The Town FilesCrystal Falls, Michigan
City in Iron County · population 1,598 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $83,300
- Household income
- $60,865
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 66 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 41.2
Crystal Falls is a city of 1,598 people in Iron County, Michigan. The median home is worth $83,300, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks quieter than 96% of Michigan towns, better for first-time buyers than 92% of Michigan towns, better for retirees than 88% of Michigan towns.
- #4 in The 25 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Michigan
- #11 in The 25 Most Affordable Small Towns in Michigan
- #15 in The 50 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in America
- #15 in The 50 Best Quiet, Affordable Places to Retire in America
- #25 in 25 Small Towns in Michigan With the Cheapest Homes
How Crystal Falls 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 Crystal Falls is worth $83,300, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $60,865, which is more affordable than 100% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $791 a month. 80.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Crystal Falls | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $83,300 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $791 | $955 |
| Median household income | $60,865 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 80.7% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 7.8% | — |
Who lives in Crystal Falls
| People | Crystal Falls | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.2 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.5% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.3% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.0% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 9.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 8.0% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 16.6 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.2% | 88.8% |
Weather in Crystal Falls
July highs average 77.5°F and January lows 3.2°F. About 30.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 65.6 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 190 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Crystal Falls since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 14, 1981 about 7.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 9, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 24, 2009.
Severe weather in Iron County since 1996
Iron County has been included in 7 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 |
| May 6, 2002 | Flood | DR-1413: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Iron County
Iron County had 3,410 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $44,921 a year. Unemployment was 5.6% in 2023; in Crystal Falls itself the ACS puts it at 5.8%.
Public schools in Crystal Falls
1 public school with 487 students, about 18.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Park School | PK-12 | 487 | 18.7 |
Towns near Crystal Falls
- Mastodon, MI5.1 mi · 576 people · home $124,000
- Crystal Falls, MI11.1 mi · 1,647 people · home $180,900
- Florence, WI12.0 mi · 641 people · home $85,700
- Florence, WI12.0 mi · 2,096 people · home $196,200
- Sagola, MI13.8 mi · 1,066 people · home $163,600
- Caspian, MI14.7 mi · 805 people · home $79,100
- Iron River, MI15.1 mi · 3,007 people · home $85,000
- Bates, MI17.7 mi · 925 people · home $163,200
Crystal Falls questions
Is Crystal Falls, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Crystal Falls scores better for retirees than 88% of Michigan towns and quieter than 96%. 19.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.2).
How much does a house cost in Crystal Falls?
The median owner-occupied home in Crystal Falls is valued at $83,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,865, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $791 a month.
What is the weather like in Crystal Falls?
July highs average 77.5°F and January lows 3.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.4 inches of precipitation a year and 65.6 inches of snow.
Does Crystal Falls get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Crystal Falls since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 14, 1981. 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)