The Town FilesBay Shore, Michigan
Community in Charlevoix County · population 687 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $153,600
- Household income
- $75,217
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 75°
- Snow a year
- 124 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 51.0
Bay Shore is a community of 687 people in Charlevoix County, Michigan. The median home is worth $153,600, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for a vacation home than 96% of Michigan towns, better for retirees than 93% of Michigan towns, more upscale than 84% of Michigan towns.
How Bay Shore 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.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bay Shore is worth $153,600, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $75,217, which is more affordable than 94% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $869 a month. 83.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bay Shore | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $153,600 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $869 | $955 |
| Median household income | $75,217 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 83.8% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 17.3% | — |
Who lives in Bay Shore
| People | Bay Shore | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.0 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.8% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 9.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.9% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.7% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 0.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.6% | — |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 17.0 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.4% | 88.8% |
Weather in Bay Shore
July highs average 75.2°F and January lows 15.0°F. About 34.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 123.6 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 147 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bay Shore since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 4, 1957 about 7.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 4, 1957.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 10 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 24, 1998.
Severe weather in Charlevoix County since 1996
Charlevoix County has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Flood | DR-4925: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 22, 2025 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4880: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3455: Covid-19 |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Charlevoix County
Charlevoix County had 10,983 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,950 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in Bay Shore itself the ACS puts it at 2.5%.
Towns near Bay Shore
- Hayes, MI3.1 mi · 2,000 people · home $247,000
- Petoskey, MI4.9 mi · 5,877 people · home $364,100
- Resort, MI5.0 mi · 2,835 people · home $394,500
- Bay, MI5.2 mi · 1,142 people · home $368,000
- West Traverse, MI7.0 mi · 1,768 people · home $399,600
- Charlevoix, MI7.7 mi · 2,348 people · home $331,500
- Harbor Springs, MI7.7 mi · 1,274 people · home $415,700
- Eveline, MI8.2 mi · 1,515 people · home $459,100
Bay Shore questions
Is Bay Shore, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bay Shore scores better for retirees than 93% of Michigan towns and quieter than 75%. 19.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.0).
How much does a house cost in Bay Shore?
The median owner-occupied home in Bay Shore is valued at $153,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,217, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $869 a month.
What is the weather like in Bay Shore?
July highs average 75.2°F and January lows 15.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.2 inches of precipitation a year and 123.6 inches of snow.
Does Bay Shore get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bay Shore since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 4, 1957. The typical Michigan town has had 10.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)