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By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Among the 100 largest places in Michigan, Alpena has the smallest share of long commutes (2.1%), followed by Sault Ste. Marie and Jenison. Click any column to sort; click a city for its guide.
Across the 100 places in Michigan that we cover, the median is 9.3% and the average 10.3%; the figure runs from 2.1% (Alpena) to 29.0% (Fenton). That is a spread of 13.6 times between the two ends. The state figure is 12.9%; 26 of the 100 places are above it and 74 at or below.
The first five are Alpena, Sault Ste. Marie, Jenison, Grandville, Northview. A high or low position is not good or bad on its own: short commutes can mean a self-contained job market or a small town with few employers. Use the Compare tab on each city page to see how two places differ across income, rent, commute and education, and check the county page for the local job market.
| # ⇅ | City ⇅ | County ⇅ | Commute of 45 minutes or more ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alpena | Alpena County | 2.1% | 10,154 | $47,545 | $625 |
| 2 | Sault Ste. Marie | Chippewa County | 2.8% | 13,335 | $55,328 | $804 |
| 3 | Jenison (unincorporated) | Ottawa County | 3.5% | 17,582 | $89,593 | $2,306 |
| 4 | Grandville | Kent County | 3.6% | 16,356 | $78,442 | $1,143 |
| 5 | Northview (unincorporated) | Kent County | 3.9% | 15,268 | $85,403 | $1,247 |
| 6 | Escanaba | Delta County | 4.1% | 12,354 | $45,369 | $657 |
| 7 | East Grand Rapids | Kent County | 4.2% | 11,445 | $166,610 | $1,862 |
| 8 | Allendale (unincorporated) | Ottawa County | 5.3% | 26,679 | $70,150 | $1,111 |
| 9 | East Lansing | Ingham County | 5.4% | 45,758 | $45,687 | $1,171 |
| 10 | Berkley | Oakland County | 5.6% | 15,149 | $116,239 | $1,526 |
| 11 | Comstock Park (unincorporated) | Kent County | 5.7% | 10,577 | $59,984 | $1,189 |
| 12 | Marquette | Marquette County | 5.9% | 21,325 | $55,613 | $1,011 |
| 13 | Grand Rapids | Kent County | 6.0% | 198,535 | $69,108 | $1,266 |
| 14 | Forest Hills (unincorporated) | Kent County | 6.0% | 28,695 | $158,005 | $1,958 |
| 15 | Beverly Hills | Oakland County | 6.0% | 10,524 | $177,412 | $2,077 |
| 16 | Kalamazoo | Kalamazoo County | 6.3% | 73,076 | $52,272 | $1,078 |
| 17 | Holland | Allegan County | 6.4% | 34,423 | $75,865 | $1,193 |
| 18 | Wyoming | Kent County | 6.5% | 77,353 | $73,677 | $1,196 |
| 19 | Traverse City | Grand Traverse County | 6.6% | 15,593 | $74,087 | $995 |
| 20 | Birmingham | Oakland County | 6.6% | 21,763 | $153,510 | $1,902 |
| 21 | Oak Park | Oakland County | 6.8% | 29,318 | $71,510 | $1,396 |
| 22 | Lansing | Ingham County | 6.9% | 113,023 | $54,382 | $993 |
| 23 | Mount Pleasant | Isabella County | 6.9% | 21,236 | $44,706 | $922 |
| 24 | Ferndale | Oakland County | 6.9% | 19,190 | $94,640 | $1,311 |
| 25 | Okemos (unincorporated) | Ingham County | 6.9% | 26,396 | $102,612 | $1,298 |
| 26 | Walker | Kent County | 7.0% | 25,386 | $76,360 | $1,202 |
| 27 | Kentwood | Kent County | 7.1% | 54,296 | $74,373 | $1,260 |
| 28 | Midland | Midland County | 7.2% | 42,724 | $73,325 | $1,048 |
| 29 | Coldwater | Branch County | 7.2% | 13,671 | $50,781 | $943 |
| 30 | Sturgis | Saint Joseph County | 7.6% | 11,054 | $62,710 | $826 |
| 31 | Waverly (unincorporated) | Eaton County | 7.7% | 23,575 | $75,700 | $1,170 |
| 32 | Niles | Berrien County | 7.9% | 11,803 | $51,376 | $855 |
| 33 | Southfield | Oakland County | 8.0% | 76,236 | $68,166 | $1,340 |
| 34 | Dearborn | Wayne County | 8.0% | 107,423 | $65,324 | $1,327 |
| 35 | Saginaw | Saginaw County | 8.1% | 43,536 | $38,579 | $922 |
| 36 | Cutlerville (unincorporated) | Kent County | 8.1% | 18,780 | $67,327 | $1,254 |
| 37 | Portage | Kalamazoo County | 8.2% | 49,259 | $83,212 | $1,133 |
| 38 | Melvindale | Wayne County | 8.2% | 12,554 | $42,185 | $1,110 |
| 39 | Cadillac | Wexford County | 8.3% | 10,445 | $51,773 | $842 |
| 40 | Grand Haven | Ottawa County | 8.3% | 10,996 | $60,669 | $939 |
| 41 | Battle Creek | Calhoun County | 8.4% | 52,374 | $55,693 | $957 |
| 42 | Holt (unincorporated) | Ingham County | 8.5% | 25,316 | $86,472 | $1,317 |
| 43 | Taylor | Wayne County | 8.6% | 62,081 | $61,081 | $1,101 |
| 44 | Hazel Park | Oakland County | 8.9% | 14,963 | $67,073 | $1,314 |
| 45 | Ypsilanti | Washtenaw County | 8.9% | 19,857 | $46,588 | $1,080 |
| 46 | Royal Oak | Oakland County | 8.9% | 57,950 | $101,109 | $1,381 |
| 47 | Bay City | Bay County | 9.0% | 32,320 | $49,420 | $766 |
| 48 | Ann Arbor | Washtenaw County | 9.0% | 122,036 | $82,212 | $1,649 |
| 49 | Pontiac | Oakland County | 9.1% | 62,104 | $44,329 | $1,063 |
| 50 | Clawson | Oakland County | 9.2% | 11,374 | $88,636 | $1,253 |
| 51 | Romulus | Wayne County | 9.3% | 24,831 | $69,151 | $1,049 |
| 52 | Grosse Pointe Woods | Wayne County | 9.3% | 16,094 | $126,395 | $1,879 |
| 53 | Warren | Macomb County | 9.4% | 137,928 | $64,016 | $1,225 |
| 54 | Muskegon | Muskegon County | 9.5% | 37,226 | $44,735 | $996 |
| 55 | Madison Heights | Oakland County | 9.7% | 28,419 | $69,503 | $1,176 |
| 56 | Jackson | Jackson County | 9.8% | 31,058 | $44,558 | $898 |
| 57 | Dearborn Heights | Wayne County | 9.9% | 61,771 | $60,391 | $1,331 |
| 58 | Norton Shores | Muskegon County | 10.2% | 25,041 | $76,579 | $1,341 |
| 59 | Livonia | Wayne County | 10.6% | 93,851 | $98,460 | $1,322 |
| 60 | Haslett (unincorporated) | Ingham County | 10.6% | 18,559 | $74,031 | $1,125 |
| 61 | Farmington Hills | Oakland County | 10.7% | 83,515 | $104,836 | $1,551 |
| 62 | Auburn Hills | Oakland County | 10.8% | 25,105 | $84,375 | $1,477 |
| 63 | Fraser | Macomb County | 10.8% | 14,583 | $64,354 | $843 |
| 64 | Troy | Oakland County | 10.9% | 87,898 | $120,045 | $1,602 |
| 65 | Farmington | Oakland County | 11.2% | 11,504 | $97,750 | $1,340 |
| 66 | Westland | Wayne County | 11.3% | 83,633 | $62,076 | $1,158 |
| 67 | Eastpointe | Macomb County | 11.4% | 33,982 | $62,325 | $1,325 |
| 68 | Detroit | Wayne County | 11.4% | 638,530 | $39,938 | $1,074 |
| 69 | Roseville | Macomb County | 11.6% | 47,123 | $62,182 | $1,233 |
| 70 | Allen Park | Wayne County | 11.9% | 27,925 | $81,655 | $1,246 |
| 71 | Sterling Heights | Macomb County | 12.1% | 133,573 | $79,909 | $1,292 |
| 72 | Hamtramck | Wayne County | 12.1% | 27,743 | $39,293 | $989 |
| 73 | Harper Woods | Wayne County | 12.1% | 15,116 | $65,022 | $1,351 |
| 74 | Port Huron | Saint Clair County | 12.8% | 28,620 | $50,366 | $982 |
| 75 | Wayne | Wayne County | 13.2% | 17,310 | $59,038 | $974 |
| 76 | Wyandotte | Wayne County | 13.2% | 24,489 | $71,987 | $972 |
| 77 | Grosse Pointe Park | Wayne County | 13.2% | 11,319 | $124,111 | $1,379 |
| 78 | Southgate | Wayne County | 13.4% | 29,366 | $66,118 | $1,120 |
| 79 | Lincoln Park | Wayne County | 13.5% | 39,257 | $58,616 | $1,023 |
| 80 | Rochester Hills | Oakland County | 13.6% | 77,089 | $120,694 | $1,644 |
| 81 | St. Clair Shores | Macomb County | 13.8% | 58,140 | $73,500 | $1,183 |
| 82 | Wixom | Oakland County | 14.1% | 17,295 | $65,485 | $1,035 |
| 83 | Flint | Genesee County | 14.1% | 80,175 | $37,646 | $915 |
| 84 | Monroe | Monroe County | 14.4% | 20,320 | $59,813 | $909 |
| 85 | Rochester | Oakland County | 14.6% | 12,934 | $111,750 | $1,350 |
| 86 | Woodhaven | Wayne County | 14.6% | 12,690 | $78,648 | $1,096 |
| 87 | Garden City | Wayne County | 14.9% | 26,739 | $67,294 | $1,150 |
| 88 | Owosso | Shiawassee County | 15.4% | 14,632 | $54,229 | $784 |
| 89 | Mount Clemens | Macomb County | 16.1% | 15,511 | $52,310 | $847 |
| 90 | Trenton | Wayne County | 16.9% | 18,125 | $82,212 | $880 |
| 91 | Novi | Oakland County | 17.1% | 66,717 | $110,723 | $1,747 |
| 92 | Flat Rock | Wayne County | 17.2% | 10,340 | $81,585 | $919 |
| 93 | Burton | Genesee County | 17.6% | 29,500 | $60,052 | $1,009 |
| 94 | Adrian | Lenawee County | 17.8% | 20,395 | $50,209 | $956 |
| 95 | Ionia | Ionia County | 18.1% | 12,753 | $63,978 | $852 |
| 96 | Inkster | Wayne County | 18.1% | 25,428 | $39,252 | $1,170 |
| 97 | Riverview | Wayne County | 19.2% | 12,186 | $73,468 | $1,101 |
| 98 | New Baltimore | Macomb County | 20.7% | 12,072 | $106,033 | $1,039 |
| 99 | South Lyon | Oakland County | 23.7% | 11,950 | $92,467 | $1,310 |
| 100 | Fenton | Genesee County | 29.0% | 11,906 | $80,000 | $1,275 |
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Unincorporated places are census-designated places: they have no city government but are counted as communities. Figures describe the city itself.
Alpena, with 2.1% (among the 100 largest places; ACS 2020–2024).
The 100 largest places in Michigan by population.