City profile · Michigan · Census ACS 2023

Coldwater, MI

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

13,847
Residents
$50,084
Median income
$120,900
Median home
$973
Median rent (state)

Coldwater - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Coldwater places in the 20th percentile for household income and the 43rd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

20th
percentile, household income
18th
percentile, home value
12th
percentile, median rent
43rd
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: Coldwater, MI

Michigan's Coldwater is a small town, with 13,847 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Coldwater brings in $50,084 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 11.6%. Typical homes in Coldwater are valued around $120,900, and the median resident age is 40.2 years. About 14.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 47.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 4 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 56% from five years earlier. Coldwater reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1581.2 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: the state registers 96.2 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $973 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Michigan run around $238, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. The average commute for Coldwater workers runs 15.4 minutes, with 76.6% driving alone and 4.4% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 51.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Low).

Population

13,847 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Michigan

Median Household Income

$50,084 /yr

Poverty 11.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Michigan average

How does Coldwater compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 20% higher than other cities
Home value 18% pricier than other cities
Median rent 12% pricier than other cities
Safety 43% 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, Coldwater ranks #158 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 Coldwater'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.

20thIncome percentile
43rdSafety percentile

20th percentile nationally for median household income · 43rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Coldwater's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Coldwater'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 49 Avg. percentile National median
Coldwater'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 Coldwater's home value compares nationally

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

$120,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 82% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Coldwater $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 - Coldwater, MI Coldwater, MI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Coldwater, 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 Coldwater, MI median $50,084/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%
Coldwater, 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 Coldwater, MI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 14.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 47.6%

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

Population
13,847
Median Income
$50,084
Median Home Value
$120,900
Median Age
40.2
Poverty Rate
11.6%
Labor force participation
47.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
14.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1581.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
238.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1342.7
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
7
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
12,500 residents13,000 residents13,500 residents14,000 residents14,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 13,414 residents 14,216 residents ▲ +6.0%
Coldwater's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
4
housing units authorized
Single-Family
4
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 9
2020 5
2021 2
2022 320
2023 8
2024 4

Permit volume decreased 56% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
15.4 minutes
Drive Alone
76.6%
Carpool
13.7%
Public Transit
0.3%
Walk
3.5%
Work from Home
4.4%
Other
1.5%

Based on 5,243 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 Coldwater sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.2
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$973/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
51.8 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Michigan

Sault Ste. Marie
13,373 people
Fraser
14,604 people
Owosso
14,658 people
Ionia
12,950 people
Rochester
12,939 people
Woodhaven
12,761 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Coldwater's 13,847 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Beachwood, OH
13,850 people
Sauk Rapids, MN
13,851 people
Channahon, IL
13,854 people
Lyndhurst, OH
13,854 people
Valencia West, AZ
13,834 people
North Auburn, CA
13,833 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Coldwater's $50,084 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Augusta, WI
$50,080 median income
Ash Grove, MO
$50,078 median income
Erwin, NC
$50,077 median income
Stevens, PA
$50,077 median income
Knightsville, IN
$50,096 median income
Bulls Gap, TN
$50,066 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Coldwater, 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 Coldwater, MI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 84.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9.0% White 84.0% Black or African American 5.0% Asian 0.3% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 4.5% Two or more races 5.8% 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 Coldwater 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
Coldwater (this city) 13,847 $50,084
Sault Ste. Marie 13,373 $55,031
Fraser 14,604 $61,118
Owosso 14,658 $53,702
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MI FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Coldwater, MI?

What is the population of Coldwater, MI? +

Coldwater, MI has a population of 13,847 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Coldwater is $50,084 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Coldwater? +

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

Coldwater has a total crime rate of 1581.2 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 Coldwater, MI? +

A typical home in Coldwater is worth $120,900, 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

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.