Dearborn Quietly Beat Birmingham. The 5-Year Numbers That Surprised Us
Five years of home value data show the biggest percentage gains came from some of the region's more affordable cities, with a few notable exceptions.
By The Mile Staff · November 3, 2026
Over the five years from September 2021 to September 2026, the typical home in Dearborn rose +32.9%, to about $247,561. That's the largest percentage gain among the 37 Metro Detroit communities in The Mile's tracker.
Dearborn Heights (+30.6%), Northville (+28.5%) and Rochester Hills (+28.3%) round out the top four.
Percentages versus dollars
Percentages tell only half the story. Birmingham's +27.1% gain added roughly $158,781 to the typical home. Dearborn's larger percentage gain added about $61,254.
For a homeowner deciding whether to sell, the dollar figure is usually the one that matters. For a buyer comparing where prices are climbing fastest, the percentage is more useful.
The laggards
At the bottom of the five-year list are Detroit (+2.4%), Hazel Park (+10.0%), Ferndale (+11.9%). The index measures values, not the reasons behind them, so it can't tell us why a city lagged.
The full five-year board
| City | Typical value, September 2021 | Typical value, September 2026 | 5-year change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dearborn | $186,307 | $247,561 | +32.9% |
| Dearborn Heights | $162,823 | $212,637 | +30.6% |
| Northville | $458,967 | $589,883 | +28.5% |
| Rochester Hills | $363,143 | $465,990 | +28.3% |
| Pontiac | $106,241 | $135,258 | +27.3% |
| Birmingham | $585,985 | $744,766 | +27.1% |
| Lake Orion | $330,590 | $420,046 | +27.1% |
| Bloomfield Hills | $529,287 | $670,381 | +26.7% |
| Plymouth | $375,448 | $474,368 | +26.3% |
| Rochester | $395,170 | $495,401 | +25.4% |
| Auburn Hills | $221,644 | $277,278 | +25.1% |
| Macomb | $340,494 | $425,705 | +25.0% |
| Troy | $363,285 | $454,091 | +25.0% |
| Huntington Woods | $430,814 | $538,339 | +25.0% |
| Westland | $169,577 | $211,230 | +24.6% |
| Oxford | $328,805 | $408,084 | +24.1% |
| Grosse Pointe Park | $411,178 | $508,808 | +23.7% |
| Livonia | $252,670 | $312,136 | +23.5% |
| Sterling Heights | $246,776 | $304,835 | +23.5% |
| Warren | $159,358 | $196,749 | +23.5% |
| Grosse Pointe Woods | $286,833 | $353,482 | +23.2% |
| Roseville | $138,738 | $170,860 | +23.2% |
| Wixom | $311,463 | $383,446 | +23.1% |
| Canton | $326,003 | $400,641 | +22.9% |
| Farmington Hills | $315,523 | $386,980 | +22.6% |
| Novi | $380,383 | $465,874 | +22.5% |
| West Bloomfield | $375,512 | $455,559 | +21.3% |
| Madison Heights | $178,507 | $215,492 | +20.7% |
| Clawson | $235,819 | $283,076 | +20.0% |
| Grosse Pointe | $401,609 | $481,642 | +19.9% |
| Oak Park | $192,864 | $231,276 | +19.9% |
| Royal Oak | $275,160 | $328,150 | +19.3% |
| Berkley | $264,021 | $312,861 | +18.5% |
| Southfield | $218,789 | $251,392 | +14.9% |
| Ferndale | $219,961 | $246,062 | +11.9% |
| Hazel Park | $140,191 | $154,189 | +10.0% |
| Detroit | $72,968 | $74,742 | +2.4% |
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Sources
The Mile is published by Real Estate Market Center. Our editorial standards.