Detroit vs South Bend
The short version
- South Bend is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 7% lower than in the Detroit area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $83,900 in Detroit and $140,400 in South Bend.
- Households earn more in South Bend ($55,786 vs $39,938 median).
- South Bend gets far more snow: 65 inches a year vs 45.
- Commutes are shorter in South Bend (20 vs 25 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Detroit, MI | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 649,095 | 103,201 |
| Growth since 2020 | +1.5% | -0.2% |
| People per square mile | 4,679 | 2,463 |
| Median age | 35.2 | 34.8 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18% | 29% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $39,938 | $55,786 |
| Median home value | $83,900 | $140,400 |
| Home value to income | 2.1× | 2.5× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,074 | $1,033 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 100.3 | 92.9 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 94.7 | 74.6 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $75,200 | $69,600 |
| Homeowners | 50% | 60% |
| Top state income tax | 4.25% | 2.95% |
| Combined sales tax | 6% | 7% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 24.8 | 20.2 |
| Work from home | 12% | 11% |
| Take public transit | 5% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 14% | 6.5% |
| Poverty rate | 32.7% | 20.8% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 32° / 19° | 31° / 17° |
| July high / low | 84° / 64° | 83° / 62° |
| Precipitation per year | 34 in | 39 in |
| Snowfall per year | 45 in | 65 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 13 | 14 |
| Nights below freezing | 120 | 126 |
| Comfortable months | 6 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 99.0 | 85.8 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 36% | 66% |
| Home prices, past year | +5.2% | +6.7% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +43.9% | +53.8% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Detroit: May to October. South Bend: May to September.
Full monthly tables: Detroit weather by month and South Bend weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $75,200 in Detroit and $69,600 in South Bend. Moving from Detroit to South Bend, you would need about $69,400 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Detroit and South Bend
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Detroit and South Bend.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.