landable/cost of living comparison
vs

01 · the cities

Lansing

Lansing is the Michigan state capital, Michigan State (East Lansing is essentially a continuation), and old auto industry roots that have softened into a quieter mid-sized city. The Grand River curves through downtown. The Capitol building is one of the prettier state capitols you'll see. Cheap, friendly, and a quick drive to Lake Michigan beaches.

full dispatch

Akron

Akron was the Rubber City (Goodyear, Firestone, BFGoodrich all built here), and the legacy still shapes its industrial bones. LeBron James is from Akron and never forgets it. The Goodyear blimp is based in town. The Cuyahoga Valley National Park is just north, with waterfalls and rail-trails. Cheaper than Cleveland, with its own quiet charm.

full dispatch

02 · the money

Median rent

$1,259/mo

$1,259/mo

Median home price

$244k

$236k

$7k less than Lansing

State income tax

4.3%

4.0%

Gross left after rent

$6,720/mo

$6,742/mo

Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.

03 · the weather

Pleasant days/yr

153 days

152 days

Extreme heat days

0 days

1 days

days above 95°F per year

Extreme cold days

52 days

40 days

days below 20°F per year

Lansing drops below 20°F on 12 more days per year than Akron.

04 · the life

OutdoorScore

57 / 100

65 / 100

8.0 pts ahead of Lansing

Walk Score®

80 / 100

76 / 100

Nonstop flights

6 routes

11 routes

5 more direct routes than Lansing

Metro size

473k metro

698k metro

Lansing has 1.8x fewer events per month than Akron.

the verdict

0

Lansing

categories won

of 9

6

Akron

categories won

Akron wins this comparison, leading on money and weather.

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We use a proprietary blend of data from the US Census, Zillow, Ticketmaster, and more.

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