The Town FilesGrayling, Michigan
City in Crawford County · population 1,867 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $160,800
- Household income
- $32,545
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 88 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 43.4
Grayling is a city of 1,867 people in Crawford County, Michigan. The median home is worth $160,800, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better transit than 91% of Michigan towns, better for cycling than 89% of Michigan towns, better for a vacation home than 85% 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 $160,800, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 4.9 times the median household income of $32,545, which is more affordable than 2% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $788 a month. 42.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Grayling | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $160,800 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $788 | $955 |
| Median household income | $32,545 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.9× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 42.1% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.0% | — |
Who lives in Grayling
| People | Grayling | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.4 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.6% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.4% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 31.9% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 10.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.4% | — |
| Work from home | 3.9% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 19.0 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.6% | 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 8.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 1, 2014.
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 4.6%.
Public schools in Grayling
5 public schools with 1,656 students, about 15.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grayling Elementary School | PK-4 | 627 | 12.8 |
| Grayling High School | 9-12 | 462 | 17.1 |
| Grayling Middle School | 5-8 | 444 | 15.3 |
| Great Lakes Online Education | K-12 | 95 | 23.8 |
| Shawono Center | 6-12 | 28 | — |
Towns near Grayling
- Grayling, MI3.6 mi · 5,642 people · home $163,400
- Beaver Creek, MI6.6 mi · 1,515 people · home $154,200
- Frederic, MI8.3 mi · 1,161 people · home $174,700
- Bear Lake, MI9.6 mi · 668 people · home $188,700
- Maple Forest, MI10.8 mi · 598 people · home $172,700
- Gerrish, MI13.1 mi · 2,796 people · home $232,100
- Roscommon, MI13.2 mi · 981 people · home $93,900
- Lyon, MI13.8 mi · 1,252 people · home $211,100
Grayling questions
Is Grayling, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Grayling scores better for retirees than 77% of Michigan towns and quieter than 64%. 26.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.4).
How much does a house cost in Grayling?
The median owner-occupied home in Grayling is valued at $160,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $32,545, so homes cost about 4.9 times income. Median rent is $788 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)