City profile · Michigan · Census ACS 2023

Bay City, MI

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Bay City - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

32,445
Residents
$47,904
Median income
$89,900
Median home
$1,030
Median rent (state)

Bay City - the verdict

Nationally, Bay City sits in the 16th percentile for household income and the 23rd percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

16th
percentile, household income
6th
percentile, home value
22nd
percentile, median rent
23rd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Bay City, MI

32,445 people live in Bay City, Michigan - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Bay City brings in $47,904 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 15.2%. Bay City's housing stock carries a median value of $89,900, and the median resident age is 39.7 years. Educational attainment runs 18.2% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 56.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 0 residential units were authorized in 2024 (No Permits), down 100% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 2432.0 incidents per 100,000 residents, near the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Michigan run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Michigan at 96.2 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,030 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Michigan run around $238, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 19.4 minutes, with 80.5% driving alone and 6.8% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 78.2 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

32,445 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Michigan

Median Household Income

$47,904 /yr

Poverty 15.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Michigan average

How does Bay City compare to other US cities?

Here's how Bay City stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 16% higher than other cities
Home value 6% pricier than other cities
Median rent 22% pricier than other cities
Safety 23% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Michigan alone, Bay City ranks #202 of 254 Michigan cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Bay City's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Michigan, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

16thIncome percentile
23rdSafety percentile

16th percentile nationally for median household income · 23rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Bay City's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Bay City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 42 Avg. percentile National median
Bay City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Bay City's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$89,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 94% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Bay City $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Bay City, MI Bay City, MI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Bay City, MI-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Bay City, MI median $47,904/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Bay City, MI's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Bay City, MI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 18.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 15.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 56.4%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
32,445
Median Income
$47,904
Median Home Value
$89,900
Median Age
39.7
Poverty Rate
15.2%
Labor force participation
56.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
18.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2432.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
564.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1867.9
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
19
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
31,500 residents32,000 residents32,500 residents33,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 32,618 residents 31,868 residents ▼ -2.3%
Bay City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 23
2020 80
2021 0
2022 0
2023 0
2024 0

Permit volume decreased 100% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
19.4 minutes
Drive Alone
80.5%
Carpool
7.6%
Public Transit
0.6%
Walk
2.9%
Work from Home
6.8%
Other
1.6%

Based on 14,616 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Michigan - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$85
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$238
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Michigan state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Michigan state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Bay City sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.2
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,030/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
78.2 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Michigan

Jackson
31,206 people
Eastpointe
34,003 people
Holland
34,266 people
Southgate
29,551 people
Burton
29,529 people
Oak Park
29,370 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Bay City's 32,445 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Fallbrook, CA
32,467 people
Garfield, NJ
32,502 people
Garner, NC
32,543 people
Des Moines, WA
32,545 people
Florence, KY
32,334 people
Aiken, SC
32,334 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Bay City's $47,904 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Nebo, NC
$47,907 median income
Westmont, CA
$47,899 median income
Ocala Estates, FL
$47,895 median income
South Bradenton, FL
$47,914 median income
Palermo, CA
$47,893 median income
Crane, MO
$47,892 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Bay City, MI Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Bay City, MI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 86.5% 8.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 10.7% White 86.5% Black or African American 2.7% Asian 0.5% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.2% Some other race 1.0% Two or more races 8.9% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Bay City compares to nearby Michigan cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Bay City (this city) 32,445 $47,904
Jackson 31,206 $42,848
Eastpointe 34,003 $58,196
Holland 34,266 $72,905
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MI FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Bay City, MI?

What is the population of Bay City, MI? +

32,445 people live in Bay City, MI according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Bay City, MI? +

The median household income in Bay City is $47,904 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Bay City? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Bay City; the closest available measure is the Michigan state average, a cost of living index of 96.2 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Michigan vary by metro area.

Is Bay City, MI safe? +

Bay City has a total crime rate of 2432.0 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Bay City, MI? +

A typical home in Bay City is worth $89,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.