The Town Files

Osceola, Michigan

Township in Houghton County · population 1,822 (2020 Census)

Map: where Osceola is in MichiganOsceola
Median home
$124,300
Household income
$57,120
Jan low / Jul high
9° / 77°
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
2
Median age
43.2

Osceola is a township of 1,822 people in Houghton County, Michigan. The median home is worth $124,300, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks hipper than 92% of Michigan towns, more of a college town than 91% of Michigan towns, better for retirees than 81% of Michigan towns.

How Osceola 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.

Osceola lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement81st pctFamilies55th pctQuiet20th pctWalkability81st pctFirst-time buyers65th pctYoung professionals75th pctVibrancy65th pctHip & trendy92nd pctCollege town91st pctUpscale58th pctVacation homes64th pctSeaside characterbottomCycling68th pctTransitbottomDriving21st 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 Osceola is worth $124,300, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $57,120, which is more affordable than 89% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $856 a month. 91.4% of households own their home.

Osceola vs Houghton County vs typical Michigan townOsceolaHoughton CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$124,300$159,900$193,900Household income$57,120$58,899$69,792Monthly rent$856$840$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingOsceolaTypical Michigan town
Median home value$124,300$193,900
Median rent$856$955
Median household income$57,120$69,792
Home value ÷ income2.2×2.8×
Homeownership91.4%86.8%
Median year built19381975
Seasonal / vacation homes12.1%—

Who lives in Osceola

PeopleOsceolaTypical Michigan town
Median age43.243.7
Age 65 and over23.1%20.7%
Under 1821.1%—
Bachelor's degree or higher24.4%21.5%
Below the poverty line14.5%10.4%
Veterans9.0%—
Born outside the U.S.1.9%—
Work from home7.9%9.1%
Average commute16.3 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband85.7%88.8%

Weather in Osceola

July highs average 76.7°F and January lows 9.1°F. About 31.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 194 nights at or below freezing.

Osceola monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing24°9°Jan25°9°Feb34°13°Mar46°27°Apr60°36°May70°45°Jun77°51°Jul75°50°Aug67°44°Sep53°35°Oct40°25°Nov29°16°DecPrecipitation (in)2.01.41.52.93.43.33.22.83.53.02.42.4
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Jacobsville station (13.0 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Osceola since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. The strongest, an F0, struck on July 11, 1987 about 7.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 11, 1987.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Osceola by decade01950s01960s01970s21980s01990s02000s02010s02020s
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 15 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 16, 2006.

Severe weather in Houghton County since 1996

Storm events in Houghton County since 1996 by typeHail67Flood19Blizzard35High Wind63Heavy Rain18Heavy Snow51Frost/Freeze16Winter Storm175
NOAA Storm Events Database, Houghton County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 5 deaths recorded.

Houghton County has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, freezing.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
August 2, 2018FloodDR-4381: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
June 18, 2013FloodDR-4121: Flooding
September 7, 2005HurricaneEM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

Jobs and pay in Houghton County

Houghton County had 12,124 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,867 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in Osceola itself the ACS puts it at 0.9%.

Largest industries in Houghton CountyHealth care & social assistan…1,792 jobs · $61,236Retail1,563 jobs · $31,676Hotels & restaurants1,396 jobs · $18,297Manufacturing939 jobs · $55,484Construction788 jobs · $58,748Professional & technical serv…671 jobs · $79,155
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Houghton County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Houghton 4.6%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Osceola

Osceola questions

Is Osceola, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Osceola scores better for retirees than 81% of Michigan towns and quieter than 20%. 23.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.2).

How much does a house cost in Osceola?

The median owner-occupied home in Osceola is valued at $124,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,120, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $856 a month.

What is the weather like in Osceola?

July highs average 76.7°F and January lows 9.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.6 inches of precipitation a year.

Does Osceola get tornadoes?

2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Osceola since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on July 11, 1987. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Osceola's Census boundary (GEOID 2606161260). 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.