Muskegon, MI — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

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Muskegon County · Muskegon · population 37,287

AffordabilityShrinking
Muskegon, MI
Image: Wikipedia · Muskegon, Michigan
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
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70
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Muskegon stands

At or near all-time high. population shrinking 0.7% per year. rents up 8.1% in the last year.

Median home $187,432
1-year +2.3%
5-yr CAGR +6.2%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population -0.7%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$187k$64k$108k$151k$195k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
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
$1,153/mo$807$1,014$1,222202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent128134100120202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 13.6
Buy

At a 13.6 price-to-rent ratio, buying generally beats renting in Muskegon on a long-enough horizon. The headline math is that one year of mortgage payments approximates 13.6 years of rent — well below the 15+ threshold where ownership starts to dominate.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
62 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
70 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
35 · w16%
Rent YoY
85 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
90 · w10%
Long thesis

Muskegon offers a $187,432 median home with +6.2% annualized 5-year appreciation. Affordability + positive trend is one of the better risk/reward setups in US residential — small downside, room to compound.

Short thesis

Muskegon's population is shrinking 0.7% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — if people are leaving, the buyer pool is shrinking faster than the inventory. That eventually shows up in price.

About Muskegon

Muskegon is a city in Muskegon County, Michigan, with an estimated population of 37,287. The population has contracted 0.7% per year on average since 2020. The median home value in Muskegon is $187,432 as of 2026-04, up 2.3% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.2% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Muskegon average $1,153 per month, up 8.1% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 70 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Affordable AND rising: median home $187,432 with positive recent direction — rare combination most of the country can’t offer.
●Healthy 5-year run: +6.2% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Quiet strength: +2.3% 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.
●Hot rental market: rents up 8.1% YoY — landlords have pricing power, supports new investment math.

▼ Bear case

●Flat or shrinking population: -0.7% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — verify the source.
●Rental squeeze: rents up 8.1% YoY — tenants face tough renewals. Affordability deteriorating fast.

About Muskegon (Wikipedia)

Muskegon is a city in and the county seat of Muskegon County, Michigan, United States. Situated around a harbor of Lake Michigan, Muskegon is known for fishing, sailing regattas, and boating. It is the most populous city along Lake Michigan's eastern shore. At the 2020 census, the city's population was 38,318. The city is administratively autonomous from adjacent Muskegon Township, and several locations in Muskegon Township and other surrounding townships have Muskegon addresses.

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

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 Muskegon County right now.

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

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

Cities like Muskegon

Lincoln Park, MI66 · RisingAllen Park, MI65 · RisingSouthgate, MI67 · RisingWestland, MI66 · Rising

Run the numbers for Muskegon

ToolCan I afford Muskegon?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Muskegon rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Muskegon to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolMuskegon 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.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Muskegon 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 sports teams

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

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.

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