The Town Files

Galien, Michigan

Township in Berrien County · population 1,412 (2020 Census)

Map: where Galien is in MichiganGalien
Median home
$160,000
Household income
$55,625
Jan low / Jul high
17° / 83°
Snow a year
62 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
15
Median age
47.3

Galien is a township of 1,412 people in Berrien County, Michigan. The median home is worth $160,000, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks easier by car than 90% of Michigan towns, better for retirees than 84% of Michigan towns, more of a college town than 77% of Michigan towns.

How Galien 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.

Galien lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement84th pctFamilies72nd pctQuiet54th pctWalkability37th pctFirst-time buyers56th pctYoung professionals17th pctVibrancy35th pctHip & trendy56th pctCollege town77th pctUpscale7th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving90th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Galien is worth $160,000, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $55,625, which is more affordable than 48% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $933 a month. 82.6% of households own their home.

Galien vs Berrien County vs typical Michigan townGalienBerrien CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$160,000$224,300$193,900Household income$55,625$65,425$69,792Monthly rent$933$942$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingGalienTypical Michigan town
Median home value$160,000$193,900
Median rent$933$955
Median household income$55,625$69,792
Home value ÷ income2.9×2.8×
Homeownership82.6%86.8%
Median year built19641975
Seasonal / vacation homes4.7%—

Who lives in Galien

PeopleGalienTypical Michigan town
Median age47.343.7
Age 65 and over29.5%20.7%
Under 1819.3%—
Bachelor's degree or higher16.5%21.5%
Below the poverty line17.8%10.4%
Veterans6.3%—
Born outside the U.S.1.5%—
Work from home6.3%9.1%
Average commute31.2 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband81.7%88.8%

Weather in Galien

July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 17.0°F. About 39.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 62.1 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 126 nights at or below freezing.

Galien monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing31°17°Jan35°19°Feb46°27°Mar59°37°Apr70°48°May79°58°Jun83°62°Jul81°61°Aug74°53°Sep62°42°Oct48°32°Nov36°23°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.722.42.317.82.45.03.50.54.24.03.84.03.53.70.22.85.52.410.7
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the South Bend Michiana Rgnl Ap station (11.7 mi away); snow from New Carlisle (5.9 mi).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Galien since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on November 26, 1965 about 6.3 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 57 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on October 3, 2021.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Galien by decade11950s31960s51970s11980s01990s32000s12010s12020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 22 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 5, 1969.

Severe weather in Berrien County since 1996

Storm events in Berrien County since 1996 by typeHail76Flood11Tornado8Blizzard2Lightning3Flash Flood18Rip Current5Winter Storm20
NOAA Storm Events Database, Berrien County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 4 deaths recorded.

Berrien County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
September 7, 2005HurricaneEM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation
June 30, 2004Severe StormDR-1527: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
January 10, 2001SnowstormEM-3160: Snow

Jobs and pay in Berrien County

Berrien County had 60,626 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,009 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Galien itself the ACS puts it at 6.4%.

Largest industries in Berrien CountyManufacturing11,601 jobs · $83,266Health care & social assistan…8,001 jobs · $57,662Retail7,096 jobs · $34,508Hotels & restaurants6,789 jobs · $23,690Administrative & support3,037 jobs · $48,646Other services2,176 jobs · $37,863
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Berrien County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%2000200420082012201620202023Berrien 4.2%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Galien

Galien questions

Is Galien, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Galien scores better for retirees than 84% of Michigan towns and quieter than 54%. 29.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.3).

How much does a house cost in Galien?

The median owner-occupied home in Galien is valued at $160,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,625, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $933 a month.

What is the weather like in Galien?

July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 17.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.2 inches of precipitation a year and 62.1 inches of snow.

Does Galien get tornadoes?

15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Galien since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on November 26, 1965. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Galien's Census boundary (GEOID 2602131320). Comparisons use the median of Michigan towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.