The Town FilesEast Lansing, Michigan
City in Ingham County · population 47,741 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $270,800
- Household income
- $45,687
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 36 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 21.3
East Lansing is a city of 47,741 people in Ingham County, Michigan. The median home is worth $270,800, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better transit than 100% of Michigan towns, better for young professionals than 99% of Michigan towns, better for cycling than 99% of Michigan towns.
How East Lansing 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 East Lansing is worth $270,800, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 5.9 times the median household income of $45,687, which is more affordable than 1% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,171 a month. 38.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | East Lansing | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $270,800 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $1,171 | $955 |
| Median household income | $45,687 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.9× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 38.5% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in East Lansing
| People | East Lansing | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 21.3 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.0% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 9.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 66.6% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 33.0% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 1.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.5% | — |
| Work from home | 21.0% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 16.2 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.5% | 88.8% |
Weather in East Lansing
July highs average 83.0°F and January lows 17.5°F. About 34.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 36.0 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 145 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of East Lansing since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 11, 1965 about 8.8 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 15 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 15, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 33 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 25, 1998.
Severe weather in Ingham County since 1996
Ingham County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 8, 2024 | Flood | DR-4757: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3455: Covid-19 |
| July 14, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1777: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Ingham County
Ingham County had 155,500 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $68,532 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in East Lansing itself the ACS puts it at 6.6%.
Public schools in East Lansing
11 public schools with 3,897 students, about 16.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Lansing High School | 9-12 | 1,240 | 21.4 |
| MacDonald Middle School | 6-8 | 842 | 19.6 |
| Marble School | PK-5 | 302 | 14.4 |
| Glencairn School | PK-5 | 296 | 15.6 |
| Donley Elementary School | PK-5 | 276 | 14.5 |
| Whitehills Elementary School | PK-5 | 274 | 15.2 |
| Robert L Green Elementary | PK-5 | 270 | 15.0 |
| Red Cedar School | PK-5 | 192 | 9.6 |
| Cole Academy East (charter) | K-5 | 182 | 15.2 |
| Ingham ISD ASD Programs | PK-8 | 19 | 6.3 |
| Project SEARCH | 9-12 | 4 | 4.0 |
Towns near East Lansing
- Meridian, MI3.6 mi · 43,916 people · home $331,100
- Haslett, MI4.3 mi · 19,670 people · home $286,100
- Okemos, MI4.4 mi · 25,121 people · home $359,200
- Lansing, MI4.6 mi · 112,644 people · home $128,700
- Bath, MI5.0 mi · 2,841 people · home $205,800
- Lansing, MI5.4 mi · 8,143 people · home $146,200
- DeWitt, MI5.4 mi · 15,073 people · home $276,000
- Bath, MI5.9 mi · 13,292 people · home $293,400
East Lansing questions
Is East Lansing, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, East Lansing scores better for retirees than 8% of Michigan towns and quieter than 1%. 9.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 21.3).
How much does a house cost in East Lansing?
The median owner-occupied home in East Lansing is valued at $270,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $45,687, so homes cost about 5.9 times income. Median rent is $1,171 a month.
What is the weather like in East Lansing?
July highs average 83.0°F and January lows 17.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.3 inches of precipitation a year and 36.0 inches of snow.
Does East Lansing get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of East Lansing since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 11, 1965. 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)