The Town Files

Kinderhook, Michigan

Township in Branch County · population 1,427 (2020 Census)

Map: where Kinderhook is in MichiganKinderhook
Median home
$231,000
Household income
$83,348
Jan low / Jul high
16° / 82°
Snow a year
39 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
21
Median age
55.0

Kinderhook is a township of 1,427 people in Branch County, Michigan. The median home is worth $231,000, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks quieter than 85% of Michigan towns, better for a vacation home than 81% of Michigan towns, better for retirees than 76% of Michigan towns.

How Kinderhook 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.

Kinderhook lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement76th pctFamilies39th pctQuiet85th pctWalkability34th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals42nd pctVibrancy23rd pctHip & trendy70th pctCollege town26th pctUpscale64th pctVacation homes81st pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving68th 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 Kinderhook is worth $231,000, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $83,348, which is more affordable than 55% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $850 a month. 89.8% of households own their home.

Kinderhook vs Branch County vs typical Michigan townKinderhookBranch CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$231,000$162,500$193,900Household income$83,348$63,724$69,792Monthly rent$850$959$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingKinderhookTypical Michigan town
Median home value$231,000$193,900
Median rent$850$955
Median household income$83,348$69,792
Home value ÷ income2.8×2.8×
Homeownership89.8%86.8%
Median year built19771975
Seasonal / vacation homes47.1%—

Who lives in Kinderhook

PeopleKinderhookTypical Michigan town
Median age55.043.7
Age 65 and over31.0%20.7%
Under 1816.7%—
Bachelor's degree or higher29.4%21.5%
Below the poverty line7.5%10.4%
Veterans6.8%—
Born outside the U.S.2.1%—
Work from home6.0%9.1%
Average commute27.4 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband87.3%88.8%

Weather in Kinderhook

July highs average 81.8°F and January lows 16.0°F. About 38.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.9 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 145 nights at or below freezing.

Kinderhook monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing31°16°Jan34°17°Feb45°26°Mar58°36°Apr69°48°May78°58°Jun82°61°Jul80°59°Aug74°51°Sep61°40°Oct47°30°Nov36°22°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.611.82.310.32.55.33.61.04.44.13.83.93.23.00.13.02.32.58.1
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Angola station (8.2 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kinderhook since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 11, 1965 about 0.6 miles from the town center and killed 9. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 20 deaths and 416 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 11, 2026.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Kinderhook by decade11950s51960s31970s31980s11990s02000s12010s72020s
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 19 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on March 31, 2023.

Severe weather in Branch County since 1996

Storm events in Branch County since 1996 by typeHail59Tornado9Blizzard1High Wind11Ice Storm7Heavy Snow15Strong Wind4Winter Storm33
NOAA Storm Events Database, Branch County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 4 deaths recorded.

Branch County has been included in 6 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
September 7, 2005HurricaneEM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation
January 10, 2001SnowstormEM-3160: Snow
January 27, 1978SnowstormEM-3057: Blizzards & Snowstorms

Jobs and pay in Branch County

Branch County had 15,240 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,639 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Kinderhook itself the ACS puts it at 1.6%.

Largest industries in Branch CountyManufacturing3,704 jobs · $61,240Retail1,739 jobs · $37,084Hotels & restaurants1,606 jobs · $20,230Transportation & warehousing1,432 jobs · $71,949Health care & social assistan…846 jobs · $43,896Wholesale trade727 jobs · $58,430
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Branch County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%2000200420082012201620202023Branch 3.9%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Kinderhook

Kinderhook questions

Is Kinderhook, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kinderhook scores better for retirees than 76% of Michigan towns and quieter than 85%. 31.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 55.0).

How much does a house cost in Kinderhook?

The median owner-occupied home in Kinderhook is valued at $231,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $83,348, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $850 a month.

What is the weather like in Kinderhook?

July highs average 81.8°F and January lows 16.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.8 inches of precipitation a year and 38.9 inches of snow.

Does Kinderhook get tornadoes?

21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kinderhook since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 11, 1965. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Kinderhook's Census boundary (GEOID 2602343260). 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.