The Town FilesPentwater, Michigan
Village in Oceana County · population 890 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $344,300
- Household income
- $80,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 79 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 64.1
Pentwater is a village of 890 people in Oceana County, Michigan. The median home is worth $344,300, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks quieter than 91% of Michigan towns, better for retirees than 89% of Michigan towns, better for a vacation home than 82% of Michigan towns.
How Pentwater 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 Pentwater is worth $344,300, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $80,750, which is more affordable than 5% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $556 a month. 84.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pentwater | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $344,300 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $556 | $955 |
| Median household income | $80,750 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 84.9% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 50.1% | — |
Who lives in Pentwater
| People | Pentwater | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 64.1 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 47.2% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 9.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 54.0% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.3% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 9.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 29.6% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 16.5 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.9% | 88.8% |
Weather in Pentwater
July highs average 79.9°F and January lows 16.2°F. About 38.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 78.5 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 152 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pentwater since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 28, 1991 about 4.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 28, 1991.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 6 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on September 21, 2010.
Severe weather in Oceana County since 1996
Oceana County has been included in 13 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 |
| 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 |
| January 27, 1999 | Snowstorm | EM-3137: Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99 |
Jobs and pay in Oceana County
Oceana County had 6,470 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,679 a year. Unemployment was 5.7% in 2023; in Pentwater itself the ACS puts it at 5.5%.
Public schools in Pentwater
1 public school with 229 students, about 12.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pentwater Public School | PK-12 | 229 | 12.7 |
Towns near Pentwater
- Pentwater, MI0.7 mi · 1,652 people · home $378,600
- Weare, MI4.9 mi · 1,224 people · home $173,500
- Summit, MI5.6 mi · 995 people · home $275,700
- Golden, MI6.3 mi · 1,660 people · home $264,700
- Hart, MI6.5 mi · 2,053 people · home $140,900
- Riverton, MI8.0 mi · 1,232 people · home $186,200
- Hart, MI8.1 mi · 2,028 people · home $192,400
- Pere Marquette, MI10.4 mi · 2,416 people · home $297,400
Pentwater questions
Is Pentwater, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pentwater scores better for retirees than 89% of Michigan towns and quieter than 91%. 47.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 64.1).
How much does a house cost in Pentwater?
The median owner-occupied home in Pentwater is valued at $344,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $80,750, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $556 a month.
What is the weather like in Pentwater?
July highs average 79.9°F and January lows 16.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.9 inches of precipitation a year and 78.5 inches of snow.
Does Pentwater get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pentwater since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 28, 1991. 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)