How Expensive Is It To Live in Birmingham, MI?

There are a number of suburbs around the city of Detroit that make great places to live for those who desire a slower, more settled lifestyle. One of the most popular Detroit suburbs is called Birmingham, Michigan. Birmingham is located about 30 minutes north of downtown Detroit and is home to just over twenty thousand residents.

Birmingham is one of the wealthiest and most expensive suburbs of Detroit which makes it a desirable place to live for high earners. The median household income in Birmingham, Michigan is $170,000 and the price of the average home in Birmingham is over $700,000.

With those numbers in mind, a big question that people have about the area  is “how expensive is it to live in Birmingham, MI?”

The Perks of Living in Birmingham

Birmingham Theater image
By Michipedian – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=72606085

There are many good reasons why Birmingham MI, is an excellent choice for a place to settle down with your family. Birmingham is in the top 10 U.S. cities regarding the best amenities, lowest crime rates, best schools, and lowest unemployment rate. If you want to live in the Great Lakes State, Birmingham is a great place to live because of the following.

1. Birmingham is a booming business center

One of the best things about moving to Birmingham is that it has many businesses doing well. It has many small and medium-sized enterprises, with about 300 super retail shops selling art supplies, accessories, clothing, and more. Birmingham is a great place to start a business if you are an entrepreneur looking for a busy place to do business. It will help your business grow, and you won’t regret settling there.

2. Excellent Schools

Birmingham has excellent public schools that give your children the best learning chance. The average score on standardized tests at these schools is 21% higher than the national average. Seventy-five percent of people in the city have college degrees, which shows how important good education is in this community. This is a great place to raise a family.

3. Stable Job Opportunities

When thinking about why you might want to move to Birmingham, you can’t ignore the fact that it is a city with a lot of great job opportunities. Most people who live in or move to Birmingham say that the city’s great job opportunities are one of its best things. This remarkable chance is shown by the city’s unemployment rate now being 3% lower than the national average.

4. People in Birmingham make a good income

Having a lot of job opportunities is one thing, but it’s another thing to have jobs that pay well. People say that Birmingham is one of the cities in Michigan where people make the most money. The median household income in Birmingham, MI, is 103% higher than in the rest of the country. All you need to make the most of this chance is the right set of skills, and you could be one of the people who earn 152% more per person than the average person in the United States.

5. Birmingham is Brimming with Luxury Shopping and Dining

With more than 300 high-end stores selling clothing and accessories, art, and antiques, downtown Birmingham is a great place to shop and eat. The area also has several cocktail bars, steakhouses, and casual lunch spots. Best of all, downtown is easy to get around on foot, and there are five municipal parking structures where people can park for free for up to two hours.

6. Birmingham is one of the most peaceful cities

Safety is one of the most important things a city can offer its people. One of the reasons why people go to Birmingham, MI, it’s because, among other things, it has a very low crime rate. One good thing about moving to Birmingham is that it has the lowest crime rates. Birmingham, MI, has 65% less crime than the average city in the United States. This makes it 1 in 104 less likely that you will be a victim of a crime. 

How much does it cost to live in Birmingham, MI?

When considering the cost of living in a particular area, the biggest factor that most people look at is the cost of housing. A majority of people in Birmingham are homeowners meaning that they own the home they live in. While the median price of a home in Birmingham is over $700,000, you can find smaller homes that are much more affordable. By no means do you need to afford a $700,000 home to live in Birmingham, MI.

There are many homes that are available in the $200,000s and $300,000s as well as a number of beautiful condos that provide convenient access to Birmingham’s attractive amenities without costing an arm and a leg.

How much does it cost to move to Birmingham, MI?

If you are considering moving to the Birmingham area in the near future it will be worth your while to partner with a trustworthy and reputable real estate agent that will have your best interest in mind. Working with the right real estate agent can save you tens of thousands of dollars on your new home.

Another cost that should be considered when planning a move to the area is the cost of movers in Birmingham. Don’t forget to reach out to different movers in the Birmingham area to find a company that offers the best rates.

How much do private schools cost in Birmingham, MI?

If you have children who will be attending private school, Birmingham has a few different options to consider. The pricing can vary depending on which school your child attends as well as their grade level. Pricing can range anywhere from $7,000 per year to over $20,000 per year. Again, be sure to visit each of the private schools around Birmingham and find a private school that best fits your child’s needs and desires.

The costs of moving to Birmingham Michigan can vary greatly depending on your unique requirements. For some the transition can be more costly while others may find the process to be affordable. Proper planning can save you thousands of dollars so be sure to thoroughly plan your move to the Birmingham area.

Interesting Facts About Birmingham MI

Freedom of the Human Spirit in Birmingham Park image
By Michipedian – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=72682577

Birmingham is considered by many as a magical city; with its exciting stories and tempting opportunities, it has become an ideal place to live for most Americans. Aside from its healthy scenery and inviting food and shops, here are some exciting things you should know about Birmingham and its surrounding place.

1. Birmingham has more green spaces per person than any other city in the country

Birmingham has many great parks, such as the 19 acres of green space in the middle of downtown of the award-winning Railroad Park. Red Mountain Park has 1,500 acres of nature to explore, a zip line, and a ropes course for those who want to try something new. And Oak Mountain Park in Pelham is a great place to start orienteering. This sport involves hiking and tests your ability to find your way around outdoors.

2. Birmingham is home to the oldest baseball field in the United States

Located at Rickwood Field, at 1137 Second Ave. W., the oldest baseball field, was built in 1910, where the Birmingham Barons and the Birmingham Black Barons first played. The Black Barons were one of the best teams in the Negro Southern League. This league gave people who couldn’t play baseball because of their race a chance to play. Leroy “Satchel” Paige and Willie Mays, two of the best baseball players of all time, played for the Black Barons. The Negro Southern League Museum is now also in Birmingham. The museum is at 120 16th St. S. and tells the program’s history, which has much to do with Birmingham. It also has the country’s most extensive collection of Negro League artifacts.

3. Birmingham has always been known all over the country for having excellent food

Birmingham has been famous for its beautiful food scene thanks to award-winning chefs like Chris Hastings and Frank Stitt, who put a Southern spin on high-end food. But even before, Birmingham’s food and restaurant industry was already famous because of its meat-and-three restaurants. In November 2015, Johnny’s Restaurant’s “meat-and-threes” have been making a buzz. Since then, publications like The Wall Street Journal, Saveur, Garden & Gun, Eater, Southern Living, Wine Spectator, and more have praised the Homewood restaurant’s quality. Then, this past year, Chef Hontzas was nominated as a semifinalist for Best Chef in the South by the James Beard Foundation. This is an honor that is usually given to chefs of fancy restaurants. Johnny’s is known as a “Greek-and-three” because it serves Southern favorites and traditional Greek food.

4. Many famous artists, performers, and journalists hail from Birmingham

Actress and transgender rights activist Laverne Cox and The Hunger Games trilogy author Suzanne Collins went to the Alabama School of Fine Arts. Condoleezza Rice, Angela Davis, Roy Wood Jr., and Paul Janeway of St. Paul & The Broken Bones are all from Birmingham. Eddie Kendrick of the famous soul group, The Temptations was also from the Magic City.

5. Every October, Magic City Classic is held in Birmingham

Anyone who knows about the annual matchup between Alabama State University and Alabama A&M University can tell you that this is more than just a football game. The Magic City Classic brings a week of star-studded events to Birmingham, including exclusive parties, fashion shows, concerts, the Battle of the Bands competition, and the Magic City Classic Parade.

6. Veterans Day Celebration is celebrated in honor of a soldier from Birmingham

President Woodrow Wilson declared that November 11 would be the first Armistice Day to honor people who had served in World War I. However, Raymond Weeks, a veteran from Birmingham who served in World War II, thought Armistice Day should be made bigger since World War II took more soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen than any other war in American history. Therefore, in 1947, he led a group to Washington, D.C., to ask General Dwight Eisenhower. Army Chief of Staff, to make a national holiday to honor all veterans. In 1954, President Eisenhower signed a law-making Veterans Day on November 11.