The Town FilesMaple Forest, Michigan
Township in Crawford County · population 598 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $172,700
- Household income
- $79,167
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 149 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 54.0
Maple Forest is a township of 598 people in Crawford County, Michigan. The median home is worth $172,700, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 96% of Michigan towns, quieter than 93% of Michigan towns, better for a vacation home than 92% of Michigan towns.
How Maple Forest 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 Maple Forest is worth $172,700, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $79,167, which is more affordable than 89% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $925 a month. 90.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Maple Forest | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $172,700 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $925 | $955 |
| Median household income | $79,167 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 90.5% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 30.5% | — |
Who lives in Maple Forest
| People | Maple Forest | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.0 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.3% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 17.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.5% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.2% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 19.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.7% | — |
| Work from home | 11.5% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 37.8 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.4% | 88.8% |
Weather in Maple Forest
July highs average 77.8°F and January lows 11.5°F. About 37.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 148.8 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 167 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Maple Forest since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 19, 1975 about 6.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 1, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on October 14, 1989.
Severe weather in Crawford County since 1996
Crawford County has been included in 9 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 Crawford County
Crawford County had 4,105 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,174 a year. Unemployment was 5.9% in 2023; in Maple Forest itself the ACS puts it at 17%.
Towns near Maple Forest
- Otsego Lake, MI6.7 mi · 2,857 people · home $218,400
- Frederic, MI7.7 mi · 1,161 people · home $174,700
- Grayling, MI9.1 mi · 5,642 people · home $163,400
- Lovells, MI9.6 mi · 567 people · home $204,300
- Chester, MI10.5 mi · 1,300 people · home $213,700
- Hayes, MI10.5 mi · 2,725 people · home $222,300
- Grayling, MI10.8 mi · 1,867 people · home $160,800
- Bagley, MI12.0 mi · 5,867 people · home $234,300
Maple Forest questions
Is Maple Forest, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Maple Forest scores better for retirees than 81% of Michigan towns and quieter than 93%. 22.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 54.0).
How much does a house cost in Maple Forest?
The median owner-occupied home in Maple Forest is valued at $172,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $79,167, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $925 a month.
What is the weather like in Maple Forest?
July highs average 77.8°F and January lows 11.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.9 inches of precipitation a year and 148.8 inches of snow.
Does Maple Forest get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Maple Forest since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 19, 1975. 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)