The Town FilesPleasant Plains, Michigan
Township in Lake County · population 1,603 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $103,500
- Household income
- $33,269
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 68 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 36.7
Pleasant Plains is a township of 1,603 people in Lake County, Michigan. The median home is worth $103,500, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks quieter than 87% of Michigan towns, better for cycling than 82% of Michigan towns, better for first-time buyers than 75% of Michigan towns.
How Pleasant Plains 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 Pleasant Plains is worth $103,500, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $33,269, which is more affordable than 37% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $886 a month. 74.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pleasant Plains | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $103,500 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $886 | $955 |
| Median household income | $33,269 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 74.9% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 48.0% | — |
Who lives in Pleasant Plains
| People | Pleasant Plains | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.7 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.4% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.4% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 30.0% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 6.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.9% | — |
| Work from home | 3.9% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 26.6 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 78.7% | 88.8% |
Weather in Pleasant Plains
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 12.7°F. About 37.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 67.8 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 168 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pleasant Plains since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 26, 1951 about 5.4 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 3 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 28, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on September 7, 2021.
Severe weather in Lake County since 1996
Lake County has been included in 9 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 |
| July 14, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1777: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Lake County
Lake County had 1,721 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $39,827 a year. Unemployment was 7% in 2023; in Pleasant Plains itself the ACS puts it at 7.5%.
Towns near Pleasant Plains
- Baldwin, MI2.8 mi · 902 people · home $106,300
- Yates, MI5.7 mi · 755 people · home $132,600
- Lake, MI5.9 mi · 810 people · home $169,800
- Lilley, MI6.0 mi · 835 people · home $134,400
- Webber, MI6.7 mi · 2,384 people · home $108,500
- Chase, MI11.3 mi · 1,153 people · home $185,400
- Merrill, MI12.0 mi · 741 people · home $109,100
- Barton, MI12.8 mi · 706 people · home $207,000
Pleasant Plains questions
Is Pleasant Plains, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pleasant Plains scores better for retirees than 25% of Michigan towns and quieter than 87%. 17.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.7).
How much does a house cost in Pleasant Plains?
The median owner-occupied home in Pleasant Plains is valued at $103,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $33,269, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $886 a month.
What is the weather like in Pleasant Plains?
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 12.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.9 inches of precipitation a year and 67.8 inches of snow.
Does Pleasant Plains get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pleasant Plains since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 26, 1951. 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)