City profile · Michigan · Census ACS 2023

Shields, MI

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

7,276
Residents
$83,986
Median income
$173,300
Median home
$1,117
Median rent (state)

Shields - the verdict

Shields ranks in the 66th percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

66th
percentile, household income
35th
percentile, home value
30th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Shields, MI

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 7,276 residents in Shields, a small town within Michigan. Median household income here is $83,986 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.4%. Typical homes in Shields are valued around $173,300, and the median resident age is 48.6 years. Educational attainment runs 32.0% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 52.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

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. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,117 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $238 across Michigan, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 88.5 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

7,276 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Michigan

Median Household Income

$83,986 /yr

Poverty 11.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Michigan average

How does Shields compare to other US cities?

Shields measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 66% higher than other cities
Home value 35% pricier than other cities
Median rent 30% pricier than other cities

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

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 Shields'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.

66thIncome percentile

66th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Shields's home value compares nationally

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

$173,300 Among the most affordable more affordable than 65% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Shields $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 - Shields, MI Shields, MI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Shields, 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 Shields, MI median $83,986/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%
Shields, 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 Shields, MI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 32.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 52.1%

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

Population
7,276
Median Income
$83,986
Median Home Value
$173,300
Median Age
48.6
Poverty Rate
11.4%
Labor force participation
52.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
32.0%

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
86.6%
Carpool
3.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.9%
Work from Home
7.9%

Based on 3,063 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 Shields sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.2
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,117/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
88.5 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Michigan

Walled Lake
7,275 people
River Rouge
7,092 people
Iron Mountain
7,508 people
Hastings
7,515 people
Fair Plain
6,992 people
Freeland
7,562 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Shields's 7,276 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

West Samoset, FL
7,273 people
East Shoreham, NY
7,279 people
Flatwoods, KY
7,281 people
St. Rose, LA
7,271 people
Mims, FL
7,282 people
Elkins Park, PA
7,286 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Shields's $83,986 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Angleton, TX
$83,981 median income
Hopelawn, NJ
$83,977 median income
Oologah, OK
$83,977 median income
Molalla, OR
$83,996 median income
Burbank, IL
$83,975 median income
Sand Point, OK
$83,973 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Shields, 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 Shields, MI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 92.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.5% White 92.7% Black or African American 1.4% Asian 1.6% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.7% Two or more races 3.5% 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 Shields 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
Shields (this city) 7,276 $83,986
Walled Lake 7,275 $67,335
River Rouge 7,092 $32,568
Iron Mountain 7,508 $56,622
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MI OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Shields, MI?

What is the population of Shields, MI? +

7,276 people live in Shields, MI according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Shields is $83,986 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Shields? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Shields; 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.

What is the median home value in Shields, MI? +

A typical home in Shields is worth $173,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

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.