City profile · Michigan · Census ACS 2023

Trenton, MI

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

18,242
Residents
$78,565
Median income
$202,400
Median home
$1,411
Median rent (state)

Trenton - the verdict

Trenton ranks in the 60th percentile for household income and the 82nd percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

60th
percentile, household income
43rd
percentile, home value
55th
percentile, median rent
82nd
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: Trenton, MI

18,242 people live in Trenton, Michigan - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Trenton households earn a median of $78,565 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 4.1%. Typical homes in Trenton are valued around $202,400, and the median resident age is 48.3 years. 27.0% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 54.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 2 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Stable), up 0% from five years earlier. Trenton reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 576.3 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not 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 $1,411 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Michigan run around $238, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 99.0 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

18,242 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Michigan

Median Household Income

$78,565 /yr

Poverty 4.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Michigan average

How does Trenton compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 60% higher than other cities
Home value 43% pricier than other cities
Median rent 55% pricier than other cities
Safety 82% 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: Trenton ranks #49 of 254 Michigan cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Trenton 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 Trenton toward the top of Michigan's cities

Among the 727 Michigan cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Trenton ranks #61 - the 76th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Trenton only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#145 of 718
80th percentile in Michigan
Median Gross Rent
#61 of 727
76th percentile in Michigan
Median Home Value
#219 of 721
70th percentile in Michigan
Poverty Rate
#514 of 727
28th percentile in Michigan
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#231 of 727
68th percentile in Michigan

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.

60thIncome percentile
82ndSafety percentile

60th percentile nationally for median household income · 82nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Trenton's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Trenton'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 64 Avg. percentile National median
Trenton'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 Trenton's home value compares nationally

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

$202,400 Among the most affordable more affordable than 57% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Trenton $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 - Trenton, MI Trenton, MI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Trenton, 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 Trenton, MI median $78,565/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%
Trenton, 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 Trenton, MI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 27.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 54.0%

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

Population
18,242
Median Income
$78,565
Median Home Value
$202,400
Median Age
48.3
Poverty Rate
4.1%
Labor force participation
54.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
27.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
576.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
33.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
542.4
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.

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
17,600 residents17,800 residents18,000 residents18,200 residents18,400 residents18,600 residents 202020212022202320242025 18,474 residents 17,849 residents ▼ -3.4%
Trenton's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
2
housing units authorized
Single-Family
2
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 2
2020 7
2021 18
2022 7
2023 5
2024 2

Permit volume increased 0% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
80.6%
Carpool
4.4%
Public Transit
0.2%
Walk
1.1%
Work from Home
12.2%
Other
1.5%

Based on 7,993 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 Trenton sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.2
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,411/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Michigan

Haslett
19,025 people
Wayne
17,413 people
Jenison
17,334 people
Ferndale
19,156 people
Wixom
17,126 people
Cutlerville
19,465 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Trenton's 18,242 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Sycamore, IL
18,243 people
Johnstown, PA
18,245 people
Somerset, MA
18,246 people
Franklin Park, IL
18,233 people
San Carlos Park, FL
18,252 people
Mount Washington, KY
18,228 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Trenton's $78,565 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Niles, IL
$78,563 median income
Shiloh, GA
$78,571 median income
Snow Shoe, PA
$78,571 median income
Lily Lake, WI
$78,558 median income
Enfield, NH
$78,583 median income
Franklin Springs, GA
$78,542 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Trenton, 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 Trenton, MI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 88.4% 7.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6.2% White 88.4% Black or African American 3.3% Asian 0.7% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.5% Two or more races 7.0% 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 Trenton 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
Trenton (this city) 18,242 $78,565
Haslett 19,025 $74,164
Wayne 17,413 $54,467
Jenison 17,334 $86,063
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MI FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Trenton, MI?

What is the population of Trenton, MI? +

Trenton, MI counts 18,242 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Trenton runs $78,565, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Trenton? +

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

Trenton has a total crime rate of 576.3 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 Trenton, MI? +

Homes in Trenton carry a median value of $202,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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

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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.