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Place dossier plate
SheetMI-ST-CHARLES-MI · St. Charles, MI 1,857 pop · income 19th 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 St. Charles
Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest St. Charles on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.
median HH income
Crescent City · lowest
32,357
Crescent City · lowest
32,357 median HH income
29.3% of the leader · rank #1
St. Charles · this city
49,816
St. Charles · this city
49,816 median HH income
45.1% of the leader · rank #2
Cynthiana · near
49,817
Cynthiana · near
49,817 median HH income
45.1% of the leader · rank #3
Marshall · near
49,817
Marshall · near
49,817 median HH income
45.1% of the leader · rank #4
Rantoul · near
49,821
Rantoul · near
49,821 median HH income
45.2% of the leader · rank #5
Claypool · near
49,821
Claypool · near
49,821 median HH income
45.2% of the leader · rank #6
Armada · highest
110,345
Armada · highest
110,345 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 St. Charles 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: 1,857.
Agency-reported UCR totals per 100,000 population, not a neighborhood safety grade or a prediction of personal risk.
St. Charles - the verdict
Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, St. Charles lands in the 19th percentile for household income and the 73rd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.
19th
percentile, household income
12th
percentile, home value
32nd
percentile, median rent
73rd
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: St. Charles, MI
1,857 people live in St. Charles, Michigan - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $49,816 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 18.6%. Typical homes in St. Charles are valued around $106,300, and the median resident age is 46.6 years. Educational attainment runs 16.7% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 48.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.
The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 0 residential units authorized here in 2024 (No Permits), down 100% from five years earlier. St. Charles reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 772.0 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: 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. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Michigan's average monthly utility costs around $238 (state average). The average commute for St. Charles workers runs 23.1 minutes, with 74.9% driving alone and 10.6% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 49.6 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).
A decision-led reading path
Useful questions to ask of St. Charles'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 comparison shortlist to reported crime to population change to housing and income; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.
For St. Charles, city-specific coverage includes annual population history, commute-mode shares, local building permits, FBI reported-crime rates.
No matched row is reported here for matched public-school count, within-city Census tract profiles; 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 St. Charles?
Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 74.9%. The reported mean trip to work is 23.1 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.
Which cities make useful reference points for St. Charles?
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 Armada (1,876 residents, $110,345 income); Watervliet (1,879 residents, $57,477 income); Fennville (1,880 residents, $65,268 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Point Clear, AL (1,858 residents); Lepanto, AR (1,858 residents); Crescent City, FL (1,856 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 St. Charles?
The joined FBI UCR record reports 772.0 violent and property crimes per 100,000 residents, below the 2280.5 national reference used here. The difference is 66% 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.
Is St. Charles growing, shrinking, or holding steady?
Census PEP estimates show the population declined by -54 residents from 2020 to 2025, a -2.7% change. Separately, Census BPS recorded 0 housing units authorized in 2024. PEP and ACS are different Census series, so the trend is kept separate from the headline ACS population.
Recent estimates point downward. A falling count can reflect migration, household size, annexation boundaries, or estimation noise, so it is a prompt to inspect the full series rather than a claim about local economic health.
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.
Housing and income
How far does income reach against housing in St. Charles?
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. The ratio makes housing the clearest place to start this profile, but a low multiple can coexist with slow demand, older stock, or household-level hardship. Compare the home-value distribution and same-state peer table before treating it as an advantage.
The home-value-to-income reference is relatively compact: the ACS median home value is 2.1 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 18.6%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.
Value / income
2.1×
Home value
$106,300
Household income
$49,816
City-level Census ACS 2023 medians. The ratio divides two separate medians and is descriptive only.
Near national cost · BEA RPP 2024, Michigan average
F
City profile score · St. Charles, 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.
Bachelor's+ share F
16.7%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.
Household income F
$49,816
Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.
Violent crime F
463 /100k
FBI UCR violent offenses per 100,000 residents; lower is stronger on this axis.
Poverty rate F
18.6%
Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.
St. Charles profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)Read the chart values
Cost of living: 57/100 (C) · 96.2 index
Bachelor's+ share: 25/100 (F) · 16.7%
Household income: 20/100 (F) · $49,816
Violent crime: 18/100 (F) · 463 /100k
Poverty rate: 16/100 (F) · 18.6%
Where St. Charles sits on home value vs crime among peer cities
St. Charles'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 - St. Charles highlighted among 8 peers.Read the chart values
St. Charles, MI (this city): home $106,300, crime 772/100k
Lepanto, AR : home $66,900, crime 1,467/100k
Crescent City, FL : home $187,500, crime 1,404/100k
Raymond, MS : home $206,000, crime 697/100k
South Bend, WA : home $235,500, crime 451/100k
Armada, MI : home $249,600, crime 482/100k
Watervliet, MI : home $130,000, crime 1,155/100k
Decatur, MI : home $121,900, crime 2,727/100k
How does St. Charles compare to other US cities?
Where St. Charles sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.
Household income19% higher than other cities
Home value12% pricier than other cities
Median rent32% pricier than other cities
Safety73% 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, St. Charles ranks #80 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 St. Charles 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 St. Charles near the bottom of Michigan's cities
Among the 727 Michigan cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, St. Charles ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares St. Charles only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.
Median Household Income
#526 of 718
27th percentile in Michigan
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 727
0th percentile in Michigan
Median Home Value
#548 of 721
24th percentile in Michigan
Poverty Rate
#88 of 727
88th percentile in Michigan
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#429 of 727
41st 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
19th percentile nationally for median household income · 73rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.
St. Charles's profile vs. every US city
Income, affordability, and safety percentile
St. Charles'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 St. Charles's home value compares nationally
Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)
$106,300Among the most affordablemore affordable than 88% 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
St. Charles's home-value-to-income ratio: 2.1×
ACS median home value divided by median household income.
Band
affordable
< 3.0×
National rank
#2,155 of 15,516
More affordable than 86% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#2,039 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)
At 2.1×, St. Charles sits in the affordable band:
national rank #2,155 of 15,516 and #2,039 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
$49,816St. Charles, MI median household income (Census ACS)
Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context St. Charles, 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 St. Charles, MI.
Key socioeconomic indicators
Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+)16.7%
Census ACS S1501, educational attainment
Poverty rate (households below FPL)18.6%
Census ACS S1701, poverty status
Labor force participation (adults 16+)48.0%
Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force
Population
1,857
Median Income
$49,816
Median Home Value
$106,300
Median Age
46.6
Poverty Rate
18.6%
Labor force participation
48.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
16.7%
Safety & Crime
Total Crime Rate
772.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
463.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
308.8
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.
Population Change
PEP vintage
Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025
St. Charles's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.Read the chart as text
Period
Population
2020
1,995 residents
2021
1,984 residents
2022
1,967 residents
2023
1,955 residents
2024
1,950 residents
2025
1,941 residents
Housing Supply
BPS source
Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized
Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)
Year
Total
Single-Family
Multifamily
Est. Value
2019
1
1
0
$0.3M
2020
0
0
0
-
2021
0
0
0
-
2022
0
0
0
-
2023
0
0
0
-
2024
0
0
0
-
Permit volume decreased 100% from 2019 to 2024.
Commute Patterns
Commute source
How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023
Average Commute Time
23.1 minutes
Drive Alone
74.9%
Carpool
7.3%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
4.1%
Work from Home
10.6%
Other
3.1%
Based on 729 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 St. Charles. 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 St. Charles 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 St. Charles sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.
How St. Charles 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, 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.