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Living in
Midland.
About
Life in Midland
Midland's economy has been built on Dow Chemical's presence since 1897, which continues to anchor the job market and provide stability—though the city has diversified with a modern industrial park serving multiple companies and employers. The cost of living is reasonable with median home values around $203,900 and rents averaging $1,048 monthly, making it accessible compared to many Midwest metros. Job prospects are solid with unemployment at 4.7% and a well-educated workforce—45.5% hold college degrees.
Midland at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
10.3%
Foreign-Born
4.8%
Broadband Internet
90.8%
of households
Population Growth
+0.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics4.8% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Midland: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Midland, the largest foreign-born group is from India (19.8%), and 1.5% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
21.2%
of residents
65 and Older
20.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
26.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
35.4%
of households
Married Couples
47.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.25
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 7% below MI average
Rent, home values, and income in Midland
In Midland, rent runs 7% below the MI average, and home values are 12% below the MI average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
48.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
26.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
91.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,257
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
67.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1971
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $252,073 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below MI average
Unemployment in Midland
Unemployment in Midland is 0.5 percentage points lower than the MI average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Midland Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute20 min avg
How Midland residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Midland, most residents drive alone to work (76%), and 79% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 10 mi
MBS International Airport (MBS)
Regional airport · few flights116k passengers boarded in 2025
- 107 mi
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)
Major hub16.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 62% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Midland runs 62% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
126.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
499.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Midland Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 3 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
71.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Midland County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Midland County, which includes Midland, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 3 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 2 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2023 | 3 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2022 | 6 | High Wind | $50,000 |
| 2021 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $200,000 |
| 2020 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $210.2M |
| 2019 | 9 | Winter Storm | $550,000 |
| 2018 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2.0M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Midland County, county-wide
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Bay County, MI (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 14 miles from Midland) is typically good — 252 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
39
Good Days
252
per year
Moderate Days
103
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Bay County, MI (14 mi away)
Climate80°F summers, 19°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Midland has mild summers (avg high 80°F) and very cold winters (avg low 19°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
56°/36°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
60°/42°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
32°/19°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
33.4"
Annual Snowfall
49.0"
Hot Days/Year
10
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
136
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
134
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29°F | 17°F | 2.01" |
| Feb | 32°F | 18°F | 1.92" |
| Mar | 43°F | 25°F | 2.00" |
| Apr | 56°F | 36°F | 3.48" |
| May | 68°F | 48°F | 3.74" |
| Jun | 78°F | 57°F | 3.71" |
| Jul | 82°F | 62°F | 2.82" |
| Aug | 80°F | 60°F | 3.17" |
| Sep | 73°F | 52°F | 2.82" |
| Oct | 60°F | 42°F | 3.14" |
| Nov | 46°F | 32°F | 2.65" |
| Dec | 34°F | 23°F | 1.95" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Midland
Midland has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
4.1%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Mymichigan Medical Center Midland
Acute Care Hospitals
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Healthsource Saginaw
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14.7 mi away · Saginaw
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Midland
Midland's student/teacher ratio is 16.2:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 44.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
15
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
44.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Midland
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,974 students · in-state tuition $35,900 · 66% graduate · median earnings $68,112 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreation
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Midland
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Public Libraries in Midland
Grace A. Dow Memorial Library
1710 West Saint Andrews Road, Midland
Cities Near Midland
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Midland?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Midland FAQ
Is Midland, Michigan affordable?⌄
Midland's median rent is $1,048/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $73,325/year. Median home value is $203,900.
Is Midland, Michigan safe?⌄
Midland's violent crime rate was 126 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 500 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Midland, Michigan?⌄
Midland has an unemployment rate of 4.7%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Midland, Michigan?⌄
The cost of living in Midland is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,048/month and median household income is $73,325/year. The median home value is $203,900. About 48% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Midland, Michigan?⌄
The average commute in Midland is 20 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from