The Town Files

Charlevoix, Michigan

Township in Charlevoix County · population 1,763 (2020 Census)

Map: where Charlevoix is in MichiganCharlevoix
Median home
$307,000
Household income
$80,781
Jan low / Jul high
18° / 76°
Snow a year
100 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
0
Median age
58.7

Charlevoix is a township of 1,763 people in Charlevoix County, Michigan. The median home is worth $307,000, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for retirees than 96% of Michigan towns, better for a vacation home than 94% of Michigan towns, better for cycling than 85% of Michigan towns.

Charlevoix in our rankings:

How Charlevoix 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.

Charlevoix lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement96th pctFamilies55th pctQuiet74th pctWalkability34th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals53rd pctVibrancy52nd pctHip & trendy66th pctCollege town28th pctUpscale78th pctVacation homes94th pctSeaside characterbottomCycling85th pctTransit61st pctDriving43rd 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 Charlevoix is worth $307,000, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $80,781, which is more affordable than 11% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,213 a month. 86.9% of households own their home.

Charlevoix vs Charlevoix County vs typical Michigan townCharlevoixCharlevoix CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$307,000$276,800$193,900Household income$80,781$76,531$69,792Monthly rent$1,213$949$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingCharlevoixTypical Michigan town
Median home value$307,000$193,900
Median rent$1,213$955
Median household income$80,781$69,792
Home value ÷ income3.8×2.8×
Homeownership86.9%86.8%
Median year built19911975
Seasonal / vacation homes29.1%—

Who lives in Charlevoix

PeopleCharlevoixTypical Michigan town
Median age58.743.7
Age 65 and over39.0%20.7%
Under 1817.9%—
Bachelor's degree or higher40.3%21.5%
Below the poverty line7.1%10.4%
Veterans8.3%—
Born outside the U.S.3.8%—
Work from home13.0%9.1%
Average commute15.1 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband93.2%88.8%

Weather in Charlevoix

July highs average 76.0°F and January lows 17.5°F. About 33.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 100.2 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 135 nights at or below freezing.

Charlevoix monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing29°18°Jan29°16°Feb37°22°Mar48°33°Apr61°43°May71°54°Jun76°61°Jul76°61°Aug70°53°Sep57°43°Oct45°34°Nov35°25°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.329.91.519.31.912.02.95.03.00.12.92.73.23.64.30.22.86.42.527.3
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Charlevoix station (0.7 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Charlevoix since 1950.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 6 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 8, 1966.

Severe weather in Charlevoix County since 1996

Storm events in Charlevoix County since 1996 by typeHail31Tornado1Blizzard1High Wind2Ice Storm2Lightning1Flash Flood1Winter Storm25
NOAA Storm Events Database, Charlevoix County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996).

Charlevoix County has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, freezing.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
June 30, 2026FloodDR-4925: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
July 22, 2025Severe Ice StormDR-4880: Severe Winter Storm
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
September 7, 2005HurricaneEM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

Jobs and pay in Charlevoix County

Charlevoix County had 10,983 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,950 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in Charlevoix itself the ACS puts it at 2.2%.

Largest industries in Charlevoix CountyManufacturing2,747 jobs · $76,754Hotels & restaurants1,834 jobs · $37,675Retail895 jobs · $40,881Construction670 jobs · $58,882Administrative & support322 jobs · $52,542Arts & recreation302 jobs · $42,143
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Charlevoix County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%16%2000200420082012201620202023Charlevoix 4.6%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Charlevoix

1 public school with 423 students, about 16.9 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Charlevoix Middle High School7-1242316.9

Towns near Charlevoix

Charlevoix questions

Is Charlevoix, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Charlevoix scores better for retirees than 96% of Michigan towns and quieter than 74%. 39.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 58.7).

How much does a house cost in Charlevoix?

The median owner-occupied home in Charlevoix is valued at $307,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $80,781, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $1,213 a month.

What is the weather like in Charlevoix?

July highs average 76.0°F and January lows 17.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.7 inches of precipitation a year and 100.2 inches of snow.

Does Charlevoix get tornadoes?

No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Charlevoix in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Charlevoix's Census boundary (GEOID 2602914800). 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.