The Town FilesBethel, Michigan
Township in Branch County · population 1,431 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $124,600
- Household income
- $63,118
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 42 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 43.3
Bethel is a township of 1,431 people in Branch County, Michigan. The median home is worth $124,600, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900).
How Bethel 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 Bethel is worth $124,600, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $63,118, which is more affordable than 94% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,330 a month. 85.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bethel | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $124,600 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $1,330 | $955 |
| Median household income | $63,118 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 85.9% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.8% | — |
Who lives in Bethel
| People | Bethel | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.3 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.0% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 26.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.4% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 28.7% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.6% | — |
| Work from home | 4.6% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 26.2 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 66.8% | 88.8% |
Weather in Bethel
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 15.9°F. About 39.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.5 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 136 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bethel since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 11, 1965 about 6.8 miles from the town center and killed 9. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 18 deaths and 400 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 15, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 22 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 1, 2003.
Severe weather in Branch County since 1996
Branch County has been included in 6 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| January 10, 2001 | Snowstorm | EM-3160: Snow |
| January 27, 1978 | Snowstorm | EM-3057: Blizzards & Snowstorms |
Jobs and pay in Branch County
Branch County had 15,240 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,639 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Bethel itself the ACS puts it at 2.2%.
Towns near Bethel
- Bronson, MI4.3 mi · 2,307 people · home $114,800
- Gilead, MI4.7 mi · 656 people · home $225,500
- Ovid, MI5.8 mi · 2,161 people · home $249,400
- Batavia, MI5.9 mi · 1,323 people · home $133,300
- Bronson, MI6.7 mi · 1,288 people · home $184,400
- Kinderhook, MI7.7 mi · 1,427 people · home $231,000
- Coldwater, MI8.4 mi · 3,406 people · home $169,300
- Coldwater, MI8.7 mi · 13,822 people · home $137,500
Bethel questions
Is Bethel, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bethel scores better for retirees than 25% of Michigan towns and quieter than 56%. 19.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.3).
How much does a house cost in Bethel?
The median owner-occupied home in Bethel is valued at $124,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,118, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $1,330 a month.
What is the weather like in Bethel?
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 15.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.1 inches of precipitation a year and 41.5 inches of snow.
Does Bethel get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bethel since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 11, 1965. 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)