These Michigan cities are best to live, retire in. Is your town on the list?

Story by Jalen Williams, USA TODAY NETWORK


Rochester Hills, a northern suburb of Detroit, is among the 10 best places to live in the U.S., according to a ranking on the best places nationwide, and Midland, in mid-Michigan, is the best place to retire overall.

U.S. News & World Report published its "250 Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2026-2027" and "250 Best Places to Retire in the U.S. in 2026" rankings, evaluating U.S. cities, with 28 Michigan cities appearing on each of the best places to live and retire lists.

“As prices of everyday goods continue to rise, consumers are considering affordability as a top priority when choosing a place to live,” Erika Giovanetti, consumer lending analyst at U.S. News & World Report. “While U.S. News’ consumer survey indicated that quality of life and affordability were close in importance, cost-of-living concerns resulted in many Americans putting what they can afford above their aspirations."

The ranking was determined by a methodology that measures the city’s job market, value, quality of life and desirability. These measures were weighted via a public survey of thousands of U.S. individuals who shared what they consider important in a place to live.

Officials noted that the methodology also factors in data from U.S. News' internal resources, Applied Geographic Solutions, and U.S. government agencies, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Census Bureau, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

What is the best city to live in Michigan?

The top city in Michigan on the list was Rochester Hills. The Oakland County city ranked 7th out of 250 nationwide, with an overall rating of 7 out of 10.

Rochester Hills, about 27 miles north of Detroit, the fifth-ranked best small city.

According to its U.S. News profile, Rochester Hills has about 77,520 residents, with a median age of 40.8. The median household income in Rochester Hills is $119,938, and the average commute time is about 21 minutes. The unemployment rate here is 3.69%.

If you want to buy a home in Rochester Hills, the median home value is $388,231, according to the report.

If you're a renter, you can expect the median rent to be $1,294.

Top 10 'Best Places to Live' ranking, by U.S. News & World Report

1. Carmel, Indiana
2. Fishers, Indiana
3. Flower Mound, Texas
4. Ankeny, Iowa
5. Johns Creek, Georgia
6. Hoover, Alabama
7. Rochester Hills, Michigan
8. Leander, Texas
9. Frisco, Texas
10. Sugar Land, Texas

Where are the best places to live in Michigan?

Of the 250 cities on the list, 28 were from Michigan. See the cities and how they ranked in the U.S.:

1. Rochester Hills, 14
2. Troy, 12
3. Novi, 37
4. Livonia, 47
5. Midland, 66
6. Farmington Hills, 91
7. Sterling Heights, 106
8. Dearborn, 221
9. Dearborn Heights, 224
10. Wyoming, 256
11. Westland, 227
12. Taylor, 325
13. Ann Arbor, 329
14. Grand Rapids, 367
15. Southfield, 387
16. Warren, 391
17. Saginaw, 399
18. Traverse City, 410
19. Bay City, 413
20. Monroe, 457
21. Battle Creek, 488
22. Lansing, 586
23. Niles, 618
24. Muskegon, 670
25. Kalamazoo, 676
26. Flint, 778
27. Jackson, 834
28. Detroit, 846

The best place to retire is in mid-Michigan

Midland, a city of 42,828 people, situated on U.S. 10 near Saginaw and Bay City, is the best place to retire in the U.S., according to the report.

"I was won over by the quality of life in Midland," Steven Arnosky, retired city councilman for the city of Midland, said in a news release.

The Michigan city is one of 11 cities to retire in that placed in the top 100 and was the No. 1 small city as well. Rochester Hills places 10th and Troy was 11th.

Seniors in Midland account for 23% of its residents, the report says, and 20% are over 65.

In addition to the area's unique homes, "Midland also offers several independent senior living communities designed for older adults seeking affordable, maintenance-free living," Tony Stamas, president and CEO of the Midland Business Alliance, said in a news release.

These Michigan cities are best to live, retire in. Is your town on the list?This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: