Monroe, MI

The affordability dashboard for Monroe, MI aggregates Census ACS 5-Year Estimates across 2 ZIP codes covering 55,814 residents, then layers in county-level federal data to produce an overall grade of C+ (61/100). The headline inputs are median household income of $67,657, median home value of $188,818, median rent of $949 per month, and 21.0% 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 $1,326 per month (studio $914, 1BR $1,011, 3BR $1,605, 4BR $2,147). Department of Labor data lists infant center-based childcare at $7,159 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 Monroe, MI include housing. Pressure points are education. Unemployment currently reads 5.9% and poverty 15.0% — numbers worth keeping alongside the headline grade.