City profile · Michigan · Census ACS 2023

Tawas City, MI

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

1,654
Residents
$46,797
Median income
$124,000
Median home
$973
Median rent (state)

Tawas City - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Tawas City lands in the 15th percentile for household income and the 50th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

15th
percentile, household income
19th
percentile, home value
12th
percentile, median rent
50th
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: Tawas City, MI

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 1,654 residents in Tawas City, a small town within Michigan. Tawas City households earn a median of $46,797 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 4.3%. Home values in Tawas City run a median of $124,000, and the median resident age is 48.0 years. Educational attainment runs 19.7% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 43.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Tawas City reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1352.8 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: the state registers 96.2 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $973 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Michigan run around $238, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Workers in Tawas City report an average commute of 15.6 minutes, with 82.6% driving alone and 6.5% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 37.8 out of 100 (Very Low).

Population

1,654 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Michigan

Median Household Income

$46,797 /yr

Poverty 4.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Michigan average

How does Tawas City compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 15% higher than other cities
Home value 19% pricier than other cities
Median rent 12% pricier than other cities
Safety 50% 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: Tawas City ranks #137 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 Tawas City'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.

15thIncome percentile
50thSafety percentile

15th percentile nationally for median household income · 50th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Tawas City's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Tawas City'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
Tawas City'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 Tawas City's home value compares nationally

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

$124,000 Among the most affordable more affordable than 81% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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. Tawas City $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 - Tawas City, MI Tawas City, MI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Tawas City, 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 Tawas City, MI median $46,797/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%
Tawas City, 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 Tawas City, MI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 19.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 43.9%

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

Population
1,654
Median Income
$46,797
Median Home Value
$124,000
Median Age
48.0
Poverty Rate
4.3%
Labor force participation
43.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
19.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1352.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
541.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
811.7
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
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,820 residents1,830 residents1,840 residents1,850 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,827 residents 1,830 residents ▲ +0.2%
Tawas City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
15.6 minutes
Drive Alone
82.6%
Carpool
6.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
2.5%
Work from Home
6.5%
Other
1.9%

Based on 603 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 Tawas City sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.2
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$973/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
37.8 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Michigan

Bingham Farms
1,652 people
Morrice
1,647 people
Laingsburg
1,640 people
Grayling
1,638 people
White Pigeon
1,637 people
Sylvan Lake
1,672 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Tawas City's 1,654 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Fairfax, CA
1,654 people
Seeley, CA
1,654 people
Moundridge, KS
1,654 people
Cedar Glen West, NJ
1,654 people
Hartshorne, OK
1,654 people
Sophia, WV
1,654 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Tawas City's $46,797 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Liberty, IN
$46,801 median income
Antigo, WI
$46,791 median income
Knoxville, AR
$46,806 median income
Waverly Hall, GA
$46,806 median income
Haines, OR
$46,806 median income
Long Point, IL
$46,786 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Tawas City, 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 Tawas City, MI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 88.9% 6.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.8% White 88.9% Black or African American 1.6% Asian 2.9% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.3% Two or more races 6.3% 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 Tawas City 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
Tawas City (this city) 1,654 $46,797
Bingham Farms 1,652 $218,750
Morrice 1,647 $63,611
Laingsburg 1,640 $75,547
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MI FBI UCR NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Tawas City, MI?

What is the population of Tawas City, MI? +

The population of Tawas City, MI stands at 1,654 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Tawas City, MI? +

The median household income in Tawas City is $46,797 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Tawas City? +

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

Tawas City has a total crime rate of 1352.8 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 Tawas City, MI? +

The median home value in Tawas City is $124,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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