Stinson A, 1934
Wayne’s story
175 years in pictures
Census counts: 304 in 1860, 17,713 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1934 and 8 maps from 1905 on.
- 1851Wayne is settled
WayneMI
Trash day: look up yoursPopulation
17,065
2025 Census estimate · −3.7% since 2020
Typical home
$172K
+0.3% in a year
Household income
$59K
median
Median age
42.5
years
Jobs based here
9,616
Balanced
TownGrade
D
#651 of 697 in MI
Is Wayne a good place to live?
Wayne grades D overall, 651st of 697 graded towns in Michigan, mostly because of safety and health. It reports more crime per resident than 87% of U.S. towns, including 100 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 83% of the country. What it does well: it has 6 miles of trail. Wayne’s violent crime rate is 5.9 per 1,000 residents, against 1.9 in Michigan’s towns and 1.6 across U.S. towns. Only 60 of Michigan’s 1,265 towns score lower on civic life. Lower Rouge Parkway, at 376 acres with 1.2 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
What makes Wayne stand out
Where Wayne beats most towns.
Get outside
6 miles of trails in Wayne
17.1% of the town is conserved land, across 17 parks and preserves.
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
How Wayne grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Wayne is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 10% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →SafetyDOpen →HealthCorewell Health Wayne Hospital 1.2 miles awayC−Open →SchoolsCOpen →Jobs & income$59K median household income; 9,616 jobs based hereCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.2 of 20; 10.6% of households have no car; 2.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →Cost of livingBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsAOpen →History14 notable people born hereCOpen →Civic life2.9 library visits per resident; 2.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market50 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 42.5; 18% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 69 attractions →Michigan Stadium and 52 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Wayne. Close and well known come first.
Big draw18 mi Stadium & arenaMichigan Stadium
Big draw18 mi Stadium & arenaFord Field
18 mi Stadium & arenaComerica Park
8 mi MuseumThe Henry Ford1.8M visitors a year
18 mi TheatreFox Theatre
18 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
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Wayne: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Wayne, and how to reach them.
PowerDTE20.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWayne water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressDay by addressTown 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 hereWayne City ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code4818448184 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 Wayne.
Wayne has homes that are cheap against local pay and has seen reported crime fall by a third or more.
OutdoorsA
Wayne has set aside 17.1% of its land for conservation
Wayne’s trail density is 1.0 miles per square mile.
#148for trails in MI
17.1%
conserved · 654 of 3,829 acres
6.0 mi
of trails · 1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lower Rouge Parkway | 1.2 mi | 376 |
| 2. Atwood Park | 1.2 mi | 25 |
| 3. Angelo DeMario Playground | 0.3 mi | 9 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsC
Public schools in Wayne fall behind 74% of Michigan districts
Its public schools are run by the Wayne-Westland Community School District. Two of its 6 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Wayne Memorial High School, with 1,257 students.
26%of MI districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| RooseveltMcGrath Elem SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–6 | Grades K–6 | 454 | D |
| Wayne Memorial High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 8–12 | Grades 8–12 | 1,257 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduation
SafetyD
Wayne earns a D for safety
Reported crimes fell from 481 to 313 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Wayne reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 87% report less. The property crime rate in Wayne is 12.5 per 1,000 residents.
13%of U.S. towns report more crimeDSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Wayne5.9
Michigan4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Wayne12.5
Michigan13
U.S.15.5
13th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
15th
percentile among MI towns
100
violent crimes reported in 2025
213
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Very low risk in Wayne, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 90% of U.S. communities. Since 1982, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Wayne.
10risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
2
paid flood claims since 1982
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthC−
Wayne earns a C− for health
42% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Wayne. Wayne beats the Michigan average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 17. 21% of adults report frequent mental distress in Wayne.
17%healthier than U.S. townsC−Health Grade
| Wayne | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 34% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 18% | 17% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 14% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 15% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
1 better14 too close to call17 worse
| What stands out | Wayne | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 7.9% | 8.9% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 13.1% | 8.7% |
Corewell Health Wayne Hospital
1.2 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
13th
percentile among MI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade B
Wayne’s typical home value is about $172K
At 2.2 years of the Detroit metro’s $77K median household income, the typical home (about $172K) costs less against local pay than in 93% of Michigan towns; that ratio is one input to its B for cost of living.
The typical Wayne home is worth about $172,000, about the same as a year ago, 35% below the Michigan typical home. 61% of Wayne households own their home.
$172KZillow home value
| Wayne | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 61% | 84% | 73% |
| Median rent | $974 a month | $1,047 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Wayne$172K
Michigan$264K
Market temperature
50
days on market
100.4%
sale-to-list price
+0.3%
value change, 1 year
17
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
In Wayne, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Wayne has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 18° and about 45 inches of snow falls in a winter.
45″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–35°
Spring37–58°
Summer60–82°
Fall42–62°
Oct 27
typical first frost
Apr 20
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
Wayne has 1.4 jobs for every working resident, and 9,237 people commute in
Most working residents leave Wayne for work: only 5% work in town. The top destinations are Detroit (8%), Livonia (8%) and Dearborn (7%). Half commute less than 11 miles.
5%work in town
| Wayne | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 16% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $59,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 8.7% | 10% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Wayne5%
Detroit8%
Livonia8%
Dearborn7%
Romulus6%
11 mi
median commute distance
9,616
jobs based in Wayne
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 67% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Wayne
20pages on Wayne
The big questions
SchoolsCBehind 74% of MI districts · 6 schoolsSafetyD5.9 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC−Better than MI on 1 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB$172K typical home · up 0.3% in a yearWork & commuteC$59K median household income · 9,616 jobs hereNatural hazardsAFEMA risk higher than 10% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
7 within 15 miles of the center of Wayne
Madonna UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Livonia7.5 mi$28,440 tuitionUniversity of Michigan-DearbornUniversity or college · Public · Dearborn8.5 mi$15,640 in-state tuitionWashtenaw Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Ann Arbor14.2 mi$2,736 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Wayne residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
Famous people from Wayne
14 notable people were born in Wayne.
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About Wayne
City in Michigan, United States
Wayne is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. A western suburb of Detroit, Wayne is located about 18 miles (29 km) southwest of downtown Detroit. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 17,713. Wayne has a long history of automotive and transportation related manufacturing. Ford Motor Company currently has two plants in Wayne: Wayne Stamping & Assembly and the Michigan Assembly Plant, formerly known as the Michigan Truck Plant.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1869
- Area
- 6.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 656 ft
- ZIP code
- 48184
- Area code
- 734
Wayne’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Wayne.
WestlandRomulusWayne
How the neighbors grade
Questions about Wayne
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Wayne, MI a good place to live?
Wayne grades D overall, better than 12% of U.S. towns and #651 of 697 in Michigan. It grades C− for health, D for safety and C for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Wayne, MI expensive?
That is 2.2 years of the area's median household income ($76,664 across the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro 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.
What is Wayne, MI known for?
14 notable people were born here, including Mike Kelley and Grant Long.