Moving to Oregon from Michigan

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Michigan to Oregon? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Michigan to Oregon, you would find that Oregon is 7.6% more expensive than Michigan. A $75,000 salary in Michigan would need to be roughly $79,723 in Oregon to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Michigan and Oregon.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $79,723

To maintain the same standard of living in Oregon

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 7.3% more

Groceries

pay 6.3% more

Transportation

pay 11.6% more

Housing

pay 13.0% more

Childcare

pay 4.3% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 13.2% more

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Oregon compared to Michigan.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MI
453
OR
323
Property crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MI
1533
OR
2566

Michigan generally does better on safety, though Oregon leads in violent crime rate.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rateUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

MI
4.9%
OR
6.1%
Adult obesity rateCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

MI
36.0%
OR
31.9%

Oregon generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Michigan leads in uninsured rate.

What about housing?

Median home valueUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

MI
$217,600
OR
$454,200
Median rentUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

MI
$1,084
OR
$1,450

Michigan performs better than Oregon across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet accessUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

MI
89.4%
OR
91.8%
Average commuteUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

MI
24 min
OR
23 min

Oregon performs significantly better than Michigan across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateBureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MI
4.8%
OR
5.1%
GDP per capitaBureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

MI
$55,508
OR
$61,622

Oregon generally does better on employment & economy, though Michigan leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyOECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

MI
76.0 yrs
OR
78.8 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higherUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

MI
22%
OR
26%

Oregon performs significantly better than Michigan across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

LansingRain: 32.2 in/yr (817 mm)
58°/40°F

Avg. annual high / low

SalemRain: 39.7 in/yr (1008 mm)
64°/42°F

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsLansingSalem
Jan–Mar36°/21°F (2°/-6°C)52°/36°F (11°/2°C)
Apr–Jun68°/48°F (20°/9°C)68°/45°F (20°/7°C)
Jul–Sep79°/57°F (26°/14°C)80°/51°F (27°/11°C)
Oct–Dec47°/32°F (9°/0°C)54°/38°F (12°/3°C)
View all months
MonthLansingSalem
Jan31°/17°F (-0.8°/-8.3°C)48°/35°F (8.7°/1.5°C)
Feb34°/19°F (0.9°/-7.4°C)52°/35°F (10.9°/1.4°C)
Mar44°/27°F (6.7°/-2.8°C)56°/37°F (13.6°/2.9°C)
Apr58°/38°F (14.2°/3.3°C)61°/40°F (16.2°/4.2°C)
May69°/48°F (20.5°/8.9°C)68°/45°F (19.9°/7.1°C)
Jun78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C)74°/49°F (23.3°/9.6°C)
Jul82°/61°F (27.9°/16.2°C)82°/53°F (27.8°/11.7°C)
Aug81°/60°F (27.0°/15.5°C)82°/53°F (28.0°/11.6°C)
Sep74°/51°F (23.1°/10.8°C)77°/48°F (24.9°/9.1°C)
Oct60°/41°F (15.8°/5.1°C)64°/42°F (17.8°/5.7°C)
Nov47°/33°F (8.6°/0.5°C)53°/38°F (11.4°/3.6°C)
Dec35°/22°F (1.6°/-5.3°C)46°/34°F (7.9°/1.1°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Oregon than Michigan?

On average Oregon is around 6% pricier than Michigan, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Oregon?

Budget about $19,931 for 3 months in Oregon (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Oregon safe?

Michigan generally does better on safety, though Oregon leads in violent crime rate.

How is healthcare in Oregon compared to Michigan?

Oregon generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Michigan leads in uninsured rate.

What's the weather like in Oregon compared to Michigan?

The average high temperature in Salem is 64°F, compared to 58°F in Lansing. Salem receives around 39.7 in of rainfall per year, while Lansing gets 32.2 in.

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