Bay County, Michigan
Among the top 22% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B+, better than 78% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 62% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 36% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 74% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 55% of US counties
- top 8% for cost of living
- top 15% for comfortable days
- bottom 9% for property tax rate
Bay County is a county in Michigan with about 104,000 residents. It grades B+ for affordability and C for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include cost of living, comfortable days, and sales tax. It rates lower on annual snowfall and property tax rate.
Official websitebaycounty-mi.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
freezing
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warm
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cold
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71%36%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.4 in1.8 in
humid 66%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$58k42nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$42kbetter than 92% of US counties
Home Value$125k29th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$786better than 58% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 68% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.67%better than 9% of US counties
Income Tax4.30%better than 71% of US counties
Sales Tax6.00%better than 84% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.89%better than 41% of US counties
Unemployment4.8%better than 48% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)22°F17th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)71°F16th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation33.0 in29th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall46.7 inbetter than 14% of US counties
Sunny Days226 daysbetter than 37% of US counties
Summer Humidity61°Fbetter than 74% of US counties
Comfortable Days94 daysbetter than 85% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk78.2better than 21% of US counties
Air Quality42 AQIbetter than 56% of US counties
School Quality60.1better than 61% of US counties
Violent Crime1243/100kbetter than 24% of US counties
Property Crime951/100kbetter than 48% of US counties
Community
Population103,75282nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age43.669th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1526th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9835th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1224th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)88.9%68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.2%41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)5.7%56th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.5%44th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.6%55th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time23 minbetter than 59% of US counties
Walkability7.3/20better than 80% of US counties
Airport Distance100 mibetter than 49% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access87.6%better than 77% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.67better than 32% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 55% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Bay County an affordable place to live?
- Bay County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $42k, better than 92% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Bay County?
- The median home value in Bay County is $125k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Bay County?
- Median household income in Bay County is $58k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Bay County?
- Median gross rent in Bay County is $786 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Bay County safe?
- Bay County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1243/100k (better than 24%). Property crime is 951/100k.
- What is the weather like in Bay County?
- Bay County averages 71°F in July and 22°F in January, with 33.0 in of annual precipitation and about 226 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Bay County?
- Public-school quality in Bay County is above average, scoring better than 61% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Bay County?
- The average one-way commute in Bay County is 23 min.
Other counties in Michigan
Explore Michigan
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)