Houghton, MI vs Mount Pleasant, MI

Mount Pleasant is moderately more affordable than Houghton, with a 8.6% lower cost of living index. Houghton scores 78 compared to 72 for Mount Pleasant, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Houghton 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 $870/month in Mount Pleasant — a 1% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Houghton has cheaper rent, Mount Pleasant actually has lower median home values ($168,700 vs $233,700).

Median household income in Houghton is $35,417 compared to $39,924 in Mount Pleasant (-11.3%). Mount Pleasant offers a double advantage: higher earnings combined with a lower cost of living, giving residents significantly more purchasing power. Looking at affordability, residents of Houghton spend roughly 29.2% of their income on rent, more than the 26.1% in Mount Pleasant.