Quality of Life Score
51.17
State Comparison
Indiana vs Michigan
Indiana is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in Indiana, Michigan has higher incomes, Indiana has lower state income tax, and Indiana gets more sunshine.
Indiana
20
/ 31
metrics won
Score
VS
Michigan
11
/ 31
metrics won
IN wins Housing
IN wins Quality of Life
IN wins Climate
IN wins Income
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
Indiana
winner
vs
Michigan
Indiana scores higher on quality of life — 0.10 points difference.
Overview
Key differences overview
These cards keep the comparison factual first, so the biggest tradeoffs in affordability, housing, taxes, politics, climate, and day-to-day living are easy to scan.
Overall Affordability
Indiana is 0.3 points cheaper overall
Indiana has the lower cost-of-living index. Indiana is at 91.3, while Michigan is at 91.6.
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Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $0.09 further in Indiana
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $110.68 of local buying power in Indiana, versus $110.59 in Michigan.
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Income
Michigan income is 2.0% higher
Michigan has the higher median household income at $68,505, compared with $67,173 in Indiana.
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Jobs
Michigan minimum wage is $5.23 higher
Michigan has the higher statewide minimum wage at $12.48/hr, compared with $7.25/hr in Indiana.
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Housing
Michigan homes cost about 1.0x more
Indiana has the lower median home value at $201,800, versus $211,700 in Michigan.
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Taxes
Indiana has lower state income tax
Indiana has the lower state income tax rate. Its top rate is 3.15%, compared with 4.05% in Michigan.
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Enter your gross income to see real purchasing power and the cost-of-living equivalent in both states.
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Indiana
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 3.1%)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
Michigan
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 4.0%)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
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Cost-of-Living Equivalent
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* "After state tax" uses the top marginal rate — actual effective rate is lower for most incomes. Real buying power uses BEA Regional Price Parity (89.9 for Indiana, 90.8 for Michigan). COL equivalent uses the MERIC/C2ER composite index.
Tradeoffs
Pros and cons for each state
A fast scan of the biggest advantages and drawbacks pulled from affordability, housing, income, taxes, safety, health, education, jobs, and weather.
Indiana
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Indiana
- Indiana has a lower overall cost of living.
- Indiana has a lower housing cost index.
- Indiana has lower median home values.
- Indiana has lower property tax rates on average.
- Indiana has a lower violent crime rate.
- Indiana has more sunny days.
Cons
- Indiana shows lower median income.
- Indiana job growth trend is weaker.
- Indiana health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
- Indiana health coverage access proxy is weaker.
- Indiana education proxy is lower.
Michigan
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Michigan
- Michigan shows higher median income.
- Michigan job growth trend is stronger.
- Michigan health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
- Michigan health coverage access proxy is stronger.
- Michigan education proxy is higher.
Cons
- Michigan has a higher overall cost of living.
- Michigan has a higher housing cost index.
- Michigan has higher median home values.
- Michigan has higher property tax rates on average.
- Michigan has a higher violent crime rate.
- Michigan has fewer sunny days.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
IN
|
MI
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Indianapolis | Lansing |
|
State Color
|
Solid Red | Swing State |
|
Population
|
6,785,528
|
10,077,331
|
|
Median Income
|
$67,173
|
$68,505
|
|
Cost of Living
|
91.3
|
91.6
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$201,800
|
$211,700
|
|
Property Tax
|
0.74%
|
1.25%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
3.15%
|
4.05%
|
|
Minimum Wage
|
$7.25/hr
|
$12.48/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$3.905/gal
|
$3.861/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
16.19 c/kWh
|
19.52 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
51.17
|
51.07
|
|
Average Temperature
|
51.7°F
|
44.4°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
88 days
|
71 days
|
|
Land Area
|
36,420 sq mi
|
96,714 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
186.3 per sq mi
|
104.2 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
December 11, 1816 (#19)
|
January 26, 1837 (#26)
|
Intent-Oriented
Which state fits your priorities better?
Use these cards as decision shortcuts for common goals like saving money, buying a home, finding better weather, or optimizing for work and family life.
6
of
21
shown
Saving Money
Indiana is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 91.3 vs 91.6 in Michigan. On a national baseline of 100, the lower score usually means cheaper day-to-day expenses.
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Gas Price
Michigan is cheaper at the pump
Average regular gas price: $3.861/gal in Michigan vs $3.905/gal in Indiana. Lower pump prices can cut everyday driving costs.
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Minimum Wage
Michigan has the higher minimum wage
State minimum wage: $12.48/hr in Michigan vs $7.25/hr in Indiana. That matters most for hourly, entry-level, and part-time workers.
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Electricity Rates
Indiana has cheaper electricity
Average residential electricity rate: 16.19 c/kWh in Indiana vs 19.52 c/kWh in Michigan. Lower cents-per-kWh pricing can help keep utility bills down.
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Buying a Home
Indiana is more attainable for buyers
Home-value-to-income ratio: 3.00x in Indiana vs 3.09x in Michigan. A lower ratio means the median home is easier to afford on a median income.
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Renting
Indiana is easier for renters
Rent-to-income ratio: 17.9% in Indiana vs 18.5% in Michigan. A lower percentage means rent takes a smaller bite out of a typical household budget.
See full dataExplore by Category
Dive Deeper
Each link opens a full one-on-one breakdown for that metric — national rankings, charts, and context.
People Also Ask
Indiana vs Michigan - Common Questions
Q Is Indiana cheaper to live in than Michigan?
Indiana has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), Indiana scores 91.3 versus 91.6 for Michigan - a gap of 0.3 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - Indiana or Michigan?
$100 goes further in Indiana. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $110.68 in Indiana, compared with $110.59 in Michigan.
Q Which state is bigger - Indiana or Michigan?
Michigan is larger, covering 96,714 sq mi compared with 36,420 sq mi for Indiana - roughly 2.7x the size.
Q Does Indiana or Michigan have more people?
Michigan has the larger population at 10,077,331, compared with 6,785,528 in Indiana.
Q Which state has higher household income - Indiana or Michigan?
Michigan has the higher median household income at $68,505, versus $67,173 in Indiana.
Q Which state has lower income taxes - Indiana or Michigan?
Indiana has the lower state income tax top rate at 3.15%, compared with 4.05% in Michigan.
Q Is housing cheaper in Indiana or Michigan?
Homes are cheaper in Indiana, where the median home value is $201,800, versus $211,700 in Michigan.
Q Which state is more densely populated - Indiana or Michigan?
Indiana is more densely populated at 186.3 per sq mi people per sq mi. Michigan is more spread out at 104.2 per sq mi people per sq mi.
Related Comparisons
Methodology
All figures are sourced from U.S. government datasets and updated annually. Page last updated: April 2026.
Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and statehood dates from the National Archives. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker. See our editorial policy for how we review and update these pages.