© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
St. Clair Shores.
About
Life in St. Clair Shores
This is a stable, middle-class suburb where you'll find established neighborhoods and genuine waterfront living on Lake St. Clair—something most Detroit-area suburbs don't offer. The Nautical Mile is a real thing, with 14 miles of canals that actually define parts of the community, not just a marketing gimmick.
St. Clair Shores at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
43.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.4%
Foreign-Born
4.3%
Broadband Internet
92.2%
of households
Population Growth
-1.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics4.3% foreign-born, most often from Albania
Who lives in St. Clair Shores: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In St. Clair Shores, the largest foreign-born group is from Albania (17.6%), and 1.5% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
17.6%
of residents
65 and Older
22.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
20.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
38.3%
of households
Married Couples
41.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.12
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 St. Clair Shores
In St. Clair Shores, home values are 9% below the MI average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
43.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
100.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,994
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
83.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1957
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.5%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.4 pts below MI average
Unemployment in St. Clair Shores and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in St. Clair Shores is 1.4 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 St. Clair Shores Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area
Commute26.7 min avg
How St. Clair Shores residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In St. Clair Shores, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 62% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 31 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 29% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in St. Clair Shores runs 29% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
233.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
809.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
St. Clair Shores Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 10 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
96.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Macomb County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Macomb County, which includes St. Clair Shores, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 10 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $20,000 |
| 2023 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $9.1M |
| 2022 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $6.2M |
| 2020 | 24 | Lakeshore Flood | $753,000 |
| 2019 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $4.9M |
| 2018 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $9.0M |
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.
2 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Macomb County, county-wide
Air Quality40 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Macomb County, which includes St. Clair Shores, is typically good — 256 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
40
Good Days
256
per year
Moderate Days
99
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
Macomb County, county-wide
Climate80°F summers, 19°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
St. Clair Shores has mild summers (avg high 80°F) and very cold winters (avg low 19°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
55°/36°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
60°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
34°/19°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
33.8"
Annual Snowfall
27.9"
Hot Days/Year
11
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
124
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
120
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 17°F | 2.09" |
| Feb | 34°F | 18°F | 2.15" |
| Mar | 43°F | 25°F | 2.55" |
| Apr | 56°F | 36°F | 3.41" |
| May | 67°F | 48°F | 3.86" |
| Jun | 77°F | 58°F | 3.64" |
| Jul | 82°F | 62°F | 3.38" |
| Aug | 80°F | 61°F | 3.47" |
| Sep | 73°F | 54°F | 3.31" |
| Oct | 60°F | 43°F | 2.80" |
| Nov | 47°F | 32°F | 2.79" |
| Dec | 37°F | 24°F | 2.36" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in St. Clair Shores
Uninsured
4.2%
of residents
No hospitals inside St. Clair Shores's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Henry Ford Health St John Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.2 mi away · Detroit
Bca Stonecrest Center
Psychiatric · 5.3 mi away · Detroit
Henry Ford Health Warren Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.8 mi away · Warren
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.
Education18.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in St. Clair Shores
St. Clair Shores's student/teacher ratio is 18.6:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 29.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
17
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
29.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
18.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near St. Clair Shores (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 15,587 students · in-state tuition $15,862 · 61% graduate · median earnings $59,525 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 13,876 students · in-state tuition $3,745 · 18% graduate · median earnings $44,976 (10 yrs after entry)
Wayne County Community College District
14.1 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 7,423 students · in-state tuition $3,112 · 20% graduate · median earnings $34,732 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,438 students · in-state tuition $33,604 · 69% graduate · median earnings $74,106 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,230 students · in-state tuition $55,460 · 63% graduate · median earnings $54,082 (10 yrs after entry)
Chamberlain University-Michigan
13.9 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 629 students · in-state tuition $21,655 · 82% graduate · median earnings $96,897 (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: River Raisin National Battlefield Park, 47 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for St. Clair Shores
St. Clair Shores has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being River Raisin National Battlefield Park (47 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
River Raisin National Battlefield Park
National Battlefield Park
47 mi awayPerry's Victory & International Peace Memorial
Memorial
58 mi awayJames A Garfield National Historic Site
National Historic Site
98 mi awayPublic Libraries in St. Clair Shores
Saint Clair Shores Public Library
22500 Eleven Mile Road, Saint Clair Shores
Cities Near St. Clair Shores
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to St. Clair Shores?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
St. Clair Shores FAQ
Is St. Clair Shores, Michigan affordable?⌄
St. Clair Shores's median rent is $1,183/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $73,500/year. Median home value is $210,700.
Is St. Clair Shores, Michigan safe?⌄
St. Clair Shores's violent crime rate was 233 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 810 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in St. Clair Shores, Michigan?⌄
St. Clair Shores has an unemployment rate of 3.8%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in St. Clair Shores, Michigan?⌄
The cost of living in St. Clair Shores is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,183/month and median household income is $73,500/year. The median home value is $210,700. About 43% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in St. Clair Shores, Michigan?⌄
The average commute in St. Clair Shores is 27 minutes, which is about 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