The Town Files

Moscow, Michigan

Township in Hillsdale County · population 1,367 (2020 Census)

Map: where Moscow is in MichiganMoscow
Median home
$172,100
Household income
$58,603
Jan low / Jul high
15° / 83°
Snow a year
44 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
19
Median age
48.8

Moscow is a township of 1,367 people in Hillsdale County, Michigan. The median home is worth $172,100, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks easier by car than 99% of Michigan towns, quieter than 89% of Michigan towns, better for first-time buyers than 74% of Michigan towns.

How Moscow 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.

Moscow lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement64th pctFamilies49th pctQuiet89th pctWalkability38th pctFirst-time buyers74th pctYoung professionals12th pctVibrancy18th pctHip & trendy53rd pctCollege town14th pctUpscale19th pctVacation homes57th pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit53rd pctDriving99th 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 Moscow is worth $172,100, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $58,603, which is more affordable than 48% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,046 a month. 81.7% of households own their home.

Moscow vs Hillsdale County vs typical Michigan townMoscowHillsdale CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$172,100$176,100$193,900Household income$58,603$64,242$69,792Monthly rent$1,046$832$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingMoscowTypical Michigan town
Median home value$172,100$193,900
Median rent$1,046$955
Median household income$58,603$69,792
Home value ÷ income2.9×2.8×
Homeownership81.7%86.8%
Median year built19761975
Seasonal / vacation homes3.5%—

Who lives in Moscow

PeopleMoscowTypical Michigan town
Median age48.843.7
Age 65 and over27.7%20.7%
Under 1818.4%—
Bachelor's degree or higher14.7%21.5%
Below the poverty line12.3%10.4%
Veterans5.7%—
Born outside the U.S.0.6%—
Work from home4.2%9.1%
Average commute25.8 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband85.0%88.8%

Weather in Moscow

July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 15.1°F. About 39.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 44.1 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 148 nights at or below freezing.

Moscow monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing31°15°Jan34°16°Feb44°25°Mar58°35°Apr69°47°May79°57°Jun83°60°Jul80°58°Aug74°50°Sep61°40°Oct47°30°Nov36°22°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.813.32.311.52.45.23.71.54.63.93.63.93.63.40.13.03.42.49.1
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Hillsdale station (8.6 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Moscow since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 11, 1965 about 9.2 miles from the town center and killed 5. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 17 deaths and 210 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on September 7, 2021.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Moscow by decade01950s61960s81970s11980s11990s12000s12010s12020s
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 16 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 21, 2006.

Severe weather in Hillsdale County since 1996

Storm events in Hillsdale County since 1996 by typeHail43Tornado6Blizzard1High Wind12Ice Storm7Heavy Snow14Flash Flood6Winter Storm32
NOAA Storm Events Database, Hillsdale County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 1 deaths recorded.

Hillsdale County has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for other, tornado, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
September 7, 2005HurricaneEM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation
September 23, 2003OtherEM-3189: Power Outage
January 10, 2001SnowstormEM-3160: Snow

Jobs and pay in Hillsdale County

Hillsdale County had 12,854 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,536 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Moscow itself the ACS puts it at 3%.

Largest industries in Hillsdale CountyManufacturing3,601 jobs · $67,844Retail1,853 jobs · $36,679Hotels & restaurants816 jobs · $18,672Administrative & support445 jobs · $37,095Construction385 jobs · $49,332Other services323 jobs · $31,940
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Hillsdale County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%16%2000200420082012201620202023Hillsdale 4.2%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Moscow

Moscow questions

Is Moscow, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Moscow scores better for retirees than 64% of Michigan towns and quieter than 89%. 27.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.8).

How much does a house cost in Moscow?

The median owner-occupied home in Moscow is valued at $172,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $58,603, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $1,046 a month.

What is the weather like in Moscow?

July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 15.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.5 inches of precipitation a year and 44.1 inches of snow.

Does Moscow get tornadoes?

19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Moscow since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 11, 1965. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Moscow's Census boundary (GEOID 2605955640). 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.