This Michigan City Was Hit Hardest By Inflation

Let's be real, inflation has hit us all hard. Prices on everything from groceries to housing have skyrocketed to unreasonable levels for middle-class Americans and stagnant wages only perpetuate the issue.

While Michigan has a relatively low cost of living, the state wasn't immune to the effects of inflation. With cities like Detroit and Flint in full-on recovery mode from past infrastructure problems, the last thing residents needed was a hike in prices for basic goods.

Get our free mobile app

Much like its residents, these cities themselves are effectively paying the poor tax. The poor tax is an unofficial term, but it's practical to everyday life. Essentially, this is the hamster wheel of life for low-income workers who typically end up paying more out of pocket by having to buy cheaper products more often thus making them more expensive, having higher insurance and interest rates, or more expensive utility bills due to poor housing conditions - all the while, unable to get ahead due to low wages and a lack of time to compensate for the overwhelming price of living.

There are plenty of places to point the finger of blame for the ongoing situation, but the bottom line is that folks across the country have it rough right now. One Michigan city has had it rougher than the rest of the state and even most of the country.

According to a study from WalletHub, the Detroit metropolitan area, particularly including Warren and Dearborn, is the 8th-hardest hit city in the country by inflation. Data from the study indicates that consumer prices in the area have risen 4.5% over the past year, which is the third-highest rate in the country tied with the Houston metro and behind only the Miami metro and Dallas metro.

The Detroit metro area only falls to No. 8 on the rankings because the two months before the study's release (Dec '23-Jan '24) saw no increase or decrease in consumer prices.