Cost of Living in Royal Oak

Royal Oak runs genuinely expensive relative to many other Michigan Tier B markets, with an above-state-median property tax rate offset by no city income tax.

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Housing costs run genuinely high

Royal Oak's June 2026 median sale price ran $385,000-$390,000 across cited sources -- genuinely expensive relative to many other Michigan Tier B markets documented elsewhere in this project.

A precisely-itemized city millage, layered on Oakland County levies

Royal Oak's 2025 city-specific millage totaled a real, precise 17.1220 mills, with the largest components being general operations (6.7424) and police/fire/EMS (3.6241). The city's own overall effective property tax rate ran 1.28% per Ownwell, above the Michigan statewide median (1.05%).

Michigan's near-flat state income tax, with no Royal Oak add-on

Michigan levies a flat 4.25% state income tax. Royal Oak does not appear on the Michigan Treasury's own official 24-city local-income-tax list -- this record deliberately discards a conflicting, unreliable 1.22% figure from a lower-confidence source.

Key takeaways

Royal Oak's housing runs genuinely expensive ($385,000-$390,000 June 2026 median) relative to many other Michigan Tier B markets.
Royal Oak's 2025 city millage totaled 17.1220 mills, contributing to an above-state-median 1.28% overall effective property tax rate.
Michigan's flat 4.25% state rate applies with NO additional Royal Oak city income tax.

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Last reviewed: 2026-08-25. Independent research; not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.