City profile · Michigan · Census ACS 2023

Fair Plain, MI

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

6,992
Residents
$55,536
Median income
$147,800
Median home
$1,016
Median rent (state)

Fair Plain - the verdict

Fair Plain ranks in the 28th percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

28th
percentile, household income
26th
percentile, home value
21st
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: Fair Plain, MI

Fair Plain is a small town in Michigan, home to 6,992 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Fair Plain households earn a median of $55,536 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 13.3%. Fair Plain's housing stock carries a median value of $147,800, and the median resident age is 42.5 years. 24.5% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 53.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

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. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,016 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $238 across Michigan, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 60.5 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Moderate).

Population

6,992 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Michigan

Median Household Income

$55,536 /yr

Poverty 13.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Michigan average

How does Fair Plain compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 28% higher than other cities
Home value 26% pricier than other cities
Median rent 21% 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

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 Fair Plain'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.

28thIncome percentile

28th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Fair Plain's home value compares nationally

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

$147,800 Among the most affordable more affordable than 74% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Fair Plain $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 - Fair Plain, MI Fair Plain, MI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Fair Plain, 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 Fair Plain, MI median $55,536/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%
Fair Plain, 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 Fair Plain, MI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 24.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 13.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 53.9%

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

Population
6,992
Median Income
$55,536
Median Home Value
$147,800
Median Age
42.5
Poverty Rate
13.3%
Labor force participation
53.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
24.5%

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
83.5%
Carpool
7.4%
Public Transit
1.3%
Walk
0.7%
Work from Home
5.0%
Other
2.1%

Based on 3,077 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 Fair Plain sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.2
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,016/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
60.5 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Michigan

St. Louis
6,926 people
River Rouge
7,092 people
Bridgeport
6,841 people
Byron Center
6,817 people
Marshall
6,797 people
South Monroe
6,771 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Fair Plain's 6,992 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Rockland, ME
6,991 people
Kosciusko, MS
6,994 people
Milltown, NJ
6,994 people
Plymouth Meeting, PA
6,990 people
Midland Park, NJ
6,996 people
Spring Lake Park, MN
6,997 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Fair Plain's $55,536 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Ironton, MN
$55,536 median income
Harwick, PA
$55,536 median income
Lake of the Woods, AZ
$55,531 median income
Myrtletown, CA
$55,543 median income
Brookfield, MO
$55,543 median income
Mocksville, NC
$55,544 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Fair Plain, 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 Fair Plain, MI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 51.3% 38.6% 6.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.3% White 51.3% Black or African American 38.6% Asian 1.8% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.6% Two or more races 6.6% 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 Fair Plain 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
Fair Plain (this city) 6,992 $55,536
St. Louis 6,926 $46,096
River Rouge 7,092 $32,568
Bridgeport 6,841 $47,325
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MI OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Fair Plain, MI?

What is the population of Fair Plain, MI? +

The population of Fair Plain, MI stands at 6,992 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Fair Plain, MI? +

The median household income in Fair Plain is $55,536 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Fair Plain? +

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

A typical home in Fair Plain is worth $147,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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

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.