Living in Southfield
Southfield is the Oakland County city just north of Detroit's 8 Mile, with brick ranches and mid-century homes from the 1950s and 60s, a big park system and quick access to the Lodge, I-696 and Telegraph. This guide covers what homes sell for, how your tax bill depends on the street you pick, what's nearby and what to check before you buy.
Where is Southfield?
Southfield covers about 26 square miles of southern Oakland County, from 8 Mile Road north to about 13 Mile, between Inkster Road and Greenfield. Detroit and Redford Township are to the south, Farmington Hills to the west and Oak Park, Berkley and Royal Oak to the east, and the separate city of Lathrup Village sits inside it.
Southfield uses four street ZIP codes. 48076 covers the northeast and central-east part of the city, roughly Lahser to Greenfield from about 10½ Mile up to 13 Mile, and also covers Lathrup Village; 48075 is the southeast, 48033 the southwest and 48034 the northwest.
What do homes in Southfield cost?
Realcomp's closed-sale data shows 602 Southfield homes sold between October 2025 and September 2026 at a median price of $245,000, unchanged from the year before. The typical home sold in 18 days at full asking price, with about 4.1 months of supply. Source: Realcomp II Ltd. Statistics compiled from Realcomp data.
On November 6, 2026 there were 208 homes for sale in Southfield on the MLS, 142 of them single-family houses with a median asking price of $285,000. Asking prices ran from $130,000 to $729,000.
Southfield grew mostly in the 1950s and 60s and became a city in 1958. SEMCOG's building data counts 17,022 single-family homes with an average year built of 1961 and an average size of about 1,789 square feet, larger than most inner-ring suburbs.
What are property taxes in Southfield?
Southfield taxes a primary residence at 50.6993 to 58.1881 mills, depending on the school district (2025 Michigan Treasury millage). Taxable value after a sale is roughly half the price, so a $350,000 home carries a bill of about $8,872 to $10,183 a year. The seller's bill on the listing is usually lower because their value was capped.
Southfield is split between several school districts. Most homes are in Southfield Public Schools at 57.0201 mills, while parts of the city are in the Birmingham district (51.8496) or Oak Park (52.1169), and some streets carry shared-district rates of 50.6993 or 58.1881. On a $350,000 home that spread is worth about $1,300 a year. The full breakdown is on the Southfield tax page.
Does Southfield have historic districts?
Yes, including two mid-century subdivisions on the National Register of Historic Places. Northland Gardens, listed in 2020, is 117 houses on Westland, Westhampton, Rutland and Westover between Southfield Road and the Lodge, built from 1956 to 1967 by the real estate arm of J.L. Hudson's. Plumbrooke Estates, listed in 2019, is 95 houses on cul-de-sacs off Plumbrooke Drive north of 9 Mile, built from 1961.
The Burgh, the city's original crossroads at Civic Center Drive and Berg Road, has been a local historic district since 1976, and the city designates individual landmarks through its Historic District Commission. Before buying an older house, ask whether it is designated, since that can affect exterior changes.
What is near Southfield: parks, shops and things to do?
Southfield's park system covers 774 acres at 33 sites. The municipal campus at 26000 Evergreen holds Civic Center Park with the nine-hole Evergreen Hills golf course, an indoor ice arena, tennis and pickleball courts, and the Southfield Pavilion for concerts and expos. The 127,000-square-foot Southfield Public Library is next door, and the Mary Thompson Farm, an 1840 farmhouse with community gardens, is just south.
Beech Woods Park on Beech Road added a new accessible playground and a pond shelter in 2025, and the Valley Woods and Carpenter Lake nature preserves have trails and fishing. The former Beech Woods golf course is becoming Southfield Oaks, an Oakland County park planned for 2027. Burgh Historical Park has an 1872 town hall museum and hosts summer gazebo concerts, and the city runs free Friday concerts on the municipal campus lawn each summer.
In 48076, Evergreen Plaza at 12 Mile and Evergreen has a Kroger, and House of Falafel opened on Evergreen in December 2025. Joe Louis Southern Kitchen opened on Northwestern Highway the same month. The old Northland Center mall at 8 Mile and Greenfield is being rebuilt as Northland City Center, with apartments and ground-floor shops. Businesses open and close, so check hours before you go.
What should you check before buying in Southfield?
Confirm the school district for the exact address, since it changes the tax rate. If you plan to rent the house out, Southfield requires one- and two-family rentals to be registered and inspected every three years. The Lodge Freeway (M-10), I-696 and Telegraph all run through the city, and SMART buses run on Northwestern Highway, Telegraph, Southfield Road, Greenfield and the Mile roads.
Southfield water tested below detection for lead at the 90th percentile in the latest state monitoring, and the average radon test in Southfield ZIP codes was 1.58 pCi/L. Those are citywide screens; test the home itself and check the service line material during your inspection.
Working with Sean in Southfield
Sean Walker is a Realtor with Match Realty in Detroit. Before you make an offer in Southfield, Sean will show you your tax bill for the exact school district, your monthly payment and recent sales on the street. Call or text (248) 613-3218.
Common questions
What is the median home price in Southfield, MI?
$245,000 for the 602 homes that sold between October 2025 and September 2026, per Realcomp II Ltd. closed-sale data. The median asking price today: $285,000 median asking price across 142 single-family homes for sale on November 6, 2026, from the Realcomp MLS.
What is the property tax rate in Southfield, MI?
Between 50.6993 and 58.1881 mills for a primary residence in 2025, depending on the school district; most homes are in Southfield Public Schools at 57.0201 mills.
What part of Southfield is 48076?
The northeast and central-east part of the city, roughly Lahser to Greenfield from about 10½ Mile to 13 Mile, plus Lathrup Village.
Does Southfield have historic neighborhoods?
Yes. Northland Gardens and Plumbrooke Estates, two mid-century subdivisions, are on the National Register of Historic Places, and the Burgh has been a local historic district since 1976.