CostIndexUSA

Detroit, MI vs Palm Bay, FL Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostMI
Detroit
100.3
overall index
$1,450/mo rent
FL
Palm Bay
100
overall index
$1,875/mo rent

Detroit and Palm Bay have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+18.0%
Detroit
94.7
Palm Bay
111.7
🛒 Groceries2.6%
Detroit
98.8
Palm Bay
96.2
🚗 Transportation3.6%
Detroit
107.7
Palm Bay
103.8
🏥 Healthcare3.7%
Detroit
97.5
Palm Bay
93.9
Utilities17.7%
Detroit
107
Palm Bay
88.1

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Detroit to see what you'd need to earn in Palm Bay to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Palm Bay, FL
$79,800
$200 less needed in Palm Bay

Formula: salary × (100 ÷ 100.3) = salary × 0.9970. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Detroit, MI

Median Home Price
$254,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,450
Housing Index
94.7
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.6×

Palm Bay, FL

Median Home Price
$336,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,875
Housing Index
111.7
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.9×

Palm Bay has 18.0% higher housing costs compared to Detroit.

Income & Job Market

Detroit, MI

Median Household Income
$72,600
Per Capita Income
$41,400
Unemployment Rate
5%
Population
672,795
Top Industries
AutomotiveHealthcareTechnologyFinanceManufacturing

Palm Bay, FL

Median Household Income
$78,600
Per Capita Income
$44,800
Unemployment Rate
5.1%
Population
119,760
Top Industries
AerospaceHealthcareTechnologyManufacturingRetail

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Detroit, MI
4.2×income-to-rent ratio

76% of income left after rent (median)

Palm Bay, FL
3.5×income-to-rent ratio

71% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.