Center Line, MI location, 2019
Center Line’s story
189 years in pictures
Census counts: 2,604 in 1930, 8,552 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2019 and 8 maps from 1905 on.
- 1837Center Line is settled
Center LineMI
Trash & recyclingPhoto: 42-BRT · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
8,503
2025 Census estimate · −0.5% since 2020
Typical home
$167K
−1.3% in a year
Household income
$55K
median
Median age
40.5
years
Jobs based here
5,463
A job hub
TownGrade
C−
#610 of 697 in MI
Is Center Line a good place to live?
Center Line gives you more for your money than most places: a typical home costs about $167K, 2.2 years of the Detroit metro’s $77K median household income. It grades C− overall, 610th of 697 graded towns in Michigan. The low prices come with trade-offs. Residents are less healthy than 85% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. On the plus side, natural-hazard risk is low. 52% of households own their home in Center Line, below both Michigan’s towns (84%) and U.S. towns (73%). Only 99 of Michigan’s 1,265 towns score lower on civic life. The biggest park or preserve is Memorial Park, at 24 acres.
What makes Center Line stand out
Where Center Line beats most towns.
A job hub
Every workday, about 5,347 people come to Center Line for work
Where Center Line’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
5,463jobs based in Center Line
4%of working residents work in town
10 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2021
How Center Line grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Center Line is from typical.
HealthHenry Ford Health Warren Hospital 2.2 miles awayC−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 20% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA−Open →SchoolsCOpen →SafetyCOpen →Cost of livingB+Open →Jobs & income$55K median household incomeCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.8 of 20; 14% of households have no car; 1.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 3% conserved landBOpen →HistoryB−Open →Civic life3.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 61 attractions →Ford Field and 52 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Center Line. Close and well known come first.
Big draw10 mi Stadium & arenaFord Field
Big draw40 mi Stadium & arenaMichigan Stadium
10 mi Stadium & arenaComerica Park
10 mi TheatreFox Theatre
18 mi LakeLake Saint Clair
16 mi MuseumThe Henry Ford1.8M visitors a yearSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Ford Field: Unknown, CC BY 2.5 · Michigan Stadium: Lectrician2, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Comerica Park: City of Detroit, Public domain · Fox Theatre: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lake Saint Clair: Copernicus Sentinel-2, ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 igo · The Henry Ford: Alvintrusty, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Center Line: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Center Line, and how to reach them.
PowerDTE20.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Warren water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpTown’s haulerPriority Waste picks up at the curb for every homeTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn Michigan you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereCenter Line City ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Oct 2021
ZIP code4801548015 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Center Line.
Center Line draws workers from Detroit and beyond, has homes that are cheap against local pay and is mostly renters.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
Most working residents commute out of Center Line
5,463 jobs are based in Center Line, 1.7 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.
Most working residents leave Center Line for work: only 4% work in town. 17% of residents live below the poverty line in Center Line. Since 2011, Center Line has added 1,152 jobs, to 5,463 in 2021.
4%work in town
| Center Line | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $55,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 7.8% | 10% | 11% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Center Line4%
Warren14%
Detroit13%
Troy7%
Sterling Heights5%
10 mi
median commute distance
5,463
jobs based in Center Line
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 48% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
SchoolsC
On state tests, Center Line’s schools trail 73% of Michigan districts
Its public schools are run by the Center Line Public Schools. Two of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Center Line Preparatory Academy, with 1,043 students.
27%of MI districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wolfe Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 506 | C− |
| Center Line Preparatory AcademyLargest public high schoolGrades K–12 | Grades K–12 | 1,043 | D− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduation
HealthC−
Center Line earns a C− for health
41% of Center Line adults sleep under 7 hours. Center Line beats the Michigan average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 14. 18% of Center Line adults smoke cigarettes.
15%healthier than U.S. townsC−Health Grade
| Center Line | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 34% | 36% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 36% | 35% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 14% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
0 better18 too close to call14 worse
| What stands out | Center Line | MI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 11.7% | 8.7% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 20.6% | 15.4% |
| More adults facing housing insecurity | 15.6% | 11.9% |
Henry Ford Health Warren Hospital
2.2 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
10th
percentile among MI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade B+
Center Line earns a B+ for cost of living
At 2.2 years of the Detroit metro’s $77K median household income, the typical home (about $167K) costs less against local pay than in 93% of Michigan towns; that ratio is one input to its B+ for cost of living.
Center Line’s median rent is $788 a month. The typical Center Line home is worth about $167,000, down 1.3% in a year, 37% below the Michigan typical home.
$167KZillow home value
Typical home value
Center Line$167K
Michigan$264K
Market temperature
48
days on market
99.2%
sale-to-list price
−1.3%
value change, 1 year
9
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Low risk in Center Line, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 80% of U.S. communities.
20risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SafetyC
Center Line reports more crime per resident than 70% of U.S. towns
The violent crime rate in Center Line is 3.3 per 1,000 residents.
30%of U.S. towns report more crimeCSafety Grade
| Center Line | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3.3 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 11.1 per 1,000 residents | 7.8 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Center Line3.3
Michigan4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Center Line11.1
Michigan13
U.S.15.5
30th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
32nd
percentile among MI towns
28
violent crimes reported in 2025
95
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Center Line
Center Line has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 19° and about 31 inches of snow falls in a winter.
31″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter21–35°
Spring38–58°
Summer61–81°
Fall44–61°
Oct 31
typical first frost
Apr 21
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsB
Center Line has set aside 2.8% of its land for conservation
0.6 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves.
2.8%conserved
| Center Line | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 2.8% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
2.8%
conserved · 31 of 1,116 acres
0.6 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Memorial Park | 0.6 mi | 24 |
| 2. Murray Field | — | 7 |
| 3. Kramer Homes Park | — | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Center Line
19pages on Center Line
The big questions
SchoolsCBehind 73% of MI districts · 5 schoolsSafetyC3.3 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC−Better than MI on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB+$167K typical home · down 1.3% in a yearWork & commuteC$55K median household income · 5,463 jobs hereNatural hazardsA−FEMA risk higher than 20% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
14 within 15 miles of the center of Center Line
Macomb Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Warren3.3 mi$3,660 in-state tuitionUniversity of Detroit MercyUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Detroit7.3 mi$32,946 tuitionWayne State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Detroit8.7 mi$15,190 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Center Line residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
About Center Line
City in Michigan, United States
Center Line is a city in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. An inner-ring suburb of Detroit, Center Line is located roughly 11 miles (17.7 km) north of downtown Detroit, and is entirely surrounded by the larger city of Warren. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 8,552.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1837
- Area
- 1.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 623 ft
- ZIP code
- 48015
- Area code
- 586
Questions about Center Line
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Center Line, MI a good place to live?
Center Line grades C− overall, better than 17% of U.S. towns and #610 of 697 in Michigan. It grades C− for health, C for safety and C for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Center Line, MI expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.