City profile · Michigan · Census ACS 2023

Mason, MI

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

8,239
Residents
$79,521
Median income
$194,600
Median home
$1,268
Median rent (state)

Mason - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Mason places in the 61st percentile for household income and the 66th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

61st
percentile, household income
41st
percentile, home value
42nd
percentile, median rent
66th
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: Mason, MI

8,239 people live in Mason, Michigan - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Mason brings in $79,521 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 6.2%. Mason's housing stock carries a median value of $194,600, and the median resident age is 41.1 years. About 35.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 59.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 3 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 40% from five years earlier. Mason reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 936.6 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: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Michigan scores 96.2 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,268 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Michigan's average monthly utility costs around $238 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 87.2 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

8,239 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Michigan

Median Household Income

$79,521 /yr

Poverty 6.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Michigan average

How does Mason compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 61% higher than other cities
Home value 41% pricier than other cities
Median rent 42% pricier than other cities
Safety 66% 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, Mason ranks #95 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 Mason against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Michigan only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Michigan-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Mason toward the top of Michigan's cities

Among the 727 Michigan cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Mason ranks #158 - the 78th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Mason only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#140 of 718
81st percentile in Michigan
Median Gross Rent
#217 of 727
66th percentile in Michigan
Median Home Value
#232 of 721
68th percentile in Michigan
Poverty Rate
#431 of 727
40th percentile in Michigan
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#158 of 727
78th 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.

61stIncome percentile
66thSafety percentile

61st percentile nationally for median household income · 66th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Mason's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Mason'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 62 Avg. percentile National median
Mason'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 Mason's home value compares nationally

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

$194,600 Among the most affordable more affordable than 59% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Mason $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 - Mason, MI Mason, MI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Mason, 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 Mason, MI median $79,521/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%
Mason, 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 Mason, MI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 35.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.5%

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

Population
8,239
Median Income
$79,521
Median Home Value
$194,600
Median Age
41.1
Poverty Rate
6.2%
Labor force participation
59.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
35.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
936.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
160.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
776.4
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
9
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
8,150 residents8,200 residents8,250 residents8,300 residents 202020212022202320242025 8,271 residents 8,264 residents ▼ -0.1%
Mason's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
3
housing units authorized
Single-Family
3
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 5
2020 2
2021 3
2022 4
2023 6
2024 3

Permit volume decreased 40% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
79.2%
Carpool
5.6%
Public Transit
0.2%
Walk
1.0%
Work from Home
13.5%

Based on 3,955 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 Mason sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.2
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,268/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
87.2 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Michigan

Flushing
8,323 people
Houghton
8,341 people
Menominee
8,370 people
Whitmore Lake
8,083 people
Center Line
8,448 people
Hillsdale
8,013 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Mason's 8,239 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Rockton, IL
8,238 people
Dayton, NJ
8,241 people
Castle Shannon, PA
8,237 people
Mount Rainier, MD
8,235 people
Orange Beach, AL
8,244 people
Somers, WI
8,245 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Mason's $79,521 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Middleborough Center, MA
$79,520 median income
Gothenburg, NE
$79,519 median income
Terrace Heights, WA
$79,525 median income
Northglenn, CO
$79,530 median income
Northlake, SC
$79,531 median income
White Knoll, SC
$79,531 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Mason, 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 Mason, MI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 90.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.0% White 90.9% Black or African American 3.4% Asian 0.8% American Indian 0.5% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.1% Two or more races 3.4% 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 Mason 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
Mason (this city) 8,239 $79,521
Flushing 8,323 $77,372
Houghton 8,341 $35,417
Menominee 8,370 $49,646
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MI FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Mason, MI?

What is the population of Mason, MI? +

The population of Mason, MI stands at 8,239 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Mason, the typical household earns $79,521 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Mason? +

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

Mason has a total crime rate of 936.6 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 Mason, MI? +

A typical home in Mason is worth $194,600, 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

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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.