Uprootmap
Kalamazoo vs Lansing
Kalamazoo and Lansing
Photo: Subterranean / Wikimedia, CC BY 3.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Lansing are under the US rate in this release, 5.5 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Kalamazoo to Lansing
In 2022-2023, 153 households filed a move from Kalamazoo to Lansing (about 201 people, average adjusted gross income $45,131). 178 households went the other way. Source: IRS migration.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $976 in Kalamazoo and $980 in Lansing. Kalamazoo has a state tax on wages. Lansing has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Lansing is 89% of the national level for the same work, against 89% in Kalamazoo.
Lansing averages 164 sunny days, with July highs around 82°F and January nights around 23°F. Kalamazoo is 168 sunny days, 81°F in July, 24°F in January. Commutes average 22 minutes in Lansing and 20 in Kalamazoo.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
Who already made this move
In 2022-2023, 153 households moved Kalamazoo → Lansing (about 201 people, average AGI $45,131). 178 households went the other way.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Kalamazoo and Lansing changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 69 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,600–$3,000
- Container or pod
- $1,050–$2,000
- Rent a truck
- $350–$700
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Dig into Lansing
Questions
Is Lansing cheaper than Kalamazoo after tax and rent?
Yes. Lansing leaves about $48 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $976 in Kalamazoo and $980 in Lansing.
Does Lansing have state income tax?
Lansing is in Michigan, which taxes wage income, plus a local wage tax of 1.00%.
Did people actually move from Kalamazoo to Lansing?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.