Houghton, MI vs Waverly, MI

Houghton is moderately more affordable than Waverly, with a 8% lower cost of living index. Houghton scores 78 compared to 85 for Waverly, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Waverly 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 $1,125/month in Waverly — a 24% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Houghton has cheaper rent, Waverly actually has lower median home values ($222,300 vs $233,700).

Median household income in Houghton is $35,417 compared to $75,868 in Waverly (-53.3%). While Waverly 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 17.8% in Waverly.