The Town Files

Marion, Michigan

Township in Osceola County · population 1,565 (2020 Census)

Map: where Marion is in MichiganMarion
Median home
$125,000
Household income
$43,547
Jan low / Jul high
10° / 80°
Snow a year
72 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
5
Median age
39.5

Marion is a township of 1,565 people in Osceola County, Michigan. The median home is worth $125,000, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 98% of Michigan towns, better for cycling than 94% of Michigan towns, quieter than 81% of Michigan towns.

How Marion 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.

Marion lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement65th pctFamilies62nd pctQuiet81st pctWalkability25th pctFirst-time buyers98th pctYoung professionals3rd pctVibrancy9th pctHip & trendy45th pctCollege town31st pctUpscale9th pctVacation homes78th pctSeaside characterbottomCycling94th pctTransit68th pctDriving56th 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 Marion is worth $125,000, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $43,547, which is more affordable than 48% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $713 a month. 79.6% of households own their home.

Marion vs Osceola County vs typical Michigan townMarionOsceola CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$125,000$155,400$193,900Household income$43,547$58,267$69,792Monthly rent$713$807$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingMarionTypical Michigan town
Median home value$125,000$193,900
Median rent$713$955
Median household income$43,547$69,792
Home value ÷ income2.9×2.8×
Homeownership79.6%86.8%
Median year built19691975
Seasonal / vacation homes10.9%—

Who lives in Marion

PeopleMarionTypical Michigan town
Median age39.543.7
Age 65 and over20.9%20.7%
Under 1820.9%—
Bachelor's degree or higher16.6%21.5%
Below the poverty line21.6%10.4%
Veterans11.1%—
Born outside the U.S.0.6%—
Work from home7.6%9.1%
Average commute29.8 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband74.8%88.8%

Weather in Marion

July highs average 80.4°F and January lows 9.9°F. About 33.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 71.8 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 177 nights at or below freezing.

Marion monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing27°10°Jan30°10°Feb41°17°Mar53°29°Apr66°41°May76°51°Jun80°55°Jul79°53°Aug71°45°Sep57°35°Oct43°26°Nov33°18°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue1.917.61.414.81.99.33.54.43.50.23.53.13.43.03.70.92.57.01.917.6
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Lake City Exp Farm station (13.7 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 3 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Marion since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 27, 1991 about 5.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 27, 1991.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Marion by decade01950s11960s11970s11980s21990s02000s02010s02020s
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 8 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on October 2, 2006.

Severe weather in Osceola County since 1996

Storm events in Osceola County since 1996 by typeHail18Flood4Tornado5Blizzard2High Wind9Ice Storm4Heavy Snow20Flash Flood8
NOAA Storm Events Database, Osceola County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996).

Osceola County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
June 30, 2026FloodDR-4925: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
June 18, 2013FloodDR-4121: Flooding
July 14, 2008Severe StormDR-1777: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding

Jobs and pay in Osceola County

Osceola County had 8,011 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,080 a year. Unemployment was 4.8% in 2023; in Marion itself the ACS puts it at 8%.

Largest industries in Osceola CountyManufacturing2,518 jobs · $57,661Health care & social assistan…963 jobs · $32,992Construction938 jobs · $96,695Retail407 jobs · $27,287Hotels & restaurants282 jobs · $15,327Other services217 jobs · $32,651
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Osceola County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%16%2000200420082012201620202023Osceola 4.8%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Marion

Marion questions

Is Marion, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Marion scores better for retirees than 65% of Michigan towns and quieter than 81%. 20.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.5).

How much does a house cost in Marion?

The median owner-occupied home in Marion is valued at $125,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $43,547, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $713 a month.

What is the weather like in Marion?

July highs average 80.4°F and January lows 9.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.4 inches of precipitation a year and 71.8 inches of snow.

Does Marion get tornadoes?

5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Marion since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 27, 1991. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Marion's Census boundary (GEOID 2613351680). 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.