The Town Files

Montrose, Michigan

City in Genesee County · population 1,743 (2020 Census)

Map: where Montrose is in MichiganMontrose
Median home
$113,300
Household income
$44,151
Jan low / Jul high
16° / 82°
Snow a year
43 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
25
Median age
31.1

Montrose is a city of 1,743 people in Genesee County, Michigan. The median home is worth $113,300, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better transit than 96% of Michigan towns, more walkable than 92% of Michigan towns, hipper than 92% of Michigan towns.

How Montrose 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.

Montrose lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement16th pctFamilies8th pctQuiet8th pctWalkability92nd pctFirst-time buyers58th pctYoung professionals66th pctVibrancy90th pctHip & trendy92nd pctCollege town36th pctUpscale1st pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit96th pctDriving36th 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 Montrose is worth $113,300, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $44,151, which is more affordable than 68% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $822 a month. 58.2% of households own their home.

Montrose vs Genesee County vs typical Michigan townMontroseGenesee CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$113,300$182,400$193,900Household income$44,151$62,281$69,792Monthly rent$822$989$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingMontroseTypical Michigan town
Median home value$113,300$193,900
Median rent$822$955
Median household income$44,151$69,792
Home value ÷ income2.6×2.8×
Homeownership58.2%86.8%
Median year built19641975
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Montrose

PeopleMontroseTypical Michigan town
Median age31.143.7
Age 65 and over14.8%20.7%
Under 1829.1%—
Bachelor's degree or higher10.7%21.5%
Below the poverty line28.9%10.4%
Veterans4.7%—
Born outside the U.S.0.0%—
Work from home5.7%9.1%
Average commute28.8 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband88.7%88.8%

Weather in Montrose

July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 16.0°F. About 32.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 42.6 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 148 nights at or below freezing.

Montrose monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing30°16°Jan33°16°Feb43°24°Mar56°35°Apr68°46°May78°56°Jun82°60°Jul79°59°Aug73°51°Sep60°40°Oct47°30°Nov35°22°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.113.11.710.41.94.93.41.43.73.13.43.32.93.00.22.42.22.110.4
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Flint 7W station (11.4 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Montrose since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on June 8, 1953 about 5.7 miles from the town center and killed 116. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 116 deaths and 788 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 9, 2026.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Montrose by decade31950s01960s21970s01980s111990s32000s32010s32020s
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 38 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 28, 2020.

Severe weather in Genesee County since 1996

Storm events in Genesee County since 1996 by typeHail178Heat13Flood18Tornado25High Wind29Lightning15Heavy Snow36Flash Flood16
NOAA Storm Events Database, Genesee County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 4 deaths recorded.

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

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
January 16, 2016Toxic SubstancesEM-3375: Contaminated Water
September 7, 2005HurricaneEM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation
June 30, 2004Severe StormDR-1527: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding

Jobs and pay in Genesee County

Genesee County had 133,787 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,798 a year. Unemployment was 5% in 2023; in Montrose itself the ACS puts it at 2.9%.

Largest industries in Genesee CountyHealth care & social assistan…23,203 jobs · $65,712Retail17,957 jobs · $40,450Manufacturing13,485 jobs · $75,316Hotels & restaurants13,246 jobs · $21,873Administrative & support10,721 jobs · $38,337Wholesale trade6,480 jobs · $70,316
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Genesee County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%16%2000200420082012201620202023Genesee 5%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Montrose

4 public schools with 1,462 students, about 17.6 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
HillMcCloy High School8-1245018.0
KuehnHaven Middle School4-841814.9
Carter Elementary SchoolPK-438614.8
Montrose Alternative Education Center8-1220852.0

Towns near Montrose

Montrose questions

Is Montrose, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Montrose scores better for retirees than 16% of Michigan towns and quieter than 8%. 14.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.1).

How much does a house cost in Montrose?

The median owner-occupied home in Montrose is valued at $113,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $44,151, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $822 a month.

What is the weather like in Montrose?

July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 16.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.9 inches of precipitation a year and 42.6 inches of snow.

Does Montrose get tornadoes?

25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Montrose since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on June 8, 1953. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Montrose's Census boundary (GEOID 2655280). 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.