The Town FilesClaybanks, Michigan
Township in Oceana County · population 855 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $275,000
- Household income
- $68,281
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 69 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 47.1
Claybanks is a township of 855 people in Oceana County, Michigan. The median home is worth $275,000, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks quieter than 98% of Michigan towns, better for a vacation home than 94% of Michigan towns, better for retirees than 86% of Michigan towns.
How Claybanks 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 Claybanks is worth $275,000, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $68,281, which is more affordable than 7% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,117 a month. 89.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Claybanks | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $275,000 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $1,117 | $955 |
| Median household income | $68,281 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 89.0% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 38.2% | — |
Who lives in Claybanks
| People | Claybanks | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.1 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.3% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 23.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.1% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.3% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 7.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 7.3% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 23.3 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.8% | 88.8% |
Weather in Claybanks
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 18.6°F. About 35.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 68.9 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 145 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Claybanks since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 15, 1978 about 4.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 15, 1978.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 17, 2006.
Severe weather in Oceana County since 1996
Oceana County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, 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 |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| January 27, 1999 | Snowstorm | EM-3137: Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99 |
Jobs and pay in Oceana County
Oceana County had 6,470 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,679 a year. Unemployment was 5.7% in 2023; in Claybanks itself the ACS puts it at 3.8%.
Towns near Claybanks
- Grant, MI5.0 mi · 3,002 people · home $131,000
- Benona, MI5.7 mi · 1,425 people · home $248,600
- White River, MI6.7 mi · 1,383 people · home $349,400
- Shelby, MI7.2 mi · 1,964 people · home $155,600
- Montague, MI7.5 mi · 1,555 people · home $218,300
- Shelby, MI8.0 mi · 4,109 people · home $180,800
- Montague, MI8.6 mi · 2,417 people · home $202,200
- Whitehall, MI9.9 mi · 2,909 people · home $212,600
Claybanks questions
Is Claybanks, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Claybanks scores better for retirees than 86% of Michigan towns and quieter than 98%. 25.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.1).
How much does a house cost in Claybanks?
The median owner-occupied home in Claybanks is valued at $275,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,281, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $1,117 a month.
What is the weather like in Claybanks?
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 18.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.2 inches of precipitation a year and 68.9 inches of snow.
Does Claybanks get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Claybanks since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 15, 1978. 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)