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Aschersleben vs Swartz Creek

Cost of living, salaries, climate and quality of life compared side by side.

Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
View Aschersleben profile
#15 in Germany
66
Overall Score
VS
Michigan, USA
View Swartz Creek profile
#146 in USA
65
Overall Score
Aschersleben scores higher overall

Score Breakdown

Aschersleben
Swartz Creek
Livability
72
78
Affordability
85
80
Business
70
68
Growth
55
69

Cost of Living

Aschersleben is the more affordable option overall — monthly living expenses run about 43% lower than in Swartz Creek. Housing costs are a major driver: Aschersleben's average rent is 54% lower than Swartz Creek's.
MetricAscherslebenSwartz CreekDiff
Average Rent
$570$1,250-54%
Groceries
$342$380-10%
Utilities
$182$175+4%
Transport
$56$110-49%
Healthcare
$80$230-65%
Monthly Total
$1,230$2,145-43%
Cost Index
6592out of 100

Salary & Income

Swartz Creek offers 17% lower average salaries. However, when adjusted for local cost of living, Aschersleben delivers stronger purchasing power — meaning your dollar stretches further day-to-day. The minimum comfortable salary in Aschersleben is estimated at $45,000 vs $48,000 in Swartz Creek.
MetricAscherslebenSwartz Creek
Average Salary
$51,300$62,000
Salary Needed
$45,000$48,000
Purchasing Power
78,923 idx67,391 idx
Household Income
$54,720$64,500

Climate Comparison

Both cities share a similar average temperature, within 2.8°F of each other. For sunshine, Aschersleben comes out ahead with 17 more sunny days per year, which can meaningfully impact mood and outdoor lifestyle. Winter severity differs too — Swartz Creek sees 23 more inches of snowfall annually.
MetricAscherslebenSwartz Creek
Avg Temp
51.50°F48.70°F
Summer High
75.90°F80.20°F
Winter Low
31.70°F16.50°F
Rainfall
20.80 in30.20 in
Snowfall
10.60 in33.60 in
Sunny Days
268251
Humidity
%68.00%

Commute & Transport

Aschersleben has the shorter commute — saving residents roughly 12,000 minutes (200 hours) per year compared to Swartz Creek. Swartz Creek scores higher for public transit, making it the better choice for car-free living. For walkability, Swartz Creek leads — a better score here means more amenities reachable on foot.
MetricAscherslebenSwartz Creek
Commute Time
min24 min
Transit Score
—35.0/100
Walkability
—48.0/100
Traffic Index
38.00
Car Dependency
MediumHigh

Economy & Demographics

Aschersleben is the larger city — approximately 4.4x the population of Swartz Creek. From a growth perspective, Swartz Creek is expanding faster, signaling stronger demand for housing, jobs, and services. On the employment side, Swartz Creek has a lower unemployment rate, reflecting a tighter and more competitive job market.
MetricAscherslebenSwartz Creek
Population
25,2785,700
Pop. Growth
—0.50%
Median Age
49.541.2
Unemployment
9.00%4.30%
GDP
——

Pros & Cons

Aschersleben
Advantages
Affordable housing costs, with average apartment rent at 6.95 €/m² in 2026.
Strong industrial base with key sectors like specialized mechanical engineering and medical technology.
Well-preserved historical city center and medieval fortifications.
Good regional transportation links via federal highways and autobahns.
Presence of AMEOS Klinikum Aschersleben, an academic teaching hospital providing comprehensive healthcare.
Drawbacks
Population decline, with an annual decrease of -0.72% in 2026.
Higher regional unemployment rate in Salzlandkreis at 9.0% in September 2026.
Older median age of 49.5 years in 2024, indicating an aging population.
Limited direct data available for specific city-level economic growth rates and detailed transit scores.
City ranking in Germany declined by 5 places to 714 in October 2026.
Swartz Creek
Advantages
Median home prices and overall cost of living remain significantly below the national average per US Census Bureau data.
Consistently low crime rates provide an exceptionally safe environment for families and retirees.
Highly rated local school district offering robust academic and extracurricular programs.
Convenient geographic location with direct access to I-69, facilitating easy commutes to Flint and Lansing.
Active community parks and recreational programming that foster strong local engagement.
Drawbacks
High reliance on personal automobiles due to limited public transportation infrastructure.
Fewer high-paying local corporate headquarters within city limits, requiring outbound commuting for certain professional sectors.
Limited nightlife and entertainment venues directly within the city center.
Winters bring heavy snowfall averaging over 33 inches, requiring consistent snow removal efforts.
Modest pace of new commercial development compared to larger surrounding suburbs.

Dive Deeper

Key figures side by side — see which city wins each category at a glance.

Aschersleben
#15
Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
66.3 / 100 overall
Avg Rent
$570
Avg Salary
$51,300
Cost Index
65
Commute
min
Transit Score
—
Walkability
—
Sunny Days
268/yr
Avg Temp
51.50°F
Pop. Growth
%
Unemployment
9.00%
Livability
72
Business
70
View Full Profile
Swartz Creek
#146
Michigan, USA
65.3 / 100 overall
Avg Rent
$1,250
Avg Salary
$62,000
Cost Index
92
Commute
24 min
Transit Score
35.0/100
Walkability
48.0/100
Sunny Days
251/yr
Avg Temp
48.70°F
Pop. Growth
0.50%
Unemployment
4.30%
Livability
78
Business
68
View Full Profile

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