The Town Files

Livingston, Michigan

Township in Otsego County · population 2,652 (2020 Census)

Map: where Livingston is in MichiganLivingston
Median home
$220,200
Household income
$76,625
Jan low / Jul high
8° / 77°
Snow a year
140 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
3
Median age
38.9

Livingston is a township of 2,652 people in Otsego County, Michigan. The median home is worth $220,200, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better transit than 78% of Michigan towns, better for a vacation home than 71% of Michigan towns.

Livingston in our rankings:

How Livingston 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.

Livingston lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement60th pctFamilies60th pctQuiet27th pctWalkability14th pctFirst-time buyers51st pctYoung professionals49th pctVibrancy65th pctHip & trendy55th pctCollege town64th pctUpscale59th pctVacation homes71st pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit78th pctDriving52nd 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 Livingston is worth $220,200, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $76,625, which is more affordable than 48% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,058 a month. 85.8% of households own their home.

Livingston vs Otsego County vs typical Michigan townLivingstonOtsego CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$220,200$219,700$193,900Household income$76,625$68,183$69,792Monthly rent$1,058$1,008$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingLivingstonTypical Michigan town
Median home value$220,200$193,900
Median rent$1,058$955
Median household income$76,625$69,792
Home value ÷ income2.9×2.8×
Homeownership85.8%86.8%
Median year built19921975
Seasonal / vacation homes7.5%—

Who lives in Livingston

PeopleLivingstonTypical Michigan town
Median age38.943.7
Age 65 and over16.1%20.7%
Under 1824.1%—
Bachelor's degree or higher27.8%21.5%
Below the poverty line3.2%10.4%
Veterans11.2%—
Born outside the U.S.0.2%—
Work from home6.2%9.1%
Average commute13.4 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband89.8%88.8%

Weather in Livingston

July highs average 77.3°F and January lows 8.4°F. About 36.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 140.3 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 176 nights at or below freezing.

Livingston monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing24°8°Jan26°7°Feb37°15°Mar50°27°Apr64°40°May73°51°Jun77°55°Jul75°53°Aug68°46°Sep54°35°Oct40°25°Nov29°16°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.837.42.026.42.214.92.98.03.20.53.23.13.43.74.12.53.419.23.031.4
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Gaylord station (3.4 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Livingston since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on May 20, 2022 about 3.3 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 46 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 20, 2022.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Livingston by decade01950s01960s21970s01980s01990s02000s02010s12020s
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 16 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 20, 2022.

Severe weather in Otsego County since 1996

Storm events in Otsego County since 1996 by typeHail51Tornado3Blizzard6High Wind11Ice Storm5Lightning4Heavy Snow43Winter Storm82
NOAA Storm Events Database, Otsego County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 2 deaths recorded.

Otsego County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
July 22, 2025Severe Ice StormDR-4880: Severe Winter Storm
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
September 7, 2005HurricaneEM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation
January 27, 1999SnowstormEM-3137: Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99

Jobs and pay in Otsego County

Otsego County had 10,703 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,154 a year. Unemployment was 4.8% in 2023; in Livingston itself the ACS puts it at 0.7%.

Largest industries in Otsego CountyRetail2,260 jobs · $36,970Hotels & restaurants1,353 jobs · $26,517Manufacturing998 jobs · $72,405Construction626 jobs · $71,488Finance & insurance482 jobs · $81,671Other services466 jobs · $44,601
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Otsego County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%16%2000200420082012201620202023Otsego 4.8%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Livingston

Livingston questions

Is Livingston, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Livingston scores better for retirees than 60% of Michigan towns and quieter than 27%. 16.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.9).

How much does a house cost in Livingston?

The median owner-occupied home in Livingston is valued at $220,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $76,625, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $1,058 a month.

What is the weather like in Livingston?

July highs average 77.3°F and January lows 8.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.9 inches of precipitation a year and 140.3 inches of snow.

Does Livingston get tornadoes?

3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Livingston since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on May 20, 2022. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Livingston's Census boundary (GEOID 2613748140). 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.