The Town Files

Hinton, Michigan

Township in Mecosta County · population 1,054 (2020 Census)

Map: where Hinton is in MichiganHinton
Median home
$156,000
Household income
$60,368
Jan low / Jul high
13° / 81°
Snow a year
65 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
9
Median age
42.8

Hinton is a township of 1,054 people in Mecosta County, Michigan. The median home is worth $156,000, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 93% of Michigan towns, better for families than 81% of Michigan towns, better transit than 78% of Michigan towns.

How Hinton 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.

Hinton lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement50th pctFamilies81st pctQuiet64th pctWalkability30th pctFirst-time buyers93rd pctYoung professionals38th pctVibrancy5th pctHip & trendy36th pctCollege town49th pctUpscale50th pctVacation homes59th pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit78th pctDriving63rd 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 Hinton is worth $156,000, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $60,368, which is more affordable than 68% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,029 a month. 91.3% of households own their home.

Hinton vs Mecosta County vs typical Michigan townHintonMecosta CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$156,000$178,900$193,900Household income$60,368$60,951$69,792Monthly rent$1,029$934$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingHintonTypical Michigan town
Median home value$156,000$193,900
Median rent$1,029$955
Median household income$60,368$69,792
Home value ÷ income2.6×2.8×
Homeownership91.3%86.8%
Median year built19761975
Seasonal / vacation homes7.5%—

Who lives in Hinton

PeopleHintonTypical Michigan town
Median age42.843.7
Age 65 and over19.7%20.7%
Under 1827.1%—
Bachelor's degree or higher11.8%21.5%
Below the poverty line6.5%10.4%
Veterans11.0%—
Born outside the U.S.0.4%—
Work from home11.7%9.1%
Average commute37.7 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband72.0%88.8%

Weather in Hinton

July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 12.7°F. About 37.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 65.3 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 168 nights at or below freezing.

Hinton monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing28°13°Jan31°12°Feb42°20°Mar55°31°Apr68°43°May77°53°Jun81°57°Jul79°55°Aug72°47°Sep58°36°Oct44°28°Nov33°19°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.418.42.014.82.67.84.02.33.83.43.54.23.03.80.43.05.22.316.5
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Big Rapids Wtp station (18.1 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 3 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hinton since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 23, 1968 about 0.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 26, 2021.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Hinton by decade11950s21960s21970s11980s01990s02000s22010s12020s
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 13 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 4, 2012.

Severe weather in Mecosta County since 1996

Storm events in Mecosta County since 1996 by typeHail31Flood8Tornado4Blizzard2High Wind7Ice Storm5Heavy Snow18Flash Flood7
NOAA Storm Events Database, Mecosta County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996).

Mecosta County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
June 30, 2026FloodDR-4925: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
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

Jobs and pay in Mecosta County

Mecosta County had 12,746 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,193 a year. Unemployment was 5.3% in 2023; in Hinton itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.

Largest industries in Mecosta CountyRetail2,362 jobs · $36,178Health care & social assistan…1,597 jobs · $40,526Manufacturing1,226 jobs · $64,573Hotels & restaurants1,094 jobs · $19,790Other services514 jobs · $41,428Administrative & support498 jobs · $37,390
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Mecosta County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%2000200420082012201620202023Mecosta 5.3%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Hinton

Hinton questions

Is Hinton, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hinton scores better for retirees than 50% of Michigan towns and quieter than 64%. 19.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.8).

How much does a house cost in Hinton?

The median owner-occupied home in Hinton is valued at $156,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,368, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $1,029 a month.

What is the weather like in Hinton?

July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 12.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.9 inches of precipitation a year and 65.3 inches of snow.

Does Hinton get tornadoes?

9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hinton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 23, 1968. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Hinton's Census boundary (GEOID 2610738540). 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.