Houghton, MI vs Lake Orion, MI

Houghton is moderately more affordable than Lake Orion, with a 8.9% lower cost of living index. Houghton scores 78 compared to 86 for Lake Orion, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Lake Orion can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Houghton is $861/month compared to $757/month in Lake Orion — a 14% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Lake Orion has cheaper rent, Houghton actually has lower median home values ($233,700 vs $346,700).

Median household income in Houghton is $35,417 compared to $98,871 in Lake Orion (-64.2%). While Lake Orion is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Houghton spend roughly 29.2% of their income on rent, more than the 9.2% in Lake Orion.