The Town Files

Byron, Michigan

Township in Kent County · population 26,927 (2020 Census)

Map: where Byron is in MichiganByron
Median home
$339,700
Household income
$91,481
Jan low / Jul high
17° / 82°
Snow a year
75 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
26
Median age
39.7

Byron is a township of 26,927 people in Kent County, Michigan. The median home is worth $339,700, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better transit than 97% of Michigan towns, more upscale than 85% of Michigan towns, more vibrant than 84% of Michigan towns.

How Byron 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.

Byron lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement24th pctFamilies67th pctQuiet14th pctWalkability81st pctFirst-time buyers51st pctYoung professionals79th pctVibrancy84th pctHip & trendy22nd pctCollege town49th pctUpscale85th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit97th pctDriving52nd 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 Byron is worth $339,700, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $91,481, which is more affordable than 12% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,343 a month. 88.2% of households own their home.

Byron vs Kent County vs typical Michigan townByronKent CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$339,700$289,900$193,900Household income$91,481$82,631$69,792Monthly rent$1,343$1,243$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingByronTypical Michigan town
Median home value$339,700$193,900
Median rent$1,343$955
Median household income$91,481$69,792
Home value ÷ income3.7×2.8×
Homeownership88.2%86.8%
Median year built19981975
Seasonal / vacation homes1.2%—

Who lives in Byron

PeopleByronTypical Michigan town
Median age39.743.7
Age 65 and over16.2%20.7%
Under 1827.1%—
Bachelor's degree or higher38.0%21.5%
Below the poverty line4.9%10.4%
Veterans4.9%—
Born outside the U.S.4.1%—
Work from home13.3%9.1%
Average commute20.6 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband94.6%88.8%

Weather in Byron

July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 17.0°F. About 39.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 75.1 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 143 nights at or below freezing.

Byron monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing31°17°Jan34°18°Feb44°24°Mar57°35°Apr69°46°May79°56°Jun82°60°Jul81°58°Aug74°51°Sep61°40°Oct47°31°Nov36°23°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.722.02.119.42.66.54.12.24.44.03.33.03.53.70.23.36.32.818.5
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the E Grand Rapids station (10.4 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 3 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Byron since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on April 3, 1956 about 7.6 miles from the town center and killed 14. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 19 deaths and 379 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 15, 2025.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Byron by decade41950s41960s41970s21980s01990s22000s52010s52020s
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 41 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on March 10, 2026.

Severe weather in Kent County since 1996

Storm events in Kent County since 1996 by typeHail92Flood15Tornado22Blizzard6High Wind17Ice Storm5Heavy Snow27Flash Flood14
NOAA Storm Events Database, Kent County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 7 deaths recorded.

Kent County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
February 8, 2024FloodDR-4757: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
June 18, 2013FloodDR-4121: Flooding
September 7, 2005HurricaneEM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

Jobs and pay in Kent County

Kent County had 415,565 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,288 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Byron itself the ACS puts it at 3.9%.

Largest industries in Kent CountyHealth care & social assistan…67,987 jobs · $67,366Manufacturing62,796 jobs · $76,496Administrative & support48,794 jobs · $34,367Retail34,924 jobs · $41,636Hotels & restaurants31,658 jobs · $26,257Wholesale trade27,544 jobs · $82,540
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Kent County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Kent 3.2%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Byron

Byron questions

Is Byron, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Byron scores better for retirees than 24% of Michigan towns and quieter than 14%. 16.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.7).

How much does a house cost in Byron?

The median owner-occupied home in Byron is valued at $339,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $91,481, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,343 a month.

What is the weather like in Byron?

July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 17.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.6 inches of precipitation a year and 75.1 inches of snow.

Does Byron get tornadoes?

26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Byron since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on April 3, 1956. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Byron's Census boundary (GEOID 2608112240). 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 2026-11-12.