Rochester Hills vs Southfield
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $236,200 in Southfield and $409,800 in Rochester Hills.
- Households earn more in Rochester Hills ($120,694 vs $68,166 median).
- Southfield gets far more snow: 45 inches a year vs 36.
- Rochester Hills is growing faster: +1.6% since 2020 vs -0.6%.
Side by side
| Rochester Hills, MI | Southfield, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 77,539 | 76,111 |
| Growth since 2020 | +1.6% | -0.6% |
| People per square mile | 2,364 | 2,898 |
| Median age | 41.0 | 42.3 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 61% | 41% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $120,694 | $68,166 |
| Median home value | $409,800 | $236,200 |
| Home value to income | 3.4× | 3.5× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,644 | $1,340 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 100.3 | 100.3 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 94.7 | 94.7 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $75,200 | $75,200 |
| Homeowners | 77% | 53% |
| Top state income tax | 4.25% | 4.25% |
| Combined sales tax | 6% | 6% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 24.3 | 23.7 |
| Work from home | 24% | 17% |
| Take public transit | 0% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.1% | 6.9% |
| Poverty rate | 5.2% | 10.3% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 31° / 17° | 32° / 19° |
| July high / low | 82° / 63° | 84° / 64° |
| Precipitation per year | 34 in | 34 in |
| Snowfall per year | 36 in | 45 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 10 | 13 |
| Nights below freezing | 135 | 120 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 97.5 | 97.5 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 36% | 36% |
| Home prices, past year | +4.4% | +4.4% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +39.6% | +39.6% |
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: Rochester Hills: May to September. Southfield: May to October.
Full monthly tables: Rochester Hills weather by month and Southfield 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 Rochester Hills and $75,200 in Southfield. Moving from Rochester Hills to Southfield, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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