Salaries in Dearborn, MI

You might assume Dearborn’s auto industry roots mean blue-collar jobs dominate the pay scale. The real surprise? The city’s top earner this year is a software developer, pulling in $126,496. It’s a quiet tech shift happening inside a famously industrial town.

With a cost of living index of 98.0, Dearborn is a relative bargain. That median household income of $51,670 doesn’t stretch as far as it might in the Midwest’s cheapest zip codes, but it buys you more than the national average. A one-bedroom apartment runs $1,029 a month, which is steep for the region but manageable on a professional’s salary. The math works out: your paycheck here has about 2% more purchasing power than the typical U.S. city.

So who’s thriving? Beyond the growing software scene, the pillars are healthcare and education. Henry Ford Health System and the Ford Motor Company—just a stone’s throw away in Dearborn—anchor the local economy, fueling demand for accountants ($85,563) and registered nurses ($85,553). The public school system also provides stable work for teachers, though at a much lower wage. It’s a classic Midwestern mix: old industry money supporting new-collar jobs.

Here’s the honest catch: while the average salary ($54,057) beats the national median, it’s not a runaway success story. Wages have been creeping up, but not fast enough to outrun every cost increase. This city is a solid fit for skilled professionals in tech, healthcare, or finance, especially if you’re starting a family. For everyone else, it’s a decent living, not a windfall.

The data below breaks down exactly what you can expect to earn, adjusted for what things actually cost. Let’s see how your career stacks up.