City profile · Michigan · Census ACS 2023

Belding, MI

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

5,949
Residents
$55,895
Median income
$152,700
Median home
$1,209
Median rent (state)

Belding - the verdict

Nationally, Belding sits in the 29th percentile for household income and the 66th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

29th
percentile, household income
28th
percentile, home value
37th
percentile, median rent
66th
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: Belding, MI

5,949 people live in Belding, Michigan - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Belding households earn a median of $55,895 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.4%. Home values in Belding run a median of $152,700, and the median resident age is 37.2 years. About 15.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 56.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Belding reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 953.0 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Michigan run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Michigan scores 96.2 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,209 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Michigan's average monthly utility costs around $238 (state average). The average commute for Belding workers runs 26.9 minutes, with 87.2% driving alone and 1.1% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 55.9 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Moderate).

Population

5,949 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Michigan

Median Household Income

$55,895 /yr

Poverty 11.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Michigan average

How does Belding compare to other US cities?

Belding measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 29% higher than other cities
Home value 28% pricier than other cities
Median rent 37% pricier than other cities
Safety 66% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Michigan and the picture shifts: Belding ranks #98 of 254 Michigan cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

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 Belding'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.

29thIncome percentile
66thSafety percentile

29th percentile nationally for median household income · 66th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Belding's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Belding'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 54 Avg. percentile National median
Belding'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 Belding's home value compares nationally

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

$152,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 72% 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%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Belding $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 - Belding, MI Belding, MI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Belding, 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 Belding, MI median $55,895/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%
Belding, 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 Belding, MI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 15.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 56.7%

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

Population
5,949
Median Income
$55,895
Median Home Value
$152,700
Median Age
37.2
Poverty Rate
11.4%
Labor force participation
56.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
15.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
953.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
351.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
601.9
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
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
5,940 residents5,960 residents5,980 residents6,000 residents6,020 residents 202020212022202320242025 5,947 residents 6,000 residents ▲ +0.9%
Belding's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
26.9 minutes
Drive Alone
87.2%
Carpool
7.8%
Public Transit
1.6%
Walk
2.3%
Work from Home
1.1%

Based on 2,639 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 Belding sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.2
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,209/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
55.9 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Michigan

Holly
5,971 people
Buena Vista
5,904 people
Swartz Creek
5,856 people
Petoskey
5,851 people
Richmond
5,839 people
Milan
6,070 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Belding's 5,949 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Asbury, IA
5,949 people
Doney Park, AZ
5,947 people
Lucerne Valley, CA
5,946 people
Fulton, MD
5,946 people
Fort Shawnee, OH
5,952 people
Montrose-Ghent, OH
5,946 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Belding's $55,895 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Watervliet, NY
$55,897 median income
Blairsville, PA
$55,893 median income
Garrett, PA
$55,893 median income
Harlingen, TX
$55,891 median income
West Wareham, MA
$55,900 median income
Topeka, KS
$55,902 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Belding, 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 Belding, MI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 91.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 7.0% White 91.5% Black or African American 1.2% Asian 0.5% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.5% Two or more races 3.3% 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 Belding 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
Belding (this city) 5,949 $55,895
Holly 5,971 $61,221
Buena Vista 5,904 $38,835
Swartz Creek 5,856 $73,862
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MI FBI UCR NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Belding, MI?

What is the population of Belding, MI? +

Belding, MI counts 5,949 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Belding, MI? +

Belding households earn a median of $55,895 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Belding? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Belding; 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 Belding, MI safe? +

Belding has a total crime rate of 953.0 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 Belding, MI? +

Belding's median home value sits at $152,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, 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

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

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.