Living in Royal Oak

As a suburb of Detroit, Royal Oak, Michigan, is home to 57,236 Oakland County residents.

Its location puts it within commuting range of downtown Detroit. It features many theaters, shops and restaurants, and has become a popular suburb for young working residents.

Would you enjoy living in Royal Oak?

In this guide, we will discuss the cost of living, employment opportunities, schools, climate and more for this Detroit suburb. That way you can envision what it is like to live in Royal Oak.

What is the Cost of Living in Royal Oak?

What is the Cost of Living in Royal Oak?

For data on cost of living, we can turn to Sperling’s Best Places.
This website ranks cost of living on a scale where the US average is represented by 100. Numbers above 100 represent higher costs of living, and numbers below 100 represent lower costs of living.

On this scale, Royal Oak receives a cost of living score of 104.6. That means that living here is only marginally more expensive than living elsewhere in the United States on average.

Indeed, some cost of living in Royal Oak are less than the nationwide average, including the costs for healthcare, groceries, and utilities.

What is the Cost of Housing in Royal Oak?

What is the Cost of Housing in Royal Oak?

The cost of housing in Royal Oak is just slightly above the nationwide average according to Sperling’s. The nationwide median housing cost is $231,200. In Royal Oak, it is $247,100.

But actually, the US Census lists a lower median value for homes in Royal Oak: just $210,200. Regardless of which figure is closer to the current median housing cost, housing in Royal Oak is affordable.

Employment Opportunities in Royal Oak

Employment Opportunities in Royal Oak

The reasonable cost of living in Royal Oak becomes even more impressive when you consider that salaries in this area are higher than they are in the US on the whole, and unemployment rates are also significantly lower. Sperling’s reports an unemployment rate of just 2.5% for Royal Oak versus 3.7% for the US.

Household income in Royal Oak averages out to $74,140, which is much higher than the $57,652 average for the US.

So, living here brings you abundant financial opportunity.

Royal Oak Crime Rates Are Low

Royal Oak Crime Rates Are Low

Another advantage of living in Royal Oak is that this area boasts low crime rates.
Sperling’s rates crime on a scale where 1 represents the lowest crime and 100 represents the highest crime.

On that scale, the US average for violent crime is 22.7, but in Royal Oak, it is just 12.4.

The property crime rate in Royal Oak is also lower. It is only 20.8 compared to the US average of 35.4.

Royal Oak Education

Royal Oak Education

If you have a child attending public school, it will be in the Royal Oak Neighborhood Schools system. Shrine Catholic private high school is also available.

For higher education, options in this region include the Oakland Community College, the Wayne County Community College, Marygrove College, St. Clair College – Windsor Campus, the Henry Ford College, Washtenaw Community College, and others.

Getting Around Royal Oak

Getting Around Royal Oak

Public transportation is offered by Amtrak, the Canadian National Railway, and the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART). You can commute to work over rail or via bus.

Only around 0.7% of people in Royal Oak use mass transportation to commute. 4.4% of the population work from home, 5.6% carpool, and the remaining 87.1% drive by themselves to get to work.

The average commute time one direction in Royal Oak is 24.5 minutes. That is a little bit less than the 26.4 minutes it takes an average to commute one way throughout the US.

How is the Weather in Royal Oak

How is the Weather in Royal Oak?

The Sperling’s Comfort Index rates climate on a scale of 1-10, where 10 is best and the US average is 7. Royal Oak receives a rating of 6.9, making it roughly average.

Lows in the winter can drop down to around 18 degrees Fahrenheit, and highs in the summer can rise up to around 83 degrees Fahrenheit. So, the location is somewhat cool on the whole, but still temperate, with four distinct seasons.

If you enjoy precipitation, you will be glad to hear that you can expect around 33 inches of rain annually and around 32 inches of snowfall.

Leisure and Entertainment in Royal Oak

Leisure and Entertainment in Royal Oak

There is a lot to do right in Royal Oak. If you like theater, you can attend the Royal Oak Music Theatre, the Landmark Main Art Theatre, and Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle.

Detroit itself has also become a big deal from a tourism standpoint, being recognized by publications like Lonely Planet and The New York Times in recent years. So, the region has a lot to offer in terms of entertainment, events, sports and landmarks.

You are also close to the Great Lakes living here, so if you prefer outdoor activities, you can enjoy boating, fishing, swimming, hiking, and much more.

See What Our Clients Are Saying About Us!

Don Anderson
Don Anderson
14:17 09 Mar 23
Good service. Clean and concise.
Michael Peretto
Michael Peretto
00:11 19 Oct 22
Great guy ! Lots of options !!
Melissa Glenn
Melissa Glenn
13:20 17 Oct 22
Alex and his team did a great job helping me find a mortgage with the lowest interest rate during unstable times in rates. Being a first time homebuyer- Alex and his team took care of things for me that I didn’t know to ask for, and I couldn’t be more grateful! Offer to close in less than a month and it was smooth sailing! Thanks so much Alex!
Thomas Nadeau
Thomas Nadeau
13:19 05 Oct 22
I really cannot recommend Mortgage City, specifically Jared, enough! Jared basically led the process through a tricky(to me at least) refinance process and every step of the way was gracious, patient and kind. It was truly a pleasure working with Jared and I can highly recommend Jared and Mortgage City for your financing needs!
Brandon Ferguson
Brandon Ferguson
14:37 01 Oct 22
Jared and his team is the absolute best. He is extremely professional, thorough and a master at his job. He works efficiently and goes above and beyond for his clients. I have been in the market for 3 years and Jared made it possible for me to purchase my first home. He provided me knowledge and answered any question or concern that I may have had. He was a pleasure and my wife and I are extremely grateful that we had such an amazing mortgage broker to guide us through this process of buying our first home! I will be recommending Jared and Mortgage City to anyone who has interest in buying a home. Mortgage City feels like family!
Melissa Warner
Melissa Warner
15:21 26 Sep 22
Alex was amazing to work with, he was prompt in his responses and understood we were on a time crunch to get a house. He explained things to me without making me feel like I was stupid ( being a first time home buyer). He was able to have us closed in 2 weeks.
Nicholas Gascoigne
Nicholas Gascoigne
21:25 05 Sep 22
So let me brag about Alex Foster & the Mortgage City team. I'm a small business owner; that being said, for guys like me getting a mortgage is not easy to say the least. We're scrutinized on a different level than an W2 employee. I also had tax issues to solve and a whole load of other problems to figure out. I was at the final hour of getting my young family into a home. I was at the end of my rope trying to pull forward at the time I met Alex. I decided to see if Alex could work any magic in my dire situation. I'm telling you I had 20 days left on my lease and did NOT want to rent another house. Once I stated working with Mortgage City I had HOURLY updates that just radiated positivity. Alex showed me we could do this. We worked through each and every hurdle that such a process entails, this man build the most creative solutions to every issue that needed addressed and did it on such a personal level. Once we officially started the process and pulled credit, Alex got my clear to close in 9 DAYS. I was absolutely blessed to find Alex when I did. I'm writing this review now from my dream home In Clarkston sitting on 5 acres of property. I'm telling all of you, for your next home you have to put Alex Foster & Mortgage City at the top of your list If I can make it through this process and be successful anyone can, you just need the right team to get you there.
Mike Kurfess
Mike Kurfess
14:15 03 Sep 22
Jared was great to work with, he helped us hit a quick closing timeline and was very organized with all of the steps of getting a home loan. He was so helpful with an out of state loan. Jared made the hole process easy and stress free, thank you so much for helping us with our new home!
Sydney Barnett
Sydney Barnett
13:34 03 Sep 22
Jared helped us get the most competitive rate, saved us a lot and was transparent and helpful through the whole process. Everyone told us that our closing timeline was too tight but he was so efficient we actually moved it up a few days.
Alex is very professional! Also his communication skills and educating my clients through the home buying process is what separate him from other lenders in the industry. Thank you for all your hard work!! Look forward to the next deal!!
Morgan McPartlin
Morgan McPartlin
17:28 09 Aug 22
Todd Carlson
Todd Carlson
17:20 03 Aug 22
Everything went along very well! We are happy to be new home owners.
Lori Xu
Lori Xu
16:23 03 Aug 22
First time home buyer, and Jared took care of every single nuts and bolts for us from the very first day we approached to him to the closing day! Awesome experience with his professionalism, responsiveness, and enthusiasm! 1000% recommend!
Lameka Galloway
Lameka Galloway
10:28 25 Jul 22
Amazing services provided with a time limit on my end. Jared worked daily and kept communication open throughout the process. Loan Approved and closed on my home within 40 days. Didn’t know this was possible but this man made it happen. Thank you so much. 10/10 ratings.
Greg B
Greg B
00:56 21 Jul 22
First time home buyer here and Jared couldn't have made it easier and more stress free! Any questions or concerns I had, he was able to help right away. Very much recommend Mortgage City to everyone!
Aaron Thomas
Aaron Thomas
16:08 12 Jul 22
Mortgage City is one of a kind. I felt Jared truly had our best interest at heart and he never missed a beat during our home search. He was right there with us the whole way and any numbers or updates he could provide us with he did. I will recommend all my family and friends to Jared and Mortgage City. Thank you… thank you… thank you!!!!
Zack K
Zack K
15:59 12 Jul 22
Alex was great. He works super fast and he and the team made things run smooth.
Carlette Murry
Carlette Murry
15:49 13 Jun 22
Awesome experience from the beginning of my loan approval process to my closing day. Very professional, knowledgeable, and devoted to meet their clients needs. Highly recommend to friends, family and anyone looking for great loan options.
Anthony Bonkowski
Anthony Bonkowski
12:46 06 Jun 22
Worked with Jared he was excellent! Same-day pre-approval helped with any questions and every aspect of the lending process, he doesn't just keep Banker hours and was available anytime I called.
Baylie Fryman
Baylie Fryman
02:14 02 Jun 22
Alex was amazing to work with! Extremely professional, quick to respond, and definitely knows his stuff! He made everything go so smoothly! Highly recommend!
Curt Mudd
Curt Mudd
18:24 31 May 22
After many challenging years of working with Mortgage Brokers, I have finally found someone who provides impeccable support, is authentic, honest and was relentless in their advocacy for me with a variety of stakeholders. I hold Alex Foster in the highest regard and I still thank my friend for the referral to him. (I was moving to Michigan cold, with no contacts). This guy is best of the best.
Troy Milam
Troy Milam
23:58 26 May 22
First time buyer. Alex and his team were always available and extremely knowledgeable. Couldn’t have asked for an easier process or a better outcome. 5 stars for Mortgage City all the way.Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Nathan Linard
Nathan Linard
22:24 25 May 22
My family and I had the pleasure of working with Alex Foster! Alex is a family friend of ours from way back, and we couldn’t appreciate his knowledge and expertise more. So thankful for his help in purchasing our dream home!
Andrew Quintero
Andrew Quintero
18:27 19 May 22
Alex was absolutely incredible! We were closing on a new construction home down in Florida which meant a long time under contract and a million moving pieces. Without him, we would not have been able to close! Our seller, title company, and builders (DR Horton) get 0/5 stars, and dragged their feet whenever they could. Alex was a bulldog when need be to those on the other side of the table, while also proving he had our best interests at heart. He was always available over the phone, and not only took care of everything with the seller, but made time to teach me what he was doing when I asked, and ensure I was comfortable throughout the entire process. Again, we could not have closed without him. I would give him the highest recommendation to anybody and everybody that asks.
nicole bonkowski
nicole bonkowski
17:34 19 May 22
My husband and I just bought our first home. Jared made it so easy for us to navigate. Very professional and always available when we had any questions or concerns. He took care of everything for us. Highly recommend Mortgage City!
Michael McAllister
Michael McAllister
16:08 13 May 22
These guys are true pros at making the homebuying process as easy and stress free as possible. Great communication the whole way through. Couldn't recommend them more!
Benjamin Kramer
Benjamin Kramer
17:52 27 Apr 22
I would like to give a big shout out to Alex Foster at Mortgage City!! He was always available to help us during the whole process of buying our first home!l He was patient and always had the answer to our questions!
Brandon Ryan
Brandon Ryan
20:33 30 Mar 22
Alex Foster and the professionals at Mortgage City are an absolute pleasure to work with, I highly recommend them to all of my friends and family!
Will Kreutz
Will Kreutz
23:32 28 Mar 22
Well educated group willing to walk you through the process from start to finish. Very quick response when I asked any questions and felt like my refinance was finished within a week.
J A
J A
01:52 08 Mar 22
Jared from Mortgage City was extremely helpful and answered all of my questions almost instantly throughout the entire process. I would highly recommend this company.
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Move Into Your Royal Oak Home Now

If you are planning a move to Royal Oak, you have great economic and leisure opportunities awaiting you. With a low cost of living and higher than average incomes, this is an ideal place to increase your financial means while enjoying theater, the great outdoors, and more.

If you are ready to move into your dream home in Royal Oak, Detroit, or anywhere in Michigan, Mortgage City can help. Please give us a call today at (248) 930-8709 to schedule your consultation.