East Lansing, MI vs Melissa, TX
Side-by-side comparison of housing, income, commute, safety, and quality of life.
Score Snapshot
No universal winner
Scores summarize the published model. Use the objective metric differences below and your own priorities to choose.
East Lansing
72.8
#823 nationally
Melissa
74.8
#551 nationally
Melissa leads in crime level (1.0 vs 6.0). Melissa leads in median household income ($138,465 vs $44,094). East Lansing leads in average commute (16.1 min vs 32.6 min).
Metric-by-Metric Breakdown
| Metric | East Lansing, MI | Melissa, TX |
|---|---|---|
| WhereAtHome Score | 72.8 (#823) | 74.8 (#551) |
| Population | 48,528 | 23,571 |
| Typical Home Value (ZHVI) | $328,740 | $430,394 |
| Median Household Income | $44,094 | $138,465 |
| Average Commute | 16.1 min | 32.6 min |
| Walk Score | 54 | N/A |
| Crime Level | 6.0 | 1.0 |
| School Rating | N/A | N/A |
| Cost of Living Index | 100 | 125 |
| Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored | D+29.7 | R+11.2 |
Data coverage note: Melissa is missing data for 1 metric that East Lansing has. Scores with less coverage are penalized — see our methodology.
C-
72.8 Score
East Lansing, MI
Small Michigan city with local appeal
Median Home
$328,740
Population
48,528
Crime
Moderate
Walk Score
54
Midwest
View East Lansing, MI →
C
74.8 Score
Melissa, TX
Small Texas city with local appeal
Median Home
$430,394
Population
23,571
Crime
Very Low
Median Income
$138,465
Southwest
View Melissa, TX →