'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 Highland Park's home value compares nationally

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

$75,800 Among the most affordable more affordable than 97% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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. Highland Park $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 - Highland Park, MI Highland Park, MI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Highland Park, 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 Highland Park, MI median $27,582/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%
Highland Park, 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 Highland Park, MI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 17.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 34.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 42.3%

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

Population
8,798
Median Income
$27,582
Median Home Value
$75,800
Median Age
45.1
Poverty Rate
34.2%
Labor force participation
42.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
17.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
7306.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
3019.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
4287.4
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
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
8,000 residents8,500 residents9,000 residents9,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 8,949 residents 8,248 residents ▼ -7.8%
Highland Park's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0
2021 0
2022 0
2023 0
2024 0

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
21.8 minutes
Drive Alone
64.4%
Carpool
8.6%
Public Transit
12.3%
Walk
2.3%
Work from Home
9.0%
Other
3.4%

Based on 2,965 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 Highland Park 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

Greenville
8,897 people
Tecumseh
8,655 people
Westwood
8,968 people
Saline
8,976 people
Benton Harbor
9,023 people
Lapeer
9,053 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Highland Park's 8,798 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Madison Park, NJ
8,798 people
Paloma Creek South, TX
8,797 people
Hernando, FL
8,795 people
Bath, ME
8,801 people
Monmouth, IL
8,794 people
Whitehouse, TX
8,794 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Highland Park's $27,582 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Manning, SC
$27,597 median income
Pisinemo, AZ
$27,604 median income
Bamberg, SC
$27,614 median income
Reeds, MO
$27,639 median income
Gibson, NC
$27,649 median income
El Ojo comunidad, PR
$27,514 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Highland Park, 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 Highland Park, MI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 9.5% 85.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.1% White 9.5% Black or African American 85.8% Asian 0.1% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.5% Two or more races 3.9% 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 Highland Park 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
Highland Park (this city) 8,798 $27,582
Greenville 8,897 $55,477
Tecumseh 8,655 $64,086
Westwood 8,968 $62,408
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MI FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Highland Park, MI?

What is the population of Highland Park, MI? +

Highland Park, MI has a population of 8,798 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Highland Park, MI? +

Median annual household income in Highland Park runs $27,582, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Highland Park? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Highland Park; 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 Highland Park, MI safe? +

Highland Park has a total crime rate of 7306.7 per 100,000 residents, which is above 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 Highland Park, MI? +

Highland Park's median home value sits at $75,800, 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 Editorial

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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.