City · Michigan
Grayling, Michigan
Grayling, city, in Crawford County, Michigan. Grayling had 1,969 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 6.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,867 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,671 (±273). GEOID 2634640.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,969
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,867 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,671 ±273
Median household income
$32,545
±$7,502 (90% margin)
Michigan: $72,875
Median home value
$160,800
±$23,988 (90% margin)
Michigan: $231,600
Median gross rent
$788
±$119 (90% margin)
Michigan: $1,129
Where is Grayling and what county is it in?
Grayling is a city in Crawford County, Michigan. It covers 2.1 square miles of land, 911 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Grayling, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,969 people lived in Grayling on July 1, 2025, up 6.4% since 2020, faster than Michigan (+0.5%). The 2020 Census counted 1,867 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,671 (±273).
| Measure | Grayling | Crawford County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,671 ±273 | 13,369 | no clear change |
| Households | 755 ±129 | 6,231 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.04 ±0.26 | 2.12 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 833 ±139 | 10,330 | no clear change |
Grayling's population since 2000
From 1,952 in 2000 to 1,969 in 2025: up 0.9%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Grayling as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Grayling?
The median resident of Grayling is 43.4 years old; 16.5% are under 18 and 26.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 91.4%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 5.8%.
| Measure | Grayling | Crawford County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.4 ±8.2 | 51.6 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 16.5% ±4.4 pts | 17.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 26.6% ±4.5 pts | 27.3% | – |
| Male | 47.1% ±4.1 pts | 50.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.8% ±4.1 pts | 2.4% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 91.4% ±4.8 pts | 91.5% | +8.4 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±0.9 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 0.8% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.9% ±1.6 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.4% ±2.6 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.2% ±2.4 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.8% ±4.3 pts | 10.9% | – |
| With a disability | 31.1% ±8.1 pts | 23.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 8.4% ±3.6 pts | 5.1% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 84.8% ±5.7 pts | 91.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 14.4% ±5.4 pts | 20.3% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.1% ±2.4 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 86.2% ±4.6 pts | 86.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.5% ±0.5 pts | 1.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Grayling earn?
Half of Grayling's 755 households earn less than $32,545 a year (±$7,502), against $60,392 in Crawford County and $72,875 in Michigan. In 2015-2019 it was $33,075 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 31.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Grayling | Crawford County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $32,545 ±$7,502 | $60,392 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $46,204 ±$6,477 | $68,758 | – |
| Per capita income | $22,940 ±$2,842 | $31,873 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 31.9% ±7.6 pts | 14.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 31.9% ±16.7 pts | 18.0% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 33.5% ±7.6 pts | 14.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 90.1% ±5.1 pts | 95.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 83.6% ±7.1 pts | 89.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Grayling?
Owners occupy 42.1% of Grayling's occupied homes and renters 57.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $160,800 by its owner (±$23,988). The median renter pays $788 a month including utilities, and 40.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Grayling | Crawford County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $160,800 ±$23,988 | $163,000 | +$69,483 |
| Median gross rent | $788 ±$119 | $862 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 40.1% ±11.7 pts | 36.4% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,059 ±$140 | $1,190 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 42.1% ±9.1 pts | 79.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 57.9% ±9.1 pts | 20.4% | – |
| Housing units | 833 ±139 | 10,330 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±8.9 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.7% ±4.2 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 63.6% ±7.2 pts | 85.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.0% ±1.0 pts | 11.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±3.5 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.4% ±1.4 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 12.7% ±4.1 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 18.1% ±6.9 pts | 8.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Grayling work and get to work?
69.3% of Grayling's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 19.0 minutes.
| Measure | Grayling | Crawford County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 40.1% ±6.3 pts | 49.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% ±4.9 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 69.3% ±9.1 pts | 74.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 13.6% ±8.0 pts | 11.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 2.5% ±3.7 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Walked | 10.7% ±4.9 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 3.9% ±2.6 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 19.0 min ±7.2 | 25.7 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Grayling?
No census tract lies mostly in Grayling; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9602Crawford County | 3,244 | $64,771 |
| Tract 9603Crawford County | 4,052 | $49,583 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Grayling) · Census block assignment files
How does Grayling compare with other places in Michigan?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Grayling is the 7,734th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 252nd-most populous of 533 in Michigan.
Grayling ranks 1,350th of 1,354 places in Michigan with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 252nd | 533 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 49th | 1,281 |
| Residents per square mile | 370th | 1,356 |
| Median household income | 1,350th | 1,354 |
| Per capita income | 1,317th | 1,355 |
| Median home value | 1,014th | 1,354 |
| Median gross rent | 998th | 1,212 |
| Poverty rate | 27th | 1,213 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 1,107th | 1,350 |
| Median age | 661st | 1,356 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,345th | 1,356 |
| Travel time to work | 1,185th | 1,356 |
Grayling's figures with every place in Michigan (CSV)
Every place in Michigan, sortable · Compare Grayling with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Grayling?
18 of the 57 figures for Grayling on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Grayling are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Grayling.