The Town FilesPellston, Michigan
Village in Emmet County · population 774 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $121,000
- Household income
- $66,875
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 101 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 37.1
Pellston is a village of 774 people in Emmet County, Michigan. The median home is worth $121,000, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 97% of Michigan towns, better for a vacation home than 95% of Michigan towns, better for families than 92% of Michigan towns.
How Pellston 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 Pellston is worth $121,000, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $66,875, which is more affordable than 97% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,030 a month. 70.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pellston | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $121,000 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $1,030 | $955 |
| Median household income | $66,875 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 70.2% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.8% | — |
Who lives in Pellston
| People | Pellston | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.3% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 25.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.5% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.5% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 7.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 3.5% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 24.8 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.1% | 88.8% |
Weather in Pellston
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 8.9°F. About 30.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 100.6 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 180 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pellston since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 4, 1957 about 6.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 18, 1987.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on September 30, 2019.
Severe weather in Emmet County since 1996
Emmet County has been included in 7 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 Emmet County
Emmet County had 17,742 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,435 a year. Unemployment was 5.7% in 2023; in Pellston itself the ACS puts it at 2%.
Public schools in Pellston
2 public schools with 462 students, about 11.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pellston MiddleHigh School | 6-12 | 256 | 12.8 |
| Pellston Elementary School | PK-5 | 206 | 10.3 |
Towns near Pellston
- McKinley, MI2.5 mi · 1,294 people · home $117,300
- Maple River, MI3.6 mi · 1,295 people · home $220,900
- Burt, MI6.7 mi · 710 people · home $537,700
- Pleasantview, MI6.7 mi · 918 people · home $356,800
- Munro, MI6.8 mi · 592 people · home $302,100
- Center, MI7.3 mi · 525 people · home $219,500
- Alanson, MI7.5 mi · 778 people · home $134,100
- Littlefield, MI8.3 mi · 3,200 people · home $256,500
Pellston questions
Is Pellston, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pellston scores better for retirees than 51% of Michigan towns and quieter than 37%. 11.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.1).
How much does a house cost in Pellston?
The median owner-occupied home in Pellston is valued at $121,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,875, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $1,030 a month.
What is the weather like in Pellston?
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 8.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.0 inches of precipitation a year and 100.6 inches of snow.
Does Pellston get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pellston since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 4, 1957. 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)