The Town FilesMancelona, Michigan
Village in Antrim County · population 1,344 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $131,400
- Household income
- $51,691
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 135 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 32.5
Mancelona is a village of 1,344 people in Antrim County, Michigan. The median home is worth $131,400, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks more vibrant than 84% of Michigan towns, better for first-time buyers than 77% of Michigan towns, more walkable than 76% of Michigan towns.
How Mancelona 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 Mancelona is worth $131,400, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $51,691, which is more affordable than 74% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $791 a month. 68.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mancelona | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $131,400 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $791 | $955 |
| Median household income | $51,691 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 68.9% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.5% | — |
Who lives in Mancelona
| People | Mancelona | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.5 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 8.8% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 28.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.1% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.8% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 4.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.2% | — |
| Work from home | 1.9% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 23.5 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.8% | 88.8% |
Weather in Mancelona
July highs average 78.8°F and January lows 10.6°F. About 33.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 135.3 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 179 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mancelona since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 8, 1964 about 8.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 22, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 5 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on July 8, 2016.
Severe weather in Antrim County since 1996
Antrim County has been included in 7 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 Antrim County
Antrim County had 5,128 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $42,968 a year. Unemployment was 5.4% in 2023; in Mancelona itself the ACS puts it at 7.3%.
Public schools in Mancelona
3 public schools with 786 students, about 16.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mancelona Elementary School | PK-4 | 298 | 16.6 |
| Mancelona High School | 9-12 | 252 | 16.8 |
| Mancelona Middle School | 5-8 | 236 | 16.9 |
Towns near Mancelona
- Mancelona, MI4.0 mi · 4,311 people · home $159,900
- Custer, MI4.8 mi · 1,150 people · home $237,200
- Coldsprings, MI6.4 mi · 1,551 people · home $188,500
- Chestonia, MI6.6 mi · 512 people · home $113,500
- Rapid River, MI7.4 mi · 1,245 people · home $185,300
- Kearney, MI7.5 mi · 1,780 people · home $240,600
- Bellaire, MI8.4 mi · 1,053 people · home $230,100
- Lakes of the North, MI8.8 mi · 1,044 people · home $232,100
Mancelona questions
Is Mancelona, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mancelona scores better for retirees than 6% of Michigan towns and quieter than 23%. 8.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.5).
How much does a house cost in Mancelona?
The median owner-occupied home in Mancelona is valued at $131,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,691, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $791 a month.
What is the weather like in Mancelona?
July highs average 78.8°F and January lows 10.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.7 inches of precipitation a year and 135.3 inches of snow.
Does Mancelona get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mancelona since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 8, 1964. 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)