The Town FilesMentor, Michigan
Township in Oscoda County · population 1,037 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $112,700
- Household income
- $42,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 57 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 55.4
Mentor is a township of 1,037 people in Oscoda County, Michigan. The median home is worth $112,700, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for cycling than 99% of Michigan towns, better for retirees than 88% of Michigan towns, better for first-time buyers than 84% of Michigan towns.
How Mentor 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 Mentor is worth $112,700, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $42,500, which is more affordable than 61% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $578 a month. 85.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mentor | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $112,700 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $578 | $955 |
| Median household income | $42,500 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 85.1% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 56.7% | — |
Who lives in Mentor
| People | Mentor | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 55.4 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.1% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 11.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.0% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 23.3% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 10.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.7% | — |
| Work from home | 8.4% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 20.0 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.2% | 88.8% |
Weather in Mentor
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 10.7°F. About 32.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 57.0 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 180 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mentor since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 27, 1991 about 8.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 2, 1997.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on October 18, 2007.
Severe weather in Oscoda County since 1996
Oscoda County has been included in 8 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 Oscoda County
Oscoda County had 1,364 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $40,287 a year. Unemployment was 7.6% in 2023; in Mentor itself the ACS puts it at 9.3%.
Towns near Mentor
- Mio, MI7.5 mi · 1,690 people · home $90,600
- Comins, MI9.0 mi · 1,839 people · home $120,800
- Rose, MI11.0 mi · 1,241 people · home $153,300
- Big Creek, MI11.6 mi · 2,604 people · home $111,700
- Curtis, MI12.3 mi · 1,087 people · home $111,400
- Elmer, MI12.7 mi · 1,150 people · home $173,200
- Rose City, MI13.7 mi · 577 people · home $101,700
- Cumming, MI15.8 mi · 717 people · home $178,900
Mentor questions
Is Mentor, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mentor scores better for retirees than 88% of Michigan towns and quieter than 67%. 29.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 55.4).
How much does a house cost in Mentor?
The median owner-occupied home in Mentor is valued at $112,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $42,500, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $578 a month.
What is the weather like in Mentor?
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 10.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.0 inches of precipitation a year and 57.0 inches of snow.
Does Mentor get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mentor since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 27, 1991. 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)