Ann Arbor, MI — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Michigan·Ann Arbor

Washtenaw County · Ann Arbor · population 122,925

Ann Arbor, MI
Image: Wikipedia · Ann Arbor, Michigan
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
64
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Ann Arbor stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $531,674
1-year +3.3%
5-yr CAGR +4.9%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population -0.2%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$532k$297k$382k$468k$553k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
52/100
Somewhat walkable
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
30/100
Minimal transit
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
76/100
Strong remote-work fit
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$2,294/mo$1,683$2,059$2,434202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent127128100120202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 19.3
Lean buy

At a 19.3 price-to-rent ratio, Ann Arbor is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
66 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
64 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
42 · w16%
Rent YoY
54 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
63 · w10%
Long thesis

Ann Arbor has held up across the cycle: home values at $531,674 with +4.9% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Ann Arbor's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor is a city in Washtenaw County, Michigan, with an estimated population of 122,925. The median home value in Ann Arbor is $531,674 as of 2026-04, up 3.3% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +4.9% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Ann Arbor average $2,294 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+1.4%). The composite momentum score is 64 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Quiet strength: +3.3% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Ann Arbor (Wikipedia)

Ann Arbor is a city in Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States, of which it is the county seat. It had a population of 123,851 in 2020, making it the fifth most populous city in Michigan.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

MayorChristopher Taylor
Area29.09 sq mi
Elevation840 ft
Founded1824
Density4388.14/sq mi
Named forThe wives of the city's founders (both named Ann) and the bu

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Washtenaw County right now.

NWS active alerts (MI)Michigan Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Washtenaw County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Neighborhoods of Ann Arbor

60 tracked · ranked by median home value
1Barton Hills$1,424,459+3.6%
2Geddes Arboretum$1,235,857+6.3%
3Bader$1,001,306+10.0%
4Ives Woods$964,760-2.6%
5Centennial Park$849,740+3.3%
6North Central$816,829+4.8%
7Burns Park$801,396+5.6%
8Newport$744,892+2.5%
9Stonebridge$733,641+3.8%
10Lake Forest$717,500+4.1%
11The Waterways$701,959+0.8%
12South Central$693,447-0.3%
13Lohr Lake Village$680,608+2.4%
14Centennial Farms$673,847+0.5%
15Glacier Higlands$673,666+2.5%
16Briar Hill$672,530+1.6%
17Lansdowne$634,980+4.5%
18Wildwood Park$618,952+6.0%
19Arbor Creek$610,959+4.3%
20Traver$606,723-0.5%
21Old West Side$598,912+5.6%
22Virginia Park$584,899+2.4%
23North Campus$580,310-0.7%
24Hawthorn Ridge$578,816+2.0%

See the full neighborhood ranking →

Cities like Ann Arbor

Farmington Hills, MI64 · RisingLivonia, MI66 · RisingNovi, MI68 · RisingSterling Heights, MI68 · Rising

Run the numbers for Ann Arbor

ToolCan I afford Ann Arbor?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Ann Arbor rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Ann Arbor to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolAnn Arbor cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
30° / 16°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
82° / 61°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
175
~48% of year
Annual precip
33″ rain
50″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
Moderate
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Low

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Ann Arbor area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Ann Arbor listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
72%
Humid climate
Median household income
$68,500
Michigan state median
Top industries (state-level)
Manufacturing (auto)HealthcareTech (Detroit)

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

Cities similar to Ann Arbor

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