Advantages & Disadvantages of Moving to Detroit

You think about moving to Detroit but want to get additional information about the city before making your final decision in this regard?

Great! Stick with me since I will show you all the pros and cons of living in Detroit in the following chapters.

Living in Detroit – Overview

Advantages of Living in Detroit

1. Rents in Detroit are pretty low
2. Property prices are low as well
3. Housing shortage is not a problem at all in Detroit
4. You will have an easy time finding a good place to stay in Detroit
5. You are in a good position as a tenant
6. Average person can afford to rent or buy a decent property in Detroit
7. People don’t have to spend a high fraction of their income on housing yet
8. You can meet many people from all over the world
9. You can have many interesting conversations in Detroit
10. Decent bars and clubs in Detroit
11. Detroit offers the comfort of a big city
12. Decent public transport near the city center
13. You have real seasons in Detroit
14. You can enjoy the snow
15. You can spend lots of time in nature
16. Many things to do in Detroit in your leisure
17. You can try many interesting foods in Detroit
18. Detroit has decent tap water
19. Detroit is a bike-friendly city
20. Traffic jams are rather rare in Detroit
21. Pretty easy to find a parking lot in Detroit
22. You can get around in an efficient manner
23. Easy to meet your friends from other parts of the city
24. Detroit is not the most crowded city
25. Detroit may be an interesting place for property investors
26. Detroit has an interesting art scene
27. Many museums to visit in Detroit
28. Interesting architecture in Detroit
29. Many different neighborhoods to choose from in Detroit
30. Living costs in Detroit are rather low
31. Detroit has an international airport

Rents in Detroit are pretty low

One advantage of living in Detroit is that rents are far lower than in other big cities in the US and this gives you lots of financial room to save and invest money for retirement or other things you might like since you don’t have to spend lots of money on renting a decent apartment or home yet.

Property prices are low as well

Not only rents are pretty low, but also property prices are far lower than in most other regions and you can therefore buy a home in Detroit for a reasonably low price and will have pretty low mortgage rates compared to someone moving to San José who often has to overextend himself or herself to finance a home in this more expensive region.

Housing shortage is not a problem at all in Detroit

Compared to other major cities, demand for housing in Detroit is pretty low and housing shortage is not a big problem.

In turn, you will have many housing options and can choose among a big variety of decent homes.

You will have an easy time finding a good place to stay in Detroit

Since housing shortage is not a big problem in Detroit yet, you will also not have to spend lots of time and money searching for a home as many other people moving to more popular regions often have to do and will usually find a decent place to live within weeks or even days.

You are in a good position as a tenant

Since demand for housing is pretty low in Detroit, you will be in a pretty good situation as a tenant since in case you may not be able to pay rent for a limited period of time, landlords will usually be much more eager to compromise with you since they will have a rather hard time finding good tenants and will appreciate you much more than in other more popular regions where landlords often have a high number of good potential tenants to choose from.

Average person can afford to rent or buy a decent property in Detroit

While only people who make really good money can afford to live in New York City or in other expensive regions, the average person in Detroit can still afford renting or buying a nice home without having to overcommit himself financially.

People don’t have to spend a high fraction of their income on housing yet

Since rents and property prices in Detroit are fairly cheap, you also don’t have to spend a high fraction of your disposable income on housing in Detroit and will have more money left for other things.

You can meet many people from all over the world

Another upside to living in Detroit is that you can meet many people from all over the world.

In fact, Detroit is a multicultural place where you can meet people from many different countries and can expand your knowledge and also grow in character in the long run since you will be able to see the world from a different perspective.

You can have many interesting conversations in Detroit

Since you have many interesting people in Detroit, you can also have many nice conversations.

Not only will you be able to learn quite a lot by talking to those people, but those conversations just make your life more interesting in general since you can always get exotic opinions on certain topics.

Decent bars and clubs in Detroit

While Detroit doesn’t have the same great nightlife as NYC or other major metropolitan regions, it still has some decent bars where you can hang out after work and you can even party until the early morning in some of the clubs of this city.

Detroit offers the comfort of a big city

You will also find most things you need within walking distance and can live your life in a pretty efficient manner without having to search for long in this regard.

You will also find everything you need in Detroit and don’t have to drive to other cities to get your stuff as would often be the case if you lived in smaller towns.

Decent public transport near the city center

Another benefit of living in Detroit is that public transport is pretty decent near the city center and you can get around by bus in a pretty efficient manner so that you don’t necessarily need a car to get around and can save lots of money in this regard in the long run.

You have real seasons in Detroit

Living in Detroit can also be pretty interesting since you will have real seasons with warm summers and pretty cold winters while many other people living in Dallas or other warm regions often don’t have real winters and get bored with warm weather in the long run.

You can enjoy the snow

Since you will often have strong winters in Detroit, you will also have lots of snow and this enables you to go skiing or to do many other winter sports and many of your friends living in warmer regions may really envy you quite a lot in this regard.

You can spend lots of time in nature

Since Detroit is also located close to big lakes, you can also spend lots of time fishing, hunting, swimming, hiking and do many other great things in nature.

Not only can this be great for you, but you can also teach your kids quite a lot about our environment and ecosystems and can also show them why it is so important to protect our beautiful planet.

Many things to do in Detroit in your leisure

Not only will you be able to spend lots of time in nature, but you can also spend your leisure on other things you may be used to from other big cities.

For instance, you can go bowling, go to the movies, spend your time in a nice bar and do many other things so that you will never run out of options in this regard.

You can try many interesting foods in Detroit

Another benefit of moving to Detroit is that you can also try many delicious foods.

In fact, since Detroit is a multicultural city, you can try foods from all over the world and can really expand your culinary horizon in the long run.

Detroit has decent tap water

Detroit also has pretty decent tap water and while many other people have to rely on bottled water from the store, you can just drink tap water and can save lots of time and money in this regard in the long run.

Detroit is a bike-friendly city

Another upside to moving to Detroit is that it is a pretty big-friendly city and you will find many bike lanes on which you can get around in an efficient manner.

You may even be faster by going by bike for short distances than using your car and it will also keep you fit and may be a good alternative to going to the gym.

Traffic jams are rather rare in Detroit

You should also know that traffic is not a big problem in Detroit compared to other major cities yet and this means that you can get around by car in a pretty efficient manner and don’t get stuck in traffic jams that often.

Pretty easy to find a parking lot in Detroit

Since traffic is not a big problem in Detroit, you will also have a pretty easy time finding a parking lot and don’t have to spend lots of time and money in this regard.

You can get around in an efficient manner

Since you can use public transport, your bicycle or your car, there are many ways to get around in Detroit in a pretty efficient manner and you may not get stuck in traffic as you would often do in San Diego or other more crowded cities.

Easy to meet your friends from other parts of the city

Since it is easy to get around in Detroit, you will also have a rather easy time meeting your friends in other parts of the city while people living in NYC or L.A. often really struggle in this regard and also have to spend much more time to get to different districts.

Detroit is not the most crowded city

Compared to other big cities, Detroit is also not that crowded.

In fact, population in Detroit has been decreasing over the past decade and this means that you will have more than enough space to spend on your own in public and will also not run into people as frequently as would be the case in other more crowded places.

Detroit may be an interesting place for property investors

Since property prices in Detroit are pretty low, it may also be an interesting place for property investors since you can get one of the highest rental yields in the whole country and may be able to make really good returns on your investment if you are smart enough to choose the right properties and also have some experience in this field.

Detroit has an interesting art scene

Another advantage of moving to Detroit is that the city has a pretty decent art scene.

Similar to San Francisco, you can meet many artists from all over the world and can hang out with many like-minded people so that you can learn a lot about art and can just really enjoy your time.

Many museums to visit in Detroit

Not only does Detroit have a great art scene, but you will also find more than enough museums with many different exhibitions and chances are that you will never get bored in this regard.

Interesting architecture in Detroit

Detroit also has many interesting buildings and architecture in general and if you are an architect or just interested in those kinds of things, you will find more than enough opportunities to learn a lot in this regard.

Many different neighborhoods to choose from in Detroit

Since Detroit is a big city, you will also have many different neighborhoods to choose from and will most likely find a spot where you feel really comfortable and also have enough like-minded people around you.

Living costs in Detroit are rather low

Compared to other major cities, also living costs in Detroit are pretty low and you can therefore afford more things with the same budget than people living in Washington D.C. or other places where living costs are usually much higher.

Detroit has an international airport

Moving to Detroit can also make sense in case you are a globetrotter and want to travel the world since Detroit has a big international airport and you can fly to many exotic places of our beautiful planet without having to deal with layovers or other unpleasant issues.

As you can see, there are many reasons for moving to Detroit.

However, there are also many drawbacks of living in Detroit that I want to discuss for you in the following so that you get a more realistic picture of reality and can better decide whether you still want to move to Detroit or rather want to live in a different place instead.

Disadvantages of Living in Detroit

1. Crime rates in Detroit are pretty high
2. You may not feel safe in Detroit
3. Unemployment is a big problem in Detroit
4. Population is decreasing in Detroit
5. Questionable future outlook for Detroit
6. Homelessness is a big problem in Detroit
7. Gap between the poor and the rich increases
8. Income level in Detroit is pretty low
9. Social tensions are about to increase
10. Many people in Detroit live below the poverty line
11. People become increasingly desperate
12. Detroit has a pretty poor reputation
13. Your friends from other states may not visit you
14. Hard to build a strong business network in Detroit
15. You have to deal with strong winters
16. You may not spend that much time outdoors in Detroit
17. Detroit is not the most glamorous city
18. You will not meet many celebrities In Detroit
19. Air quality is pretty poor in Detroit
20. Detroit doesn’t attract that many smart people
21. You will miss world-class education in Detroit
22. Detroit doesn’t have the same great nightlife as other major cities
23. Many people consider leaving the Detroit region
24. Detroit is not that popular among tourists
25. Detroit is not located at the sea
26. Public transport is pretty poor in the outskirts of Detroit
27. Many neighborhoods in Detroit are pretty dodgy
28. You may get bored in Detroit sooner or later
29. Detroit may not be a great place for families

Crime rates in Detroit are pretty high

One problem with living in Detroit is that crime rates are far above national average.

In fact, Detroit has one of the highest crime rates in the whole US and this can be really unpleasant since your chances of getting involved in serious incidents in this regard may be much higher than in other big cities.

You may not feel safe in Detroit

Due to high crime rates, you may also just not feel safe in Detroit since you may always have to worry that something unpleasant might happen to you or your loved ones and if you are a rather careful person, you should rather move to a safer place instead.

Unemployment is a big problem in Detroit

You should also know that unemployment rate is much higher in Detroit compared to most other major cities in the US and this means that many people have a hard time finding good jobs and may suffer from serious financial problems sooner or later.

Population is decreasing in Detroit

Unlike most other big cities where population is growing significantly, population in Detroit has even dropped quite a lot over the past decade and this may give you an indication that Detroit loses lots of its popularity and many people may no longer experience high quality of life in this region.

Questionable future outlook for Detroit

Since many people leave the Detroit region, the city has a rather questionable future outlook since in case even more people leave this place, overall infrastructure may get worse and may even collapse sooner or later and quality of life may drop significantly due to that.

Homelessness is a big problem in Detroit

Another downside to living in Detroit is that homelessness has been a problem for many years and may become even worse in the future which would most likely further increase crime rates and people may no longer feel safe in Detroit anymore.

Gap between the poor and the rich increases

You should also know that the gap between the poor and the rich increases in Detroit and many people are no longer able to pay their bills.

Consequently, this will lead to all sorts of social issues in the long run and people may also no longer be that friendly in the future since they will always have to worry about their financial situation and may become increasingly desperate.

Income level in Detroit is pretty low

Another disadvantage of living in Detroit is that income levels are far below national average and it is really hard for people to make a decent income in this region.

Thus, if your goal is to become wealthy or even rich, you should move to California or to another state where income levels are far higher on average.

Social tensions are about to increase

Since overall level of inequality is about to increase, also social tensions may become worse in Detroit in the future and this may lead to many additional conflicts between people of different social classes in the long run.

Many people in Detroit live below the poverty line

You should also know that many people in Detroit live below the poverty line and this is not a nice picture at all and you may also feel guilty in case you make really good money but see so many poor people at the same time.

People become increasingly desperate

Many people in Detroit also lose their hopes for a better future sooner or later since unemployment rates are such high and it is pretty hard to find a job that pays well enough to get out of poverty and you can feel those bad vibes in many situations of daily life.

Detroit has a pretty poor reputation

Another problem with moving to Detroit is that the city has a pretty poor reputation.

In fact, Detroit is known for its high crime and unemployment rates all over the US and you may also have to justify quite a lot for your plans of moving to Detroit and your loved ones may always have to worry about your well-being.

Your friends from other states may not visit you

Since Detroit is a pretty unpopular city, many of your friends from other states may also not visit you that much and you may therefore feel lonely from time to time and may also suffer from a lack of social contacts in general.

Hard to build a strong business network in Detroit

Since the economy in Detroit is no longer as strong as a few decades ago and unemployment rates are high, the city also doesn’t attract many talented people anymore and it is therefore also hard to build a strong business network.

You have to deal with strong winters

While some people like the cold and the snow, you may rather like the heat and may get annoyed by the strong winters you will often experience in Detroit and may not get happy in this place in the long run.

You may not spend that much time outdoors in Detroit

Since winters are pretty cold, you may also rather stay indoors and may not spend as much time outdoors compared to people living in Austin or other warmer regions and this may lower your overall quality of life in the long run.

Detroit is not the most glamorous city

Another downside to moving to Detroit is that it is also not the most glamorous city and if you want to be at the heart of the universe and need action 24/7, you should rather move to Chicago or to another more exciting city instead.

You will not meet many celebrities In Detroit

Since Detroit is not the most popular city, you will also not get the opportunity to meet and hang out with as many celebrities as you would be able to do if you move to Las Vegas or other more glamorous places instead.

Air quality is pretty poor in Detroit

Another disadvantage of moving to Detroit is that air quality is pretty poor compared to the rest of the US and this will not only lower your overall quality of life but may also make it more likely that you may suffer from serious health problems sooner or later.

You will miss world-class education in Detroit

While Detroit provides solid schools and colleges, you will still not find the same world-class education as people living in Boston and may not be able to send your kids to the best schools possible.

Detroit doesn’t have the same great nightlife as other major cities

While you will find some decent bars and clubs, you will still not have the same great nightlife in Detroit as in NYC or L.A. and if you are a party person, you may get bored with Detroit nightlife sooner or later.

Many people consider leaving the Detroit region

Since Detroit has such high crime and unemployment rates, many people consider leaving the Detroit region in the next years and the city may just deteriorate slowly but steadily and may no longer have any relevance a few decades ago.

Detroit is not that popular among tourists

Since Detroit doesn’t attract that many tourists, you will also not be able to have as many interesting conversations with people from all over the world as you would have in other more popular regions that attract more travelers.

Detroit is not located at the sea

Since Detroit is not located at the coast, you will also not be able to go surfing or hanging out at the beach before or after work and you may really envy your friends who live directly at the sea and are able to enjoy this luxury on a regular basis.

Public transport is pretty poor in the outskirts of Detroit

While public transport is pretty solid near the city center, it is rather poor in the outskirts of Detroit and you may therefore need a car to get around if you don’t live close enough to the center.

Many neighborhoods in Detroit are pretty dodgy

You should also know that Detroit has many dodgy neighborhoods and you should inform yourself carefully so that you don’t run into serious issues in this regard and can also minimize your risk of getting involved in serious incidents.

You may get bored in Detroit sooner or later

Since Detroit is not the most exciting city and has already lost some of its popularity over the past decade, you may also just get bored living in Detroit in the long run and may rather want to move to more exciting and vibrant places instead.

Detroit may not be a great place for families

Due to high crime and unemployment rates, Detroit is also not the best place to move to for families and if you want to do the best for your loved ones, you may rather not want to Detroit but rather want to move to a safer place instead.

Top 10 Moving To Detroit Pros & Cons – Summary List

Is Detroit A Good Place To Live?

While property prices and rents are lower than in most other big cities in the US, Detroit also has pretty high unemployment rates and it is hard to find a job unless you have really good education and also provide lots of value to the job market.

Moreover, Detroit is known for its high crime rates and you may just not feel safe in this city in the long run.

In the end, you have to evaluate all the advantages and disadvantages of living in Detroit carefully so that you are better able to decide whether you still want to move to Detroit or rather want to move to a different city instead.

Alternative Cities To Live In

If you don’t want to move to Detroit anymore, you should also have a look at the following articles:

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Charlotte

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Los Angeles

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Fort Worth

Sources

https://detroitmi.gov/

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/detroitcitymichigan

About the author

This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.

My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.

Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.

In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.