The Town Files

Auburn, Michigan

City in Bay County · population 2,068 (2020 Census)

Map: where Auburn is in MichiganAuburn
Median home
$168,000
Household income
$71,653
Jan low / Jul high
16° / 82°
Snow a year
49 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
12
Median age
42.7

Auburn is a city of 2,068 people in Bay County, Michigan. The median home is worth $168,000, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for cycling than 100% of Michigan towns, better for young professionals than 86% of Michigan towns, hipper than 83% of Michigan towns.

How Auburn ranks

Percentile among Michigan towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Michigan towns.

Auburn lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement77th pctFamilies41st pctQuiet29th pctWalkability57th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals86th pctVibrancy63rd pctHip & trendy83rd pctCollege town76th pctUpscale79th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling100th pctTransitbottomDriving82nd pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Auburn is worth $168,000, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $71,653, which is more affordable than 84% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,069 a month. 76.4% of households own their home.

Auburn vs Bay County vs typical Michigan townAuburnBay CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$168,000$152,200$193,900Household income$71,653$61,763$69,792Monthly rent$1,069$860$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingAuburnTypical Michigan town
Median home value$168,000$193,900
Median rent$1,069$955
Median household income$71,653$69,792
Home value ÷ income2.3×2.8×
Homeownership76.4%86.8%
Median year built19741975
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Auburn

PeopleAuburnTypical Michigan town
Median age42.743.7
Age 65 and over19.8%20.7%
Under 1821.8%—
Bachelor's degree or higher38.6%21.5%
Below the poverty line6.6%10.4%
Veterans7.9%—
Born outside the U.S.0.4%—
Work from home15.8%9.1%
Average commute23.5 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband90.3%88.8%

Weather in Auburn

July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 16.4°F. About 32.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 49.0 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 139 nights at or below freezing.

Auburn monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing30°16°Jan32°17°Feb42°26°Mar56°36°Apr69°48°May79°58°Jun82°61°Jul80°59°Aug73°52°Sep60°41°Oct46°32°Nov35°23°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue1.913.91.811.42.06.03.22.43.43.32.83.92.82.90.22.33.31.911.8
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Saginaw Mbs Intl Ap station (4.8 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Auburn since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 12, 1984 about 7.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 9, 2026.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Auburn by decade11950s01960s41970s11980s11990s32000s12010s12020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 79 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 27, 2014.

Severe weather in Bay County since 1996

Storm events in Bay County since 1996 by typeHail95Heat11Flood8High Wind29Ice Storm9Heavy Snow31Flash Flood6Winter Storm19
NOAA Storm Events Database, Bay County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 5 deaths recorded.

Bay County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
August 2, 2017Severe StormDR-4326: Severe Storms And Flooding
September 7, 2005HurricaneEM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation
January 10, 2001SnowstormEM-3160: Snow

Jobs and pay in Bay County

Bay County had 34,112 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,617 a year. Unemployment was 4.9% in 2023; in Auburn itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.

Largest industries in Bay CountyHealth care & social assistan…6,019 jobs · $51,257Retail4,591 jobs · $36,695Manufacturing4,440 jobs · $83,178Hotels & restaurants3,975 jobs · $20,798Construction1,520 jobs · $65,198Professional & technical serv…1,411 jobs · $103,374
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Bay County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Bay 4.9%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Auburn

3 public schools with 2,225 students, about 21.8 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Bay City Western High School9-121,03323.0
Western Middle School6-871421.0
Auburn Elementary SchoolK-547820.8

Towns near Auburn

Auburn questions

Is Auburn, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Auburn scores better for retirees than 77% of Michigan towns and quieter than 29%. 19.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.7).

How much does a house cost in Auburn?

The median owner-occupied home in Auburn is valued at $168,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,653, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $1,069 a month.

What is the weather like in Auburn?

July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 16.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.1 inches of precipitation a year and 49.0 inches of snow.

Does Auburn get tornadoes?

12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Auburn since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 12, 1984. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Auburn's Census boundary (GEOID 2604080). Comparisons use the median of Michigan towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.