Augusta, MI

The affordability dashboard for Augusta, MI aggregates Census ACS 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code covering 3,339 residents, then layers in county-level federal data to produce an overall grade of C+ (62/100). The headline inputs are median household income of $73,125, median home value of $253,900, median rent of $932 per month, and 34.8% of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher. These four metrics alone explain most of the variance between city dashboards.

Cross-agency feeds widen the picture beyond Census demographics. HUD publishes a Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in this county at $1,162 per month (studio $838, 1BR $998, 3BR $1,531, 4BR $1,571). Department of Labor data lists infant center-based childcare at $8,320 per year, consuming 11% of the local median household income.

Reading the overall grade requires reading all seven dimensions together. The score weights Income 20%, Safety 20%, Housing 15%, Rent 15%, Education 10%, Commute 10%, and Childcare 10%, with each sub-score benchmarked against national percentiles rather than state averages — so the grade is genuinely comparable across any city in the country. Strengths visible in the raw data for Augusta, MI include rent. Unemployment currently reads 5.9% and poverty 8.9% — numbers worth keeping alongside the headline grade.