The Town Files

Caro, Michigan

City in Tuscola County · population 4,328 (2020 Census)

Map: where Caro is in MichiganCaro
Median home
$102,700
Household income
$41,595
Jan low / Jul high
15° / 82°
Snow a year
42 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
8
Median age
43.6

Caro is a city of 4,328 people in Tuscola County, Michigan. The median home is worth $102,700, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for cycling than 92% of Michigan towns, more vibrant than 88% of Michigan towns, more walkable than 86% of Michigan towns.

Caro in our rankings:

How Caro 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.

Caro lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement33rd pctFamilies4th pctQuiet14th pctWalkability86th pctFirst-time buyers67th pctYoung professionals83rd pctVibrancy88th pctHip & trendy79th pctCollege town18th pctUpscale17th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling92nd pctTransit48th pctDriving30th 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 Caro is worth $102,700, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $41,595, which is more affordable than 74% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $753 a month. 64.0% of households own their home.

Caro vs Tuscola County vs typical Michigan townCaroTuscola CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$102,700$149,500$193,900Household income$41,595$63,811$69,792Monthly rent$753$819$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingCaroTypical Michigan town
Median home value$102,700$193,900
Median rent$753$955
Median household income$41,595$69,792
Home value ÷ income2.5×2.8×
Homeownership64.0%86.8%
Median year built19611975
Seasonal / vacation homes1.9%—

Who lives in Caro

PeopleCaroTypical Michigan town
Median age43.643.7
Age 65 and over24.2%20.7%
Under 1820.7%—
Bachelor's degree or higher16.4%21.5%
Below the poverty line28.7%10.4%
Veterans5.9%—
Born outside the U.S.0.7%—
Work from home3.8%9.1%
Average commute19.0 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband88.2%88.8%

Weather in Caro

July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 14.6°F. About 34.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.6 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 152 nights at or below freezing.

Caro monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing29°15°Jan32°15°Feb42°23°Mar55°34°Apr68°45°May78°55°Jun82°60°Jul80°57°Aug73°50°Sep60°40°Oct46°31°Nov35°22°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.213.11.68.01.95.53.61.03.73.63.53.33.23.12.52.32.111.7
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Caro Wwtp station (0.6 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Caro since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 30, 1984 about 8.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 17, 2024.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Caro by decade01950s01960s21970s11980s01990s22000s02010s32020s
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 11 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 22, 1984.

Severe weather in Tuscola County since 1996

Storm events in Tuscola County since 1996 by typeHail76Heat12Flood17Tornado14High Wind28Ice Storm7Heavy Snow35Winter Storm19
NOAA Storm Events Database, Tuscola County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996).

Tuscola County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
June 30, 2026FloodDR-4925: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
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

Jobs and pay in Tuscola County

Tuscola County had 12,102 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,754 a year. Unemployment was 5% in 2023; in Caro itself the ACS puts it at 9.1%.

Largest industries in Tuscola CountyHealth care & social assistan…1,960 jobs · $50,368Manufacturing1,421 jobs · $65,425Retail1,398 jobs · $34,730Hotels & restaurants992 jobs · $18,907Construction625 jobs · $53,327Administrative & support591 jobs · $68,278
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Tuscola County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%16%2000200420082012201620202023Tuscola 5%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Caro

9 public schools with 1,483 students, about 12.7 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Caro High School9-1241919.0
McComb Elementary SchoolPK-232012.8
Caro Middle School6-830717.1
Schall Elementary School3-529316.3
Highland Pines SchoolPK-12945.9
Caro Alternative High School7-124949.0
Transition Center15-1511.0
Tuscola Technology Center9-12——
Caro Center15-15——

Towns near Caro

Caro questions

Is Caro, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Caro scores better for retirees than 33% of Michigan towns and quieter than 14%. 24.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.6).

How much does a house cost in Caro?

The median owner-occupied home in Caro is valued at $102,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $41,595, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $753 a month.

What is the weather like in Caro?

July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 14.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.3 inches of precipitation a year and 41.6 inches of snow.

Does Caro get tornadoes?

8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Caro since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 30, 1984. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Caro's Census boundary (GEOID 2613420). 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.