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

Kalamazoo skyline

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Saginaw vs Kalamazoo

Saginaw 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 Saginaw to Kalamazoo

In 2022-2023, 38 households filed a move from Saginaw to Kalamazoo (about 54 people, average adjusted gross income $54,237). Source: IRS migration.

A one-bedroom asking rent is about $856 in Saginaw and $976 in Kalamazoo. Saginaw 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 84% in Saginaw.

Kalamazoo averages 168 sunny days, with July highs around 81°F and January nights around 24°F. Saginaw is 166 sunny days, 82°F in July, 23°F in January. Commutes average 20 minutes in Kalamazoo and 22 in Saginaw.

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, 38 households moved Saginaw → Kalamazoo (about 54 people, average AGI $54,237). The reverse flow is too small for the IRS to publish.

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 Saginaw and Kalamazoo changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.

What the move itself costs

About 127 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.

Full-service mover
$1,650–$3,100
Container or pod
$1,100–$2,100
Rent a truck
$400–$750

Movers in Kalamazoo and how to hire one →

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Questions

Is Kalamazoo cheaper than Saginaw after tax and rent?

No. Kalamazoo leaves about $85 less a month, so the cost of living is higher there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $856 in Saginaw 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 Saginaw 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.