The Town FilesCheshire, Michigan
Township in Allegan County · population 2,211 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $188,000
- Household income
- $64,345
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 109 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 41.9
Cheshire is a township of 2,211 people in Allegan County, Michigan. The median home is worth $188,000, close to the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 80% of Michigan towns, better for a vacation home than 71% of Michigan towns.
How Cheshire 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 Cheshire is worth $188,000, close to the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $64,345, which is more affordable than 48% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,017 a month. 86.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cheshire | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $188,000 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $1,017 | $955 |
| Median household income | $64,345 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 86.0% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 15.0% | — |
Who lives in Cheshire
| People | Cheshire | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.9 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.1% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.8% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.5% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 3.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.2% | — |
| Work from home | 7.4% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 33.5 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.0% | 88.8% |
Weather in Cheshire
July highs average 82.9°F and January lows 17.2°F. About 41.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 109.0 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 153 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cheshire since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 3, 1956 about 6.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 14, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 12 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on October 23, 1955.
Severe weather in Allegan County since 1996
Allegan County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| 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 |
| July 14, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1777: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Allegan County
Allegan County had 41,360 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,226 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Cheshire itself the ACS puts it at 5.9%.
Towns near Cheshire
- Trowbridge, MI5.5 mi · 2,530 people · home $235,900
- Bloomingdale, MI5.6 mi · 513 people · home $117,500
- Valley, MI5.7 mi · 2,221 people · home $271,800
- Bloomingdale, MI6.3 mi · 2,930 people · home $135,600
- Lee, MI6.3 mi · 3,805 people · home $80,600
- Allegan, MI7.2 mi · 5,222 people · home $176,600
- Clyde, MI7.8 mi · 2,060 people · home $210,600
- Columbia, MI8.1 mi · 2,546 people · home $164,500
Cheshire questions
Is Cheshire, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cheshire scores better for retirees than 12% of Michigan towns and quieter than 37%. 17.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.9).
How much does a house cost in Cheshire?
The median owner-occupied home in Cheshire is valued at $188,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $64,345, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $1,017 a month.
What is the weather like in Cheshire?
July highs average 82.9°F and January lows 17.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.1 inches of precipitation a year and 109.0 inches of snow.
Does Cheshire get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cheshire since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 3, 1956. 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)