Example household · Niles, MI · $83,730 · same pay · 1 adult

Kalamazoo skyline

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Niles vs Kalamazoo

Niles and Kalamazoo

Photo: Mxobe / Wikimedia, Public domain

Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.

Same pay in both cities. One adult, one bedroom.

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So you know: homicide deaths in Kalamazoo are close to the US rate in this release, 6.3 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).

Why people look at Niles to Kalamazoo

In 2022-2023, 194 households filed a move from Niles to Kalamazoo (about 312 people, average adjusted gross income $55,814). 135 households went the other way. Source: IRS migration.

A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,000 in Niles and $976 in Kalamazoo. Niles has a state tax on wages. Kalamazoo has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Kalamazoo is 89% of the national level for the same work, against 87% in Niles.

Kalamazoo averages 168 sunny days, with July highs around 81°F and January nights around 24°F. Niles is 182 sunny days, 78°F in July, 26°F in January. Commutes average 20 minutes in Kalamazoo and 21 in Niles.

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.

How we figure this

Who already made this move

In 2022-2023, 194 households moved Niles → Kalamazoo (about 312 people, average AGI $55,814). 135 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 Niles and Kalamazoo changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.

What the move itself costs

About 83 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.

Full-service mover
$1,600–$3,000
Container or pod
$1,100–$2,000
Rent a truck
$400–$700

Movers in Kalamazoo and how to hire one →

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Questions

Is Kalamazoo cheaper than Niles after tax and rent?

Yes. Kalamazoo leaves about $35 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,000 in Niles and $976 in Kalamazoo.

Does Kalamazoo have state income tax?

Kalamazoo is in Michigan, which taxes wage income, plus a local wage tax of 1.00%.

Did people actually move from Niles to Kalamazoo?

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.