It Dies Today Live in, 2008
Southgate’s story
68 years in pictures
Census counts: 29,404 in 1960, 30,014 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 2008 and 8 maps from 1906 on.
- 1958Southgate is settled
SouthgateMI
Population
28,931
2025 Census estimate · −3.6% since 2020
Typical home
$193K
+2.2% in a year
Household income
$66K
median
Median age
39.2
years
Jobs based here
7,622
A commuter town
TownGrade
C
#559 of 697 in MI
Is Southgate a good place to live?
Southgate is a solid, middle-of-the-road choice. It grades C overall, ranked 559th of 697 in Michigan, with no subject far below average. Its best mark is incomes: the median household earns $66K. Its lowest everyday mark is in safety: its crime rate is higher than 79% of U.S. towns, with 108 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. A typical home there costs about $193K, 2.5 years of the Detroit metro’s $77K median household income. Only 2 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns score lower on history. The biggest place to walk is Southgate Nature Center, 35 acres with 1.2 miles of trail. Only 47 of Michigan’s 1,265 towns score lower on civic life.
What makes Southgate stand out
Where Southgate beats most towns.
A commuter town
94% of working residents leave Southgate for work
Where Southgate’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
7,622jobs based in Southgate
6%of working residents work in town
12 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2021
How Southgate grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Southgate is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 21% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA−Open →SafetyC−Open →SchoolsCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 9 of 20; 7.2% of households have no carB+Open →Jobs & incomeBOpen →Cost of livingB−Open →HealthWyandotte Hospital and Medical Center 2.9 miles awayB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors6 miles of trails; 3% conserved landBOpen →History1 notable person born hereDOpen →Civic life2 library visits per resident; 2.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market8 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 39.2; 22% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 68 attractions →Michigan Stadium and 52 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Southgate. Close and well known come first.
Big draw28 mi Stadium & arenaMichigan Stadium
Big draw12 mi Stadium & arenaFord Field
12 mi Stadium & arenaComerica Park
7 mi MuseumThe Henry Ford1.8M visitors a year
12 mi TheatreFox Theatre
13 mi MuseumDetroit Institute of ArtsSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Michigan Stadium: Lectrician2, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ford Field: Unknown, CC BY 2.5 · Comerica Park: City of Detroit, Public domain · The Henry Ford: Alvintrusty, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fox Theatre: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Detroit Institute of Arts: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Southgate: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Southgate, and how to reach them.
PowerDTE20.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSouthgate water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Southgate’s trash rules yet
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 hereSouthgate City ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code4819548195 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 Southgate.
Southgate is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has homes that are cheap against local pay, but it trails Wyandotte and its other neighbors on schools.
OutdoorsB
3.4% of Southgate is conserved land
5.6 miles of trail in 12 parks and preserves. Southgate’s trail density is 0.8 miles per square mile, against 0.3 in Michigan’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns.
#182for trails in MI
| Southgate | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.8 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 3.4% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
3.4%
conserved · 149 of 4,371 acres
5.6 mi
of trails · 0.8 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Southgate Nature Center | 1.2 mi | 35 |
| 2. Homer Howard Park | 0.9 mi | 34 |
| 3. Ray Torres Lions Park | 0.4 mi | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsC
Southgate’s public schools trail 75% of Michigan districts
Each of its 3 graded neighbors has a higher School Grade than its C, Wyandotte highest at B−.
Its public schools are run by the Southgate Community School District. Two of its 13 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
25%of MI districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creative Montessori AcademyLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 759 | C+ |
| Southgate Anderson High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,052 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduation
SafetyC−
For safety, Southgate earns a C−
Reported crimes fell from 705 to 538 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Southgate’s violent crime rate is 3.7 per 1,000 residents, where Michigan’s towns sit at 1.9 and U.S. towns at 1.6. The property crime rate in Southgate is 14.9 per 1,000 residents. Southgate reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 79% report less.
21%of U.S. towns report more crimeC−Safety Grade
| Southgate | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3.7 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 14.9 per 1,000 residents | 7.8 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Southgate3.7
Michigan4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Southgate14.9
Michigan13
U.S.15.5
21st
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
22nd
percentile among MI towns
108
violent crimes reported in 2025
430
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Low risk in Southgate, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 79% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Southgate since 2023.
21risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
1
paid flood claims since 2023
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
Most of Southgate’s workers commute out: the town has 0.6 jobs for each of them
Jobs based here fell from 10,137 in 2011 to 7,622.
Most working residents leave Southgate for work: only 6% work in town. Jobs based in Southgate fell to 7,622 in 2021, 2,515 fewer than in 2011. The top destinations are Detroit (13%), Dearborn (8%) and Taylor (5%).
6%work in town
| Southgate | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $66,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 12% | 10% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Southgate6%
Detroit13%
Dearborn8%
Taylor5%
Romulus5%
12 mi
median commute distance
7,622
jobs based in Southgate
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 71% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade B−
For cost of living, Southgate earns a B−
At 2.5 years of the Detroit metro’s $77K median household income, the typical home (about $193K) costs less against local pay than in 86% of Michigan towns; that ratio is one input to its B− for cost of living.
67% of households own their home in Southgate. The typical Southgate home is worth about $193,000, up 2.2% in a year, 27% below the Michigan typical home.
$193KZillow home value
| Southgate | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 67% | 84% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,120 a month | $1,045 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Southgate$193K
Michigan$264K
Market temperature
8
days on market
99.6%
sale-to-list price
+2.2%
value change, 1 year
21
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
In Southgate, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Southgate has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 20° and about 54 inches of snow falls in a winter.
54″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter23–35°
Spring39–57°
Summer63–81°
Fall45–61°
Oct 27
typical first frost
Apr 20
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthB−
Residents of Southgate are less healthy than 51% of U.S. towns
Against the 10,106 U.S. towns with household incomes like Southgate’s, it is healthier than 67%, so its B− isn’t only a matter of income.
Southgate beats the Michigan average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 19% of Southgate adults report frequent mental distress.
49%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Southgate | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 17% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 37% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 34% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 27% | 23% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
1 better31 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Southgate | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with obesity | 32.4% | 36.2% |
Wyandotte Hospital and Medical Center
2.9 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
50th
percentile among MI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Southgate
20pages on Southgate
The big questions
SchoolsCBehind 75% of MI districts · 13 schoolsSafetyC−3.7 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthB−Better than MI on 1 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB−$193K typical home · up 2.2% in a yearWork & commuteB$66K median household income · 7,622 jobs hereNatural hazardsA−FEMA risk higher than 21% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
8 within 15 miles of the center of Southgate
University of Michigan-DearbornUniversity or college · Public · Dearborn7.9 mi$15,640 in-state tuitionHenry Ford CollegeCommunity college · Public · Dearborn8.4 mi$3,568 in-state tuitionWayne County Community College DistrictCommunity college · Public · Detroit11.5 mi$3,112 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Southgate residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Michigan.
About Southgate
City in Michigan, United States
Southgate is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. A Downriver suburb of Detroit, Southgate is located roughly 14 miles (22.5 km) southwest of downtown Detroit. As of the 2020 census, Southgate had a population of 30,047. Southgate was incorporated as a city on October 8, 1958, from one of the last remaining portions of the now-defunct Ecorse Township.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1958
- Area
- 6.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 591 ft
- ZIP code
- 48195
- Area code
- 734
Southgate’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with Southgate.
Allen ParkWyandotteLincoln ParkSouthgate
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southgate | #559 | C | B− | C− | C | B− |
| Allen Park | #382 | B− | B− | C+ | B− | B+ |
| Wyandotte | #301 | B | B+ | B | B− | C+ |
| Lincoln Park | #626 | C− | A− | D | C+ | D |
Questions about Southgate
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Southgate, MI a good place to live?
Southgate grades C overall, better than 27% of U.S. towns and #559 of 697 in Michigan. It grades B− for health, C− for safety and C for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Southgate, MI expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.