The Town FilesBig Prairie, Michigan
Township in Newaygo County · population 2,436 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $143,500
- Household income
- $53,289
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 64 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 50.9
Big Prairie is a township of 2,436 people in Newaygo County, Michigan. The median home is worth $143,500, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks quieter than 86% of Michigan towns, better for a vacation home than 71% of Michigan towns.
How Big Prairie 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 Big Prairie is worth $143,500, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $53,289, which is more affordable than 61% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $950 a month. 91.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Big Prairie | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $143,500 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $950 | $955 |
| Median household income | $53,289 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 91.8% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 24.1% | — |
Who lives in Big Prairie
| People | Big Prairie | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.9 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.3% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 15.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8.8% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.1% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 9.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.0% | — |
| Work from home | 1.8% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 37.7 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.1% | 88.8% |
Weather in Big Prairie
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 12.7°F. About 37.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 63.8 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 168 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Big Prairie since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 17, 1975 about 8.8 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 0 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on November 17, 2013.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 7, 2020.
Severe weather in Newaygo County since 1996
Newaygo County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Flood | DR-4925: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3455: Covid-19 |
| June 18, 2013 | Flood | DR-4121: Flooding |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Newaygo County
Newaygo County had 11,901 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,371 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Big Prairie itself the ACS puts it at 7%.
Towns near Big Prairie
- Everett, MI5.0 mi · 1,978 people · home $164,200
- Croton, MI6.2 mi · 3,368 people · home $216,700
- Goodwell, MI6.3 mi · 536 people · home $218,800
- Aetna, MI6.3 mi · 2,241 people · home $144,100
- Brooks, MI7.4 mi · 3,705 people · home $244,100
- White Cloud, MI7.8 mi · 1,479 people · home $165,900
- Reynolds, MI8.1 mi · 5,431 people · home $181,200
- Wilcox, MI8.3 mi · 1,133 people · home $121,100
Big Prairie questions
Is Big Prairie, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Big Prairie scores better for retirees than 33% of Michigan towns and quieter than 86%. 19.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.9).
How much does a house cost in Big Prairie?
The median owner-occupied home in Big Prairie is valued at $143,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,289, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $950 a month.
What is the weather like in Big Prairie?
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 12.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.9 inches of precipitation a year and 63.8 inches of snow.
Does Big Prairie get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Big Prairie since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 17, 1975. 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)