The list
Median household income, Detroit.
-
1
Palmer Woods $148,589
District 2, 1 Census tract
-
2
Indian Village $132,292
District 5, 1 Census tract
-
3
University District $106,449
District 2, 1 Census tract
-
4
Rivertown $104,375
District 5, 1 Census tract
-
5
Rosedale Park $97,356
District 1, 1 Census tract
-
6
Green Acres $92,188
District 2, 1 Census tract
-
7
Boston Edison $83,618
District 5, 2 Census tracts
-
8
North Rosedale Park $77,742
District 1, 2 Census tracts
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9
Grandmont $66,935
District 1, 1 Census tract
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10
East English Village $64,594
District 4, 2 Census tracts
Some places keep winning, and the data shows exactly why. Rebuild Detroit compared 132 neighborhoods in Detroit by median household income for 2026.
Palmer Woods comes first with $148,589, 270% above the median. The Detroit median is $40,187.
Who leads the list
Palmer Woods leads the list with $148,589 (District 2, 1 Census tract). Indian Village is second with $132,292 (District 5, 1 Census tract).
University District takes third with $106,449 (District 2, 1 Census tract).
The rest of the top 10
Rounding out the top 10 are Rivertown ($104,375), Rosedale Park ($97,356), Green Acres ($92,188), Boston Edison ($83,618), North Rosedale Park ($77,742), Grandmont ($66,935), and East English Village ($64,594). District 1 holds 3 of the top 10 spots, and District 2 holds 3.
The other end of the list
At the other end of Detroit, Penrose has the lowest figure with $12,852. That is a spread of $135,737 between first and last place.
By the numbers
The gap between number 1 and number 2 is $16,297. The top 10 average $97,414, against $38,877 for the other 122 neighborhoods.
66 of the 132 neighborhoods sit above the median.
What it means for you
So what does that mean for you?
Household income shapes what a community can spend on its homes, schools and main streets. If you are choosing where to buy, rent or put down roots, start at the top of this list and read each place's own guide before you decide.
How we ranked
Every number is the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates. A neighborhood's figures combine the Census tracts whose center falls inside its boundary; its medians are population-weighted averages of those tracts' medians.
Industrial areas, parks and the airport are left out.
Final word
This list updates when the numbers behind it do, and every place on it links to its own guide on Rebuild Detroit. Stay tuned.
Sources
Editor In Chief, Detroit Ledger
Victoria Jackson is a lifelong student and sharp-eyed documentarian of all things Detroit, from its rich musical roots and cultural icons to its shifting neighborhoods, storied architecture, and underground legends.