City profile · Michigan · Census ACS 2023

Petoskey, MI

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

5,851
Residents
$71,783
Median income
$319,300
Median home
$1,235
Median rent (state)

Petoskey - the verdict

Nationally, Petoskey sits in the 52nd percentile for household income and the 77th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

52nd
percentile, household income
68th
percentile, home value
40th
percentile, median rent
77th
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: Petoskey, MI

5,851 people live in Petoskey, Michigan - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Petoskey brings in $71,783 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.2%. Typical homes in Petoskey are valued around $319,300, and the median resident age is 42.9 years. About 52.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 63.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Petoskey reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 685.1 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Petoskey's yearly average temperature at 44.4°F with 34.2 inches of precipitation per year and 123.6 inches of snowfall.

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 $1,235 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Michigan's average monthly utility costs around $238 (state average). The average commute for Petoskey workers runs 14.4 minutes, with 63.0% driving alone and 9.4% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 38.1 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

5,851 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Michigan

Median Household Income

$71,783 /yr

Poverty 5.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Michigan average

How does Petoskey compare to other US cities?

Where Petoskey sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 52% higher than other cities
Home value 68% pricier than other cities
Median rent 40% pricier than other cities
Safety 77% 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, Petoskey ranks #65 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 Petoskey'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.

52ndIncome percentile
77thSafety percentile

52nd percentile nationally for median household income · 77th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Petoskey's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Petoskey'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 58 Avg. percentile National median
Petoskey'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 Petoskey's home value compares nationally

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

$319,300 32nd percentile more affordable than 32% 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%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Petoskey $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 - Petoskey, MI Petoskey, MI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Petoskey, 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 Petoskey, MI median $71,783/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%
Petoskey, 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 Petoskey, MI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 52.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 63.8%

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

Population
5,851
Median Income
$71,783
Median Home Value
$319,300
Median Age
42.9
Poverty Rate
5.2%
Labor force participation
63.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
52.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
685.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
119.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
565.2
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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
44.4°F
Annual Precipitation
34.2"
Annual Snowfall
123.6"

Schools

Total Schools
8
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
5,750 residents5,800 residents5,850 residents5,900 residents 202020212022202320242025 5,861 residents 5,772 residents ▼ -1.5%
Petoskey's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
14.4 minutes
Drive Alone
63.0%
Carpool
11.1%
Public Transit
0.5%
Walk
12.4%
Work from Home
9.4%
Other
3.6%

Based on 3,032 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 Petoskey sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.2
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,235/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
38.1 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Michigan

Swartz Creek
5,856 people
Richmond
5,839 people
Buena Vista
5,904 people
Houghton Lake
5,761 people
Belding
5,949 people
Holly
5,971 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Petoskey's 5,851 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Rincon Valley, AZ
5,851 people
Woodstock, VA
5,851 people
Harris Hill, NY
5,853 people
Eagleton, TN
5,849 people
Bartonville, IL
5,854 people
Lemoore Station, CA
5,847 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Petoskey's $71,783 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Ashland, OR
$71,782 median income
Stateburg, SC
$71,781 median income
Kempton, IL
$71,786 median income
Patterson, IA
$71,786 median income
Gasport, NY
$71,780 median income
Newburg, WI
$71,786 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Petoskey, 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 Petoskey, MI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 89.9% 6.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.5% White 89.9% Black or African American 1.1% Asian 1.2% American Indian 1.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.3% Two or more races 6.4% 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 Petoskey 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
Petoskey (this city) 5,851 $71,783
Swartz Creek 5,856 $73,862
Richmond 5,839 $61,715
Buena Vista 5,904 $38,835
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MI FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Petoskey, MI?

What is the population of Petoskey, MI? +

Petoskey, MI counts 5,851 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Petoskey is $71,783 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Petoskey? +

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

Petoskey has a total crime rate of 685.1 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 Petoskey, MI? +

Petoskey's median home value sits at $319,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Petoskey? +

The average annual temperature in Petoskey runs 44.4°F, 34.2 inches of precipitation, and 123.6 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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.

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.