The Town FilesGrayling, Michigan
Charter township in Crawford County · population 5,642 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $163,400
- Household income
- $65,127
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 88 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 49.8
Grayling is a charter township of 5,642 people in Crawford County, Michigan. The median home is worth $163,400, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better transit than 90% of Michigan towns, better for cycling than 81% of Michigan towns, better for a vacation home than 79% of Michigan towns.
How Grayling 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 Grayling is worth $163,400, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $65,127, which is more affordable than 74% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $913 a month. 77.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Grayling | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $163,400 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $913 | $955 |
| Median household income | $65,127 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 77.8% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 33.8% | — |
Who lives in Grayling
| People | Grayling | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.8 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.7% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.8% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.8% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 9.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 9.4% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.1% | 88.8% |
Weather in Grayling
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 9.7°F. About 33.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 88.3 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 185 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Grayling since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 19, 1975 about 8.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 5, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on October 14, 1989.
Severe weather in Crawford County since 1996
Crawford County has been included in 9 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 |
| July 22, 2025 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4880: Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Crawford County
Crawford County had 4,105 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,174 a year. Unemployment was 5.9% in 2023; in Grayling itself the ACS puts it at 7.4%.
Towns near Grayling
- Gerrish, MI14.3 mi · 2,796 people · home $232,100
- Otsego Lake, MI15.8 mi · 2,857 people · home $218,400
- Hayes, MI18.6 mi · 2,725 people · home $222,300
- Big Creek, MI19.9 mi · 2,604 people · home $111,700
- Bagley, MI21.0 mi · 5,867 people · home $234,300
- Mancelona, MI22.3 mi · 4,311 people · home $159,900
- Gaylord, MI23.6 mi · 4,286 people · home $192,800
- St. Helen, MI24.8 mi · 2,735 people · home $95,600
Grayling questions
Is Grayling, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Grayling scores better for retirees than 69% of Michigan towns and quieter than 58%. 24.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.8).
How much does a house cost in Grayling?
The median owner-occupied home in Grayling is valued at $163,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,127, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $913 a month.
What is the weather like in Grayling?
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 9.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.2 inches of precipitation a year and 88.3 inches of snow.
Does Grayling get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Grayling since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 19, 1975. 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)