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Living in
Portage.
About
Life in Portage
If you're considering Portage, you're looking at a stable, working-class to middle-class suburb built around pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing—Pfizer and Stryker are the economic anchors here, which means job stability but also means the local economy is tied to those industries. The median home price is $262,300 with median rent around $1,133, which is reasonable for the region, though housing inventory is tight with only a 0.9% homeowner vacancy rate. The cost of living is middle-of-the-road for Michigan, and with a median household income of $83,212 and a 48.4% college degree rate, you'll find a fairly educated population.
Portage at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
38.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
7.1%
Foreign-Born
5.9%
Broadband Internet
92.8%
of households
Population Growth
+2.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics5.9% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Portage: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Portage, the largest foreign-born group is from India (27.4%), and 2.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.8%
of residents
65 and Older
18.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
30.1%
of households
Married Couples
48.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.35
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 about average for MI
Rent, home values, and income in Portage
In Portage, home values are 13% above the MI average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
41.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
18.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
94.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,082
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
69.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1978
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $296,145 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.1 pts below MI average
Unemployment in Portage
Unemployment in Portage is 1.1 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 Portage Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute19.7 min avg
How Portage residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Portage, most residents drive alone to work (78%), and 80% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 3 mi
Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport (AZO)
Regional airport · few flights89k passengers boarded in 2025
- 114 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 40% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Portage runs 40% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
199
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,394.6
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Portage Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 7 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
81.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Kalamazoo County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Kalamazoo County, which includes Portage, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 7 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $51.5M |
| 2023 | 4 | Hail | $250,000 |
| 2022 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2.3M |
| 2021 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $50,000 |
| 2020 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $740,000 |
| 2019 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5.0M |
| 2018 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $65,000 |
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.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Kalamazoo County, county-wide
Air Quality43 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Kalamazoo County, which includes Portage, is typically good — 224 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
43
Good Days
224
per year
Moderate Days
134
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Kalamazoo County, county-wide
Climate81°F summers, 21°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Portage has warm summers (avg high 81°F) and cold winters (avg low 21°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/38°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
81°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
61°/42°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
34°/21°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
33.2"
Annual Snowfall
41.2"
Hot Days/Year
13
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
129
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
140
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 18°F | 1.70" |
| Feb | 35°F | 20°F | 1.34" |
| Mar | 46°F | 27°F | 2.01" |
| Apr | 59°F | 38°F | 3.07" |
| May | 70°F | 49°F | 3.70" |
| Jun | 80°F | 58°F | 3.20" |
| Jul | 83°F | 62°F | 3.36" |
| Aug | 81°F | 60°F | 3.66" |
| Sep | 74°F | 53°F | 3.27" |
| Oct | 61°F | 42°F | 3.74" |
| Nov | 48°F | 33°F | 2.50" |
| Dec | 37°F | 24°F | 1.68" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Portage
Uninsured
4.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside Portage's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Kalamazoo Behavioral Health Hospital
Psychiatric · 5 mi away · Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo Regional Psychiatric Hospital
Psychiatric · ER available · 5.5 mi away · Kalamazoo
Bronson Methodist Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6 mi away · Kalamazoo
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.
Education17.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Portage
Portage's student/teacher ratio is 17.8:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 47.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
16
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
47.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Portage (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 12,568 students · in-state tuition $15,954 · 62% graduate · median earnings $57,828 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,149 students · in-state tuition $63,827 · 81% graduate · median earnings $66,766 (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 & Recreationclosest: Indiana Dunes National Park, 87 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Portage
Portage has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Indiana Dunes National Park (87 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Indiana Dunes National Park
National Park
87 mi awayPublic Libraries in Portage
Portage District Library
300 Library Lane, Portage
Cities Near Portage
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Portage?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Portage FAQ
Is Portage, Michigan affordable?⌄
Portage's median rent is $1,133/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $83,212/year. Median home value is $262,300.
Is Portage, Michigan safe?⌄
Portage's violent crime rate was 199 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2395 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Portage, Michigan?⌄
Portage has an unemployment rate of 4.1%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Portage, Michigan?⌄
The cost of living in Portage is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,133/month and median household income is $83,212/year. The median home value is $262,300. About 42% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Portage, Michigan?⌄
The average commute in Portage 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