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Living in
Sault Ste. Marie.
About
Life in Sault Ste. Marie
Sault Ste. Marie is a community of 13,373 people in Michigan. The median household income is $55,031, median rent runs about $804 per month, and median home values are around $139,400.
Sault Ste. Marie at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
34.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
17.8%
Foreign-Born
4.7%
Broadband Internet
86.8%
of households
Population Growth
-1.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics4.7% foreign-born, most often from Canada
Who lives in Sault Ste. Marie: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Sault Ste. Marie, the largest foreign-born group is from Canada (43.9%), and 1.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
18.2%
of residents
65 and Older
16.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
24.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
41.1%
of households
Married Couples
34.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.10
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 29% below MI average
Rent, home values, and income in Sault Ste. Marie
In Sault Ste. Marie, rent runs 29% below the MI average, and home values are 40% below the MI average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
44.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
18.8%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,538
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
60.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1956
median year built
Vacant Homes
10.2%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.9 pts above MI average
Unemployment in Sault Ste. Marie
Unemployment in Chippewa County, which includes Sault Ste. Marie, is 1.9 percentage points higher than the MI average.
Unemployment rate
Sault Ste. Marie: Chippewa County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Chippewa County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Sault Ste. Marie Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute12 min avg
How Sault Ste. Marie residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Sault Ste. Marie, most residents drive alone to work (73%), and 94% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 18 mi
Chippewa County International Airport (CIU)
Regional airport · few flights30k 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 21% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Sault Ste. Marie runs 21% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
399.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
798.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Sault Ste. Marie Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Storm most common — 7 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very Low
26.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Chippewa County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Chippewa County, which includes Sault Ste. Marie, the most common type is winter storm, with 7 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | Winter Storm | $5,000 |
| 2024 | 7 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2023 | 9 | Winter Storm | $2,000 |
| 2022 | 8 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2021 | 7 | Winter Storm | $69,000 |
| 2020 | 4 | Winter Storm | $20,000 |
| 2019 | 6 | Winter Storm | $107,000 |
| 2018 | 1 | Hail | None reported |
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
Chippewa County, county-wide
Air Quality43 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2019)
Air quality in Chippewa County, which includes Sault Ste. Marie, is typically good — 42 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
43
Good Days
42
per year
Moderate Days
16
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Chippewa County, county-wide
Climate75°F summers, 12°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Sault Ste. Marie has mild summers (avg high 75°F) and very cold winters (avg low 12°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
49°/30°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
75°/53°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
54°/39°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
27°/12°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
34.5"
Annual Snowfall
120.1"
Hot Days/Year
1
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
164
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
165
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24°F | 8°F | 2.21" |
| Feb | 26°F | 9°F | 1.51" |
| Mar | 36°F | 18°F | 1.81" |
| Apr | 49°F | 30°F | 2.63" |
| May | 63°F | 41°F | 2.64" |
| Jun | 73°F | 50°F | 2.85" |
| Jul | 77°F | 55°F | 3.07" |
| Aug | 76°F | 55°F | 3.19" |
| Sep | 68°F | 49°F | 3.93" |
| Oct | 54°F | 39°F | 4.38" |
| Nov | 41°F | 28°F | 3.44" |
| Dec | 31°F | 17°F | 2.80" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Sault Ste. Marie
Sault Ste. Marie has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
6.0%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Chippewa County War Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
- Main campus: Chippewa County War Memorial Hospital · 500 Osborn Blvd
- Hospital campus: Behavioral Health · 16523 S Water Tower Dr, Kincheloe
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. Campus locations © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Education16.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Sault Ste. Marie
Sault Ste. Marie's student/teacher ratio is 16.9:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 27.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
27.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Sault Ste. Marie
Lake Superior State University
Public · 4-year · 1,325 students · in-state tuition $15,506 · 58% graduate · median earnings $55,573 (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: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, 93 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Sault Ste. Marie
Sault Ste. Marie has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (93 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
National Lakeshore
93 mi awayPublic Libraries in Sault Ste. Marie
Superior District Library
541 Library Drive, Sault Ste. Marie
Cities Near Sault Ste. Marie
The closest cities within 60 miles
No other cities we cover are within 60 miles of Sault Ste. Marie.
Planning a move to Sault Ste. Marie?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Sault Ste. Marie FAQ
Is Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan affordable?⌄
Sault Ste. Marie's median rent is $804/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $55,328/year. Median home value is $139,400.
Is Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan safe?⌄
Sault Ste. Marie's violent crime rate was 399 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 799 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan?⌄
Chippewa County, which includes Sault Ste. Marie, has an unemployment rate of 7.1%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan?⌄
The cost of living in Sault Ste. Marie is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $804/month and median household income is $55,328/year. The median home value is $139,400. About 45% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan?⌄
The average commute in Sault Ste. Marie is 12 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