The Town Files

Bronson, Michigan

Township in Branch County · population 1,288 (2020 Census)

Map: where Bronson is in MichiganBronson
Median home
$184,400
Household income
$77,750
Jan low / Jul high
16° / 82°
Snow a year
41 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
14
Median age
35.4

Bronson is a township of 1,288 people in Branch County, Michigan. The median home is worth $184,400, close to the typical Michigan town ($193,900).

How Bronson 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.

Bronson lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement12th pctFamilies31st pctQuiet54th pctWalkability46th pctFirst-time buyers69th pctYoung professionals18th pctVibrancy38th pctHip & trendy31st pctCollege town5th pctUpscale16th pctVacation homes62nd pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit53rd pctDriving45th 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 Bronson is worth $184,400, close to the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $77,750, which is more affordable than 80% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,102 a month. 86.2% of households own their home.

Bronson vs Branch County vs typical Michigan townBronsonBranch CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$184,400$162,500$193,900Household income$77,750$63,724$69,792Monthly rent$1,102$959$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingBronsonTypical Michigan town
Median home value$184,400$193,900
Median rent$1,102$955
Median household income$77,750$69,792
Home value ÷ income2.4×2.8×
Homeownership86.2%86.8%
Median year built19771975
Seasonal / vacation homes0.6%—

Who lives in Bronson

PeopleBronsonTypical Michigan town
Median age35.443.7
Age 65 and over12.8%20.7%
Under 1824.7%—
Bachelor's degree or higher14.0%21.5%
Below the poverty line8.5%10.4%
Veterans4.2%—
Born outside the U.S.5.4%—
Work from home4.8%9.1%
Average commute35.6 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband93.4%88.8%

Weather in Bronson

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 41.1 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.

Bronson monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing31°16°Jan34°18°Feb45°26°Mar58°36°Apr69°47°May79°57°Jun82°60°Jul80°58°Aug73°51°Sep61°40°Oct47°31°Nov36°22°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.513.12.310.32.24.83.41.04.33.94.04.43.33.70.12.83.02.48.8
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Coldwater St School station (15.2 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 3 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bronson since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 11, 1965 about 8.1 miles from the town center and killed 5. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 5 deaths and 49 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 2, 2025.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Bronson by decade01950s31960s41970s01980s01990s22000s02010s52020s
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 17 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 1, 2003.

Severe weather in Branch County since 1996

Storm events in Branch County since 1996 by typeHail59Tornado9Blizzard1High Wind11Ice Storm7Heavy Snow15Strong Wind4Winter Storm33
NOAA Storm Events Database, Branch County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 4 deaths recorded.

Branch County has been included in 6 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
September 7, 2005HurricaneEM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation
January 10, 2001SnowstormEM-3160: Snow
January 27, 1978SnowstormEM-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 Bronson itself the ACS puts it at 2.3%.

Largest industries in Branch CountyManufacturing3,704 jobs · $61,240Retail1,739 jobs · $37,084Hotels & restaurants1,606 jobs · $20,230Transportation & warehousing1,432 jobs · $71,949Health care & social assistan…846 jobs · $43,896Wholesale trade727 jobs · $58,430
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Branch County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%2000200420082012201620202023Branch 3.9%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Bronson

Bronson questions

Is Bronson, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bronson scores better for retirees than 12% of Michigan towns and quieter than 54%. 12.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.4).

How much does a house cost in Bronson?

The median owner-occupied home in Bronson is valued at $184,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $77,750, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $1,102 a month.

What is the weather like in Bronson?

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 41.1 inches of snow.

Does Bronson get tornadoes?

14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bronson since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 11, 1965. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Bronson's Census boundary (GEOID 2602310880). 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.