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

Lansing skyline

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Saginaw vs Lansing

Saginaw and Lansing

Photo: Subterranean / Wikimedia, CC BY 3.0

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 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 Saginaw to Lansing

In 2022-2023, 124 households filed a move from Saginaw to Lansing (about 180 people, average adjusted gross income $44,935). 95 households went the other way. Source: IRS migration.

A one-bedroom asking rent is about $856 in Saginaw and $980 in Lansing. Saginaw 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 84% in Saginaw.

Lansing averages 164 sunny days, with July highs around 82°F and January nights around 23°F. Saginaw is 166 sunny days, 82°F in July, 23°F in January. Commutes average 22 minutes in Lansing 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, 124 households moved Saginaw → Lansing (about 180 people, average AGI $44,935). 95 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 Saginaw and Lansing changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.

What the move itself costs

About 61 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.

Full-service mover
$1,600–$2,950
Container or pod
$1,050–$2,000
Rent a truck
$350–$700

Movers in Lansing and how to hire one →

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Questions

Is Lansing cheaper than Saginaw after tax and rent?

No. Lansing leaves about $37 less a month, so the cost of living is higher there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $856 in Saginaw 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 Saginaw 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.