The Town FilesFoster, Michigan
Township in Ogemaw County · population 788 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $150,200
- Household income
- $55,385
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 57 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 60.4
Foster is a township of 788 people in Ogemaw County, Michigan. The median home is worth $150,200, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks quieter than 90% of Michigan towns, easier by car than 90% of Michigan towns, better for retirees than 79% of Michigan towns.
How Foster 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 Foster is worth $150,200, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $55,385, which is more affordable than 61% of Michigan towns. 98.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Foster | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $150,200 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | — | $955 |
| Median household income | $55,385 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 98.3% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 51.1% | — |
Who lives in Foster
| People | Foster | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 60.4 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 39.4% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 15.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.6% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.5% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 13.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 8.4% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 31.8 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 78.8% | 88.8% |
Weather in Foster
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 10.4°F. About 33.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 57.0 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 177 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Foster since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 30, 1976 about 9.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 28, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on August 2, 2015.
Severe weather in Ogemaw County since 1996
Ogemaw 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 |
| January 27, 1999 | Snowstorm | EM-3137: Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99 |
Jobs and pay in Ogemaw County
Ogemaw County had 6,008 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $42,697 a year. Unemployment was 6.6% in 2023; in Foster itself the ACS puts it at 14.8%.
Towns near Foster
- Klacking, MI7.5 mi · 572 people · home $168,400
- St. Helen, MI7.6 mi · 2,735 people · home $95,600
- Rose City, MI8.9 mi · 577 people · home $101,700
- Ogemaw, MI9.8 mi · 1,154 people · home $206,600
- Richfield, MI9.8 mi · 3,545 people · home $110,200
- Rose, MI10.4 mi · 1,241 people · home $153,300
- West Branch, MI10.9 mi · 2,567 people · home $171,600
- West Branch, MI11.2 mi · 2,351 people · home $147,800
Foster questions
Is Foster, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Foster scores better for retirees than 79% of Michigan towns and quieter than 90%. 39.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 60.4).
How much does a house cost in Foster?
The median owner-occupied home in Foster is valued at $150,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,385, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Foster?
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 10.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.6 inches of precipitation a year and 57.0 inches of snow.
Does Foster get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Foster since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 30, 1976. 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)