City profile · Michigan · Census ACS 2023

Sault Ste. Marie, MI

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

13,373
Residents
$55,031
Median income
$127,300
Median home
$1,066
Median rent (state)

Sault Ste. Marie - the verdict

Sault Ste. Marie ranks in the 27th percentile for household income and the 45th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

27th
percentile, household income
20th
percentile, home value
26th
percentile, median rent
45th
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: Sault Ste. Marie, MI

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 13,373 residents in Sault Ste. Marie, a small town within Michigan. Median household income here is $55,031 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 10.9%. Home values in Sault Ste. Marie run a median of $127,300, and the median resident age is 34.9 years. Educational attainment runs 24.1% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 59.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 4 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 94% from five years earlier. Sault Ste. Marie reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1510.1 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than 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. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,066 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $238 across Michigan, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Workers in Sault Ste. Marie report an average commute of 13.6 minutes, with 74.3% driving alone and 5.0% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 26.3 out of 100 (Very Low).

Population

13,373 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Michigan

Median Household Income

$55,031 /yr

Poverty 10.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Michigan average

How does Sault Ste. Marie compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 27% higher than other cities
Home value 20% pricier than other cities
Median rent 26% pricier than other cities
Safety 45% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Michigan and the picture shifts: Sault Ste. Marie ranks #157 of 254 Michigan cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

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 Sault Ste. Marie'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.

27thIncome percentile
45thSafety percentile

27th percentile nationally for median household income · 45th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Sault Ste. Marie's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Sault Ste. Marie'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 50 Avg. percentile National median
Sault Ste. Marie'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 Sault Ste. Marie's home value compares nationally

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

$127,300 Among the most affordable more affordable than 80% 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. Sault Ste. Marie $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 - Sault Ste. Marie, MI Sault Ste. Marie, MI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Sault Ste. Marie, 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 Sault Ste. Marie, MI median $55,031/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%
Sault Ste. Marie, 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 Sault Ste. Marie, MI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 24.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 10.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.7%

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

Population
13,373
Median Income
$55,031
Median Home Value
$127,300
Median Age
34.9
Poverty Rate
10.9%
Labor force participation
59.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
24.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1510.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
405.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1104.4
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.

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
13,000 residents13,100 residents13,200 residents13,300 residents13,400 residents 202020212022202320242025 13,357 residents 13,083 residents ▼ -2.1%
Sault Ste. Marie's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
4
housing units authorized
Single-Family
4
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 67
2020 0
2021 3
2022 2
2023 40
2024 4

Permit volume decreased 94% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
13.6 minutes
Drive Alone
74.3%
Carpool
8.0%
Public Transit
0.8%
Walk
6.7%
Work from Home
5.0%
Other
5.2%

Based on 6,666 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 Sault Ste. Marie sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.2
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,066/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
26.3 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Michigan

Ionia
12,950 people
Rochester
12,939 people
Coldwater
13,847 people
Woodhaven
12,761 people
Melvindale
12,605 people
Escanaba
12,374 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Sault Ste. Marie's 13,373 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Chino Valley, AZ
13,372 people
Blue Ash, OH
13,374 people
Pottsville, PA
13,374 people
Moody, AL
13,378 people
Washington, PA
13,361 people
Salisbury, NY
13,388 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Sault Ste. Marie's $55,031 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Sunrise Manor, NV
$55,034 median income
Coral, PA
$55,025 median income
Chickasha, OK
$55,039 median income
Rice Lake, WI
$55,040 median income
Manchester, TN
$55,019 median income
Tolleson, AZ
$55,015 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Sault Ste. Marie, 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 Sault Ste. Marie, MI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 70.0% 13.2% 13.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.2% White 70.0% Black or African American 1.1% Asian 1.2% American Indian 13.2% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 0.9% Two or more races 13.6% 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 Sault Ste. Marie 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
Sault Ste. Marie (this city) 13,373 $55,031
Ionia 12,950 $60,729
Rochester 12,939 $104,920
Coldwater 13,847 $50,084
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MI FBI UCR Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Sault Ste. Marie, MI?

What is the population of Sault Ste. Marie, MI? +

Sault Ste. Marie, MI counts 13,373 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Sault Ste. Marie, MI? +

Median annual household income in Sault Ste. Marie runs $55,031, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Sault Ste. Marie? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Sault Ste. Marie; 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 Sault Ste. Marie, MI safe? +

Sault Ste. Marie has a total crime rate of 1510.1 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 Sault Ste. Marie, MI? +

Homes in Sault Ste. Marie carry a median value of $127,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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

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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.