The Town FilesLeslie, Michigan
City in Ingham County · population 1,927 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $149,700
- Household income
- $73,654
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 39 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 32.0
Leslie is a city of 1,927 people in Ingham County, Michigan. The median home is worth $149,700, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks easier by car than 85% of Michigan towns, more walkable than 74% of Michigan towns, better for cycling than 73% of Michigan towns.
How Leslie 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 Leslie is worth $149,700, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $73,654, which is more affordable than 94% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,057 a month. 73.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Leslie | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $149,700 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $1,057 | $955 |
| Median household income | $73,654 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 73.5% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1949 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Leslie
| People | Leslie | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.0 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.8% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 30.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.4% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.9% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 4.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 7.3% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 27.4 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.2% | 88.8% |
Weather in Leslie
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 15.6°F. About 36.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 39.4 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 140 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Leslie since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 15, 1982 about 7.6 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 4 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 30, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on June 9, 2004.
Severe weather in Ingham County since 1996
Ingham County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 8, 2024 | Flood | DR-4757: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3455: Covid-19 |
| July 14, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1777: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Ingham County
Ingham County had 155,500 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $68,532 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Leslie itself the ACS puts it at 3.1%.
Public schools in Leslie
3 public schools with 1,076 students, about 16.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodworth Elementary School | PK-4 | 419 | 14.4 |
| Leslie Middle School | 5-8 | 333 | 22.2 |
| Leslie High School | 9-12 | 324 | 14.1 |
Towns near Leslie
- Leslie, MI1.8 mi · 2,305 people · home $225,000
- Rives, MI5.4 mi · 4,750 people · home $210,300
- Onondaga, MI6.1 mi · 2,997 people · home $267,200
- Vevay, MI6.3 mi · 3,606 people · home $268,600
- Bunker Hill, MI6.5 mi · 1,966 people · home $228,300
- Tompkins, MI7.5 mi · 2,618 people · home $206,800
- Henrietta, MI7.7 mi · 4,673 people · home $204,700
- Mason, MI9.0 mi · 8,283 people · home $198,000
Leslie questions
Is Leslie, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Leslie scores better for retirees than 23% of Michigan towns and quieter than 32%. 10.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.0).
How much does a house cost in Leslie?
The median owner-occupied home in Leslie is valued at $149,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,654, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $1,057 a month.
What is the weather like in Leslie?
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 15.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.3 inches of precipitation a year and 39.4 inches of snow.
Does Leslie get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Leslie since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 15, 1982. 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)