CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

42.37° N · 85.27° W · GEOID 2647230

Level Park-Oak Park

Calhoun County, Michigan · part of the Battle Creek, MI metro

Limited data population under 5,000

MichiganLevel Park-Oak Park, MILevel Park-Oak ParkLevel Park-Oak Park

The short answer

Level Park-Oak Park is home to 3,488 people. Median household income is $70,652 a year and median rent is $1,307 a month, 22.2% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $124,500, about 1.8x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$1,307
4% below the median place
Median household income
$70,652
12% below the median place
Median home value
$124,500
61% below the median place
Unemployment
6.4%
31% above the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Level Park-Oak Park

  • Owning with a mortgage costs about $187 a month less than the median rent, which is rarer than in 97% of the 2,469 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the 2nd-lowest of 176 Michigan places.
  • 81% of renter households spend 30% or more of income on rent, a higher share than in 98% of places its size. It is the highest of 173 Michigan places.
  • 95% of homes are owner-occupied, more than in 96% of places its size. It is the 2nd-highest of 176 Michigan places.
  • The median home is worth 1.8 years of the median household's income, fewer than in 97% of places its size.
  • Household income has grown 9.7% a year across the last five survey releases, faster than in 90% of places its size.
01

Moving to Level Park-Oak Park

Calhoun County gains about 0.5 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in5,066
Moved out5,011
Net+55

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within Michigan, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within MichiganOther states

Income per tax return

Arrivals$49K
Leavers$51K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Calhoun County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
4.9% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 1.5% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Calhoun County report $48,800 a year in income on average; those leaving, $51,400, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$52,300 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,307 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,120 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $124,500.
Getting to work
20 minutes each way on average; 10.1% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Groves, TX matches it on character. Compare the two
Income of households moving in7
$48,780
31% below the median place
Income of households moving out7
$51,446
27% below the median place
Moved from another state1
1.5%
26% below the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureLevel Park-Oak ParkAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure4.9%15% below
Moved from another state1County figure1.5%26% below
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure0.5above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$48,78031% below
Income of households moving out7County figure$51,44627% below
02

What it costs to live here

Renters paying 30%+ is 80.7%, 59% above the median place.

Level Park-Oak Park22.2%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$52,280
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
22.2%
9% above the median place
Home price to income
1.8x
54% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
22%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$57,300
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Level Park-Oak Park, $1,307 a month, and local prices for everything else (96.6 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Level Park-Oak Park, but easier on the budget

Close matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income.

PlaceRent to incomeMore left a year
Latimer, MS19.2% vs 22.2%$3,100Compare
Lockwood, MT18.0% vs 22.2%$7,200Compare
Trenton, OH19.1% vs 22.2%$10,400Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Level Park-Oak Park.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Level Park-Oak Park? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Renters paying 30%+1
80.7%
59% above the median place
Homeownership1
94.8%
43% above the median place
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$1,120
40% below the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureLevel Park-Oak ParkAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,3074% below
Rent to income122.2%9% above
Property tax rate11.3%38% above
Home price to income11.8x54% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure90.510% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,23324% below
HUD area median income4County figure$80,70025% below
Property tax paid (median)1$1,57452% below
Median home value1$124,50061% below
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure2.5%22% below
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure54.0%5% above
Homeownership194.8%43% above
Renters paying 30%+180.7%59% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,12040% below
Vacant homes1County figure10.5%49% above
Median year built119561% below
03

Work and pay

Commutes by transit is 0.0%, below the median place (median 0.8%).

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Mean commute1
20 min
20% below the median place
Income per person1
$31,904
20% below the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Works from home10.1% −19%
Median household income$70,652 −12%
Poverty rate12.3% +14%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureLevel Park-Oak ParkAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$70,65212% below
Income per person1$31,90420% below
Unemployment1County figure6.4%31% above
Average annual pay6County figure$67,9963% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure6.1%65% above
Jobs6County figure54,94964% below
Poverty rate112.3%14% above
Mean commute120 min20% below
Works from home110.1%19% below
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Bachelor's or higher is 14.9%, 53% below the median place.

Bachelor's or higher1
14.9%
53% below the median place
Median age1
37.6
4% below the median place
High school or higher1
90.5%
2% below the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Household size2.6 +3%
Homes with broadband92.9% +1%
No health insurance6.8% +6%
All 8 people measures
MeasureLevel Park-Oak ParkAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population13,4886646th largest
Median age137.64% below
Bachelor's or higher114.9%53% below
High school or higher190.5%2% below
Household size12.63% above
Born abroad1County figure4.1%53% below
No health insurance16.8%6% above
Homes with broadband192.9%1% above
05

Life in Level Park-Oak Park

46 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, one of them a National Historic Landmark.

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents5.7 −44%
Playgrounds per 10k0.0 −100%
Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k0.0 −100%
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails0 km −100%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars16.6 −20%
Shops32.6 +8%
Arts, recreation and fitness3.4 −17%
Doctors' offices and clinics14.7 −27%
Child care centers1.9 −17%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Restaurants and bars per 10k8
16.6
20% below the median place
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8
14.7
27% below the median place
Public schools11
55
above the median place (median 9)
All 16 schools and local life measures
MeasureLevel Park-Oak ParkAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools11County figure55above (median 9)
Public school students11County figure18,773283% above
Students per teacher11County figure16.15% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure16.620% below
Shops per 10k8County figure32.68% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure3.417% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure14.727% below
Child care centers per 10k8County figure1.917% below
Parks per 10k95.744% below
Playgrounds per 10k90.0below (median 9.4)
Grocery stores per 10k90.0below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k90.0below (median 11.2)
Libraries per 10k90.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails90.0below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi90.0below (median 0.2)
National Register listings10County figure46254% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

Heat wave risk is 50.5, 44% below the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Level Park-Oak Park. Larger places are fetched first.

Heat wave risk13
50.5
44% below the median place
Wildfire risk13
28.5
54% below the median place
January average low12
17°F
35% below the median place
All 9 weather and risk measures
MeasureLevel Park-Oak ParkAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high12County figure83°F5% below
January average low12County figure17°F35% below
Average temperature12County figure48°F12% below
Annual precipitation12County figure36.8 in16% below
Natural hazard risk13County figure74.519% below
Hurricane risk13County figure37.547% below
Tornado risk13County figure88.38% above
Wildfire risk13County figure28.554% below
Heat wave risk13County figure50.544% below
08

Level Park-Oak Park in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 22% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 22% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,307/mo (2024)$1,680/mo$1,380 to $2,040/mo+4.3%
Median household income$70,652 (2024)$91,500$77,500 to $108,000+4.4%
Median home value$124,500 (2024)$170,000$123,000 to $234,000+5.3%

The median home would be worth 1.9 years of the median income in 2030, against 1.8 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Level Park-Oak Park

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Groves, TX$1,286$73,710Compare
South Haven, IN$1,297$76,003Compare
Riverdale, GA$1,360$63,455Compare
Eastpointe, MI$1,325$62,325Compare
Eastpointe, MIRiverdale, GASouth Haven, INGroves, TXLevel Park-Oak Park, MILevel Park-Oak ParkGrovesSouth HavenRiverdaleLevel Park-Oak ParkGrovesSouth HavenRiverdale

Common questions

Is Level Park-Oak Park a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Owning with a mortgage costs about $187 a month less than the median rent, which is rarer than in 97% of the 2,469 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the 2nd-lowest of 176 Michigan places. 81% of renter households spend 30% or more of income on rent, a higher share than in 98% of places its size. It is the highest of 173 Michigan places. On cost, space and class size it scores 83 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Level Park-Oak Park expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 22.2% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $124,500.

What salary do you need to live in Level Park-Oak Park?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $52,280 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Level Park-Oak Park?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Groves, TX, South Haven, IN, Riverdale, GA and Eastpointe, MI.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  11. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  12. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  13. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Level Park-Oak Park with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Level Park-Oak Park itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/level-park-oak-park-michigan

Citytistics. “Level Park-Oak Park, Michigan.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/level-park-oak-park-michigan/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.