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Place dossier plate
SheetMI-IMLAY-CITY-MI · Imlay City, MI 3,706 pop · income 27th pct
Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.
Income neighbourhood around Imlay City
Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Imlay City on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.
median HH income
Aurora · lowest
46,733
Aurora · lowest
46,733 median HH income
52.7% of the leader · rank #1
Imlay City · this city
55,061
Imlay City · this city
55,061 median HH income
62.1% of the leader · rank #2
Bethany · near
55,063
Bethany · near
55,063 median HH income
62.1% of the leader · rank #3
Princeton · near
55,066
Princeton · near
55,066 median HH income
62.1% of the leader · rank #4
Rosebud · near
55,066
Rosebud · near
55,066 median HH income
62.1% of the leader · rank #5
Pomeroy · near
55,069
Pomeroy · near
55,069 median HH income
62.1% of the leader · rank #6
Beechwood · highest
88,653
Beechwood · highest
88,653 median HH income
100.0% of the leader · rank #7
What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by population, income, and FBI crime rate
Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Imlay City on ACS population and median household income
, plus FBI UCR reporting rate when the extract covers this place. Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.
Similar population
Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 3,706.
Agency-reported UCR totals per 100,000 population, not a neighborhood safety grade or a prediction of personal risk.
Imlay City - the verdict
Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Imlay City lands in the 27th percentile for household income and the 52nd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.
27th
percentile, household income
23rd
percentile, home value
32nd
percentile, median rent
52nd
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: Imlay City, MI
Census ACS 2023 estimates count 3,706 residents in Imlay City, a small town within Michigan. Median household income here is $55,061 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 20.8%. Typical homes in Imlay City are valued around $137,800, and the median resident age is 35.3 years. About 11.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 62.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.
Imlay City reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1303.9 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).
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 $1,113 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $238 across Michigan, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Workers in Imlay City report an average commute of 29.2 minutes, with 78.8% driving alone and 1.1% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 49.6 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Low).
A decision-led reading path
Useful questions to ask of Imlay City's data
How this reading path is ordered
This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from work and mobility to housing and income to comparison shortlist to reported crime to schools and households to population change; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.
For Imlay City, city-specific coverage includes FBI reported-crime rates, annual population history, matched public-school count, commute-mode shares.
No matched row is reported here for within-city Census tract profiles, local building permits; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.
Question 1
What does the journey to work look like in Imlay City?
Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 78.8%. The reported mean trip to work is 29.2 minutes.
Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. No single mode completely explains the work trip here. The mix is more useful than a one-number commute grade, especially when comparing places where transit, walking, and remote work divide the non-driving share differently.
How far does income reach against housing in Imlay City?
This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Income and home value move within the same broad scale here. The useful next check is not a generic affordability label, but whether similar-size cities offer a materially different income, housing, or commute trade-off.
The home-value-to-income reference sits in a middle range: the ACS median home value is 2.5 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 20.8%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.
Which cities make useful reference points for Imlay City?
Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching. The nationwide peer panel below adds a fourth FBI UCR reporting-rate lens, not personal risk.
Within Michigan, the closest population matches are Cedar Springs (3,661 residents, $56,711 income); Romeo (3,654 residents, $73,500 income); Plainwell (3,764 residents, $65,846 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are West End-Cobb, AL (3,705 residents); Echols County, GA (3,705 residents); Lenwood, CA (3,708 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.
What can the FBI record say about safety in Imlay City?
The joined FBI UCR record reports 1303.9 violent and property crimes per 100,000 residents, below the 2280.5 national reference used here. The difference is 43% lower in arithmetic terms, but agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies.
Treat this as a reporting-rate comparison, not a prediction of personal risk or a neighborhood-level safety grade. Tourism, daytime population, reporting practices, and variation inside the city are not adjusted away. The state rank and same-state peer table are the narrower comparisons available on this page.
These joined records add useful context, but they do not need another full-size panel. Each remains a separate measure with its own geography and source boundary.
Schools and households
What does the education layer cover for Imlay City?
The city has a broader matched school footprint, but count alone does not describe performance, capacity, program availability, or attendance boundaries. This profile deliberately avoids converting it into an unsupported family-friendliness score.
The NCES join finds 5 public schools within the city match. 11.6% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher in the ACS estimate. These measures answer different questions: the school count describes local institutions, while adult attainment describes residents and cannot be used as a school-quality rating.
Poverty estimate
20.8%
Bachelor's degree+
11.6%
Matched public schools
5
NCES Common Core of Data school locations plus Census ACS resident characteristics.
Is Imlay City growing, shrinking, or holding steady?
Census PEP estimates show the population grew by +61 residents from 2020 to 2025, a +1.7% change. No comparable local building-permit series is available here, so population change should not be read as a housing-supply measure. PEP and ACS are different Census series, so the trend is kept separate from the headline ACS population.
Recent estimates point upward. Growth can increase housing demand and service needs, but the permit record must move in the same direction before calling it a supply response; the two series measure different things.
2020 estimate
3,692
2025 estimate
3,753
Period change
+1.7%
Census Population Estimates Program, 2020–2025; permit context uses Census BPS.
Below median income · poverty 20.8% (High poverty)
Cost of Living Index (state)
96.2 (US=100)
Near national cost · BEA RPP 2024, Michigan average
F
City profile score · Imlay City, MI
27/100
5 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023
Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians
(income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when
published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability
rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out
and redistribute weight.
How it is calculated.
Cost of living C
96.2 index
BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.
Household income F
$55,061
Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.
Violent crime F
346 /100k
FBI UCR violent offenses per 100,000 residents; lower is stronger on this axis.
Poverty rate F
20.8%
Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.
Bachelor's+ share F
11.6%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.
Imlay City profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)Read the chart values
Cost of living: 57/100 (C) · 96.2 index
Household income: 27/100 (F) · $55,061
Violent crime: 26/100 (F) · 346 /100k
Poverty rate: 12/100 (F) · 20.8%
Bachelor's+ share: 11/100 (F) · 11.6%
Where Imlay City sits on home value vs crime among peer cities
Imlay City's median home value and FBI crime rate plotted with similar-size and
same-state peers (padded with large cities when the peer set is thin). The second
read: pricey does not always mean safer, check which quadrant this city lands in.
Census ACS median home value vs FBI UCR crime rate - Imlay City highlighted among 25 peers.Read the chart values
Imlay City, MI (this city): home $137,800, crime 1,304/100k
Romeo, MI : home $245,700, crime 349/100k
Plainwell, MI : home $191,100, crime 1,446/100k
Williamston, MI : home $215,000, crime 319/100k
Portland, MI : home $165,000, crime 448/100k
New York, NY : home $751,700, crime 3,039/100k
Los Angeles, CA : home $879,500, crime 2,212/100k
Chicago, IL : home $315,200, crime 4,012/100k
Houston, TX : home $253,400, crime 5,442/100k
Phoenix, AZ : home $381,900, crime 3,125/100k
Philadelphia, PA : home $232,400, crime 5,457/100k
San Antonio, TX : home $219,700, crime 5,218/100k
San Diego, CA : home $848,500, crime 2,082/100k
Dallas, TX : home $295,300, crime 4,010/100k
San Jose, CA : home $1,187,800, crime 3,195/100k
Austin, TX : home $512,700, crime 3,709/100k
Fort Worth, TX : home $277,300, crime 3,158/100k
Columbus, OH : home $234,500, crime 3,088/100k
Indianapolis, IN : home $207,000, crime 4,214/100k
San Francisco, CA : home $1,380,500, crime 4,526/100k
Seattle, WA : home $912,100, crime 5,783/100k
Denver, CO : home $586,700, crime 5,755/100k
Oklahoma City, OK : home $215,100, crime 3,570/100k
El Paso, TX : home $171,700, crime 1,772/100k
Washington, DC : home $724,600, crime 4,514/100k
How does Imlay City compare to other US cities?
Here's how Imlay City stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.
Household income27% higher than other cities
Home value23% pricier than other cities
Median rent32% pricier than other cities
Safety52% safer than other cities
"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.
National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Michigan, Imlay City ranks #134 of 254 Michigan cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.
How we calculate these percentiles & ranks
Each percentile compares Imlay City against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Michigan only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.
Michigan-relative analysis
Median Gross Rent places Imlay City near the bottom of Michigan's cities
Among the 727 Michigan cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Imlay City ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Imlay City only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.
Median Household Income
#440 of 718
39th percentile in Michigan
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 727
0th percentile in Michigan
Median Home Value
#399 of 721
45th percentile in Michigan
Poverty Rate
#68 of 727
91st percentile in Michigan
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#564 of 727
22nd percentile in Michigan
How in-state ranks are ordered
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.
Gauge source note
27th percentile nationally for median household income · 52nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.
Imlay City's profile vs. every US city
Income, affordability, and safety percentile
Imlay City'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 Imlay City's home value compares nationally
Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)
$137,800Among the most affordablemore affordable than 77% of 15,600 US cities
Show national distribution
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
Imlay City's home-value-to-income ratio: 2.5×
ACS median home value divided by median household income.
Band
affordable
< 3.0×
National rank
#4,005 of 15,516
More affordable than 74% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#3,607 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)
At 2.5×, Imlay City sits in the affordable band:
national rank #4,005 of 15,516 and #3,607 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000).
The multiple is comparatively compact among tracked cities, but a low ratio can still coexist with slow demand or household-level hardship.
How this ratio is calculated
Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000.
Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0).
This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.
Income distribution context
$55,061Imlay City, MI median household income (Census ACS)
Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Imlay City, MI median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Imlay City, MI.
Key socioeconomic indicators
Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+)11.6%
Census ACS S1501, educational attainment
Poverty rate (households below FPL)20.8%
Census ACS S1701, poverty status
Labor force participation (adults 16+)62.7%
Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force
Population
3,706
Median Income
$55,061
Median Home Value
$137,800
Median Age
35.3
Poverty Rate
20.8%
Labor force participation
62.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
11.6%
Safety & Crime
Total Crime Rate
1303.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
345.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
958.0
per 100,000 residents
Crime reporting caveat
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
PEP vintage
Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025
Imlay City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.Read the chart as text
Period
Population
2020
3,692 residents
2021
3,704 residents
2022
3,711 residents
2023
3,729 residents
2024
3,741 residents
2025
3,753 residents
Commute Patterns
Commute source
How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023
Average Commute Time
29.2 minutes
Drive Alone
78.8%
Carpool
18.2%
Public Transit
1.9%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
1.1%
Based on 1,776 workers 16 and over.
Monthly Utility Costs
Michigan statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $238
EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Michigan at $238 (electricity about $105 , water and sewer about $48 ).
These are Michigan statewide averages, not a meter reading for Imlay City. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.
Living Costs & Risk
Michigan's BEA cost-of-living index is 96.2 (Below Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Imlay City is $1,113/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Michigan statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 49.6 / 100 (Low).
Cost/risk geography note
Cost of living is a Michigan statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Imlay City sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.
How Imlay City compares to similar-size Michigan cities
Same-state peer method
Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.
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.