© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Saginaw.
About
Life in Saginaw
If you're considering Saginaw, you're looking at an affordable Midwest city with real character but honest challenges. Housing costs are genuinely low—median home values around $60,000 and median rent under $900—which means your money stretches further than in most places. The downtown has genuinely undergone a resurgence with locally owned restaurants, coffee shops, art galleries, and cultural venues like the Temple Theatre and Saginaw Art Museum.
Saginaw at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
34.0%
Foreign-Born
1.4%
Broadband Internet
85.3%
of households
Population Growth
-3.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics1.4% foreign-born, most often from Yemen
Who lives in Saginaw: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Saginaw, the largest foreign-born group is from Yemen (13.5%), and 3.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
25.6%
of residents
65 and Older
14.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
29.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
39.6%
of households
Married Couples
22.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.38
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 18% below MI average
Rent, home values, and income in Saginaw
In Saginaw, rent runs 18% below the MI average, and home values are 74% below the MI average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
59.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
37.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
90.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,358
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
60.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1949
median year built
Vacant Homes
15.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $133,927 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 6 pts above MI average
Unemployment in Saginaw
Unemployment in Saginaw is 6 percentage points higher than the MI average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Saginaw Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute19.2 min avg
How Saginaw residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Saginaw, most residents drive alone to work (73%), and 81% 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
- 88 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 588% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Saginaw runs 588% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
2,265.6
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,987
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Saginaw Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 5 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
88.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Saginaw County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Saginaw County, which includes Saginaw, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 5 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | $150,000 |
| 2024 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 9 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $460,000 |
| 2020 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $10.3M |
| 2019 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $810,000 |
| 2018 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $4.0M |
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.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Saginaw 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 19 miles from Saginaw) 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 (19 mi away)
Climate81°F summers, 19°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Saginaw has warm summers (avg high 81°F) and very cold winters (avg low 19°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
56°/36°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
81°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
60°/41°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
33°/19°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
34.0"
Annual Snowfall
40.7"
Hot Days/Year
13
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
143
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
122
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°F | 16°F | 2.25" |
| Feb | 33°F | 17°F | 1.94" |
| Mar | 43°F | 25°F | 2.00" |
| Apr | 56°F | 35°F | 3.61" |
| May | 69°F | 47°F | 3.59" |
| Jun | 79°F | 58°F | 3.48" |
| Jul | 83°F | 62°F | 3.36" |
| Aug | 82°F | 60°F | 3.49" |
| Sep | 74°F | 52°F | 2.68" |
| Oct | 61°F | 41°F | 2.93" |
| Nov | 46°F | 31°F | 2.62" |
| Dec | 35°F | 23°F | 2.03" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 2.5/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Saginaw
Saginaw has 2 hospitals, averaging 2.5 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
7.4%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.5 / 5
Mymichigan Medical Center Saginaw
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Covenant Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Healthsource Saginaw
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.7 mi away · Saginaw
Mclaren Bay Region
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 12.4 mi away · Bay City
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.
Education17.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Saginaw
Saginaw's student/teacher ratio is 17.6:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 13.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
17
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
13.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreation
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Saginaw
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Public Libraries in Saginaw
Public Libraries Of Saginaw
505 Janes Avenue, Saginaw
Butman-Fish Branch Library
1716 Hancock Street, Saginaw
Ruth Brady Wickes Library
1713 Hess Avenue, Saginaw
Cities Near Saginaw
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Saginaw?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Saginaw FAQ
Is Saginaw, Michigan affordable?⌄
Saginaw's median rent is $922/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $38,579/year. Median home value is $60,000.
Is Saginaw, Michigan safe?⌄
Saginaw's violent crime rate was 2266 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1987 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Saginaw, Michigan?⌄
Saginaw has an unemployment rate of 11.2%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Saginaw, Michigan?⌄
The cost of living in Saginaw is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $922/month and median household income is $38,579/year. The median home value is $60,000. About 59% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Saginaw, Michigan?⌄
The average commute in Saginaw is 19 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