The Town FilesMount Forest, Michigan
Township in Bay County · population 1,399 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $187,500
- Household income
- $64,792
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 49 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 46.9
Mount Forest is a township of 1,399 people in Bay County, Michigan. The median home is worth $187,500, close to the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks easier by car than 94% of Michigan towns, more of a college town than 92% of Michigan towns, better for families than 76% of Michigan towns.
How Mount 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 Mount Forest is worth $187,500, close to the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $64,792, which is more affordable than 48% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,125 a month. 93.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mount Forest | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $187,500 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $1,125 | $955 |
| Median household income | $64,792 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 93.4% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 7.2% | — |
Who lives in Mount Forest
| People | Mount Forest | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.9 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.4% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 16.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.2% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.2% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 8.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 8.7% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 35.8 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.2% | 88.8% |
Weather in Mount Forest
July highs average 80.1°F and January lows 14.0°F. About 30.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 48.7 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 164 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mount Forest since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 31, 1973 about 5.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 8, 2016.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 17 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 27, 2014.
Severe weather in Bay County since 1996
Bay County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3455: Covid-19 |
| August 2, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4326: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| January 10, 2001 | Snowstorm | EM-3160: Snow |
Jobs and pay in Bay County
Bay County had 34,112 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,617 a year. Unemployment was 4.9% in 2023; in Mount Forest itself the ACS puts it at 7.9%.
Towns near Mount Forest
- Garfield, MI6.0 mi · 1,693 people · home $167,700
- Bentley, MI6.0 mi · 829 people · home $153,200
- Gibson, MI6.1 mi · 1,124 people · home $169,200
- Pinconning, MI7.3 mi · 2,299 people · home $137,100
- Pinconning, MI7.6 mi · 1,204 people · home $79,600
- Mills, MI8.1 mi · 1,775 people · home $179,500
- Lincoln, MI8.4 mi · 924 people · home $133,000
- Fraser, MI8.5 mi · 2,994 people · home $163,100
Mount Forest questions
Is Mount Forest, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mount Forest scores better for retirees than 45% of Michigan towns and quieter than 70%. 23.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.9).
How much does a house cost in Mount Forest?
The median owner-occupied home in Mount Forest is valued at $187,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $64,792, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $1,125 a month.
What is the weather like in Mount Forest?
July highs average 80.1°F and January lows 14.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.7 inches of precipitation a year and 48.7 inches of snow.
Does Mount Forest get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mount Forest since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 31, 1973. 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)