City profile · Michigan · Census ACS 2023

Big Bay, MI

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

307
Residents
$48,672
Median income
$261,400
Median home
$1,137
Median rent (state)

Big Bay - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Big Bay lands in the 17th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

17th
percentile, household income
58th
percentile, home value
31st
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Big Bay, MI

307 people live in Big Bay, Michigan - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $48,672 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 0.0%. Typical homes in Big Bay are valued around $261,400, and the median resident age is 53.2 years. About 37.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 32.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

NOAA puts Big Bay's yearly average temperature at 41.8°F with 32.8 inches of precipitation per year and 132.3 inches of snowfall.

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). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,137 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $238 across Michigan, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. The average commute for Big Bay workers runs 24.3 minutes, with 62.2% driving alone and 0.0% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 69.8 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Moderate).

Population

307 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Michigan

Median Household Income

$48,672 /yr

Poverty 0.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Michigan average

How does Big Bay compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 17% higher than other cities
Home value 58% pricier than other cities
Median rent 31% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Big Bay against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Michigan only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Michigan-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Big Bay near the bottom of Michigan's cities

Among the 727 Michigan cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Big Bay ranks #661 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Big Bay only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#549 of 718
24th percentile in Michigan
Median Gross Rent
#389 of 727
45th percentile in Michigan
Median Home Value
#111 of 721
85th percentile in Michigan
Poverty Rate
#661 of 727
0th percentile in Michigan
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#135 of 727
81st percentile in Michigan

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Michigan only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

17thIncome percentile

17th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Big Bay's home value compares nationally

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

$261,400 42nd percentile more affordable than 42% 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%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Big Bay $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 - Big Bay, MI Big Bay, MI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Big Bay, 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 Big Bay, MI median $48,672/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%
Big Bay, 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 Big Bay, MI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 37.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 32.7%

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

Population
307
Median Income
$48,672
Median Home Value
$261,400
Median Age
53.2
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Labor force participation
32.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
37.9%

Climate

Avg Temperature
41.8°F
Annual Precipitation
32.8"
Annual Snowfall
132.3"

Schools

Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
24.3 minutes
Drive Alone
62.2%
Carpool
0.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
37.8%
Work from Home
0.0%

Based on 82 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 Big Bay sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.2
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,137/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
69.8 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Michigan

Alba
304 people
Eastlake
304 people
Akron
312 people
Beal
312 people
Glen Arbor
313 people
Boyne Falls
315 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Big Bay's 307 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Shirley, AR
307 people
City of Creede, CO
307 people
Needmore, IN
307 people
Norway, IN
307 people
Sandborn, IN
307 people
Cantril, IA
307 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Big Bay's $48,672 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

West City, IL
$48,672 median income
Wyaconda, MO
$48,672 median income
Shrewsbury, WV
$48,674 median income
Brownsville, TX
$48,675 median income
Glennville, GA
$48,681 median income
Hopewell, VA
$48,681 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Big Bay, 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 Big Bay, MI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 93.5% 6.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.0% White 93.5% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 6.5% 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 Big Bay 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
Big Bay (this city) 307 $48,672
Alba 304 $91,458
Eastlake 304 $50,139
Akron 312 $57,500
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MI NOAA Normals NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Big Bay, MI?

What is the population of Big Bay, MI? +

The population of Big Bay, MI stands at 307 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Big Bay, the typical household earns $48,672 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Big Bay? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Big Bay; 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.

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

Homes in Big Bay carry a median value of $261,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Big Bay? +

Big Bay has an average annual temperature of 41.8°F, 32.8 inches of precipitation, and 132.3 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, 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.