The Town FilesPortage, Michigan
Township in Mackinac County · population 907 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $213,800
- Household income
- $81,667
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 77°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 65.1
Portage is a township of 907 people in Mackinac County, Michigan. The median home is worth $213,800, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks quieter than 99% of Michigan towns, better for a vacation home than 98% of Michigan towns, better for retirees than 96% of Michigan towns.
How Portage 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 Portage is worth $213,800, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $81,667, which is more affordable than 68% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $517 a month. 92.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Portage | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $213,800 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $517 | $955 |
| Median household income | $81,667 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 92.5% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 52.4% | — |
Who lives in Portage
| People | Portage | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 65.1 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 50.4% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 7.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.7% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.2% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 3.5% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 27.8 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.8% | 88.8% |
Weather in Portage
July highs average 76.7°F and January lows 9.7°F. About 33.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 178 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Portage since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 14, 1984 about 5.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 23, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 6 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on September 2, 2014.
Severe weather in Mackinac County since 1996
Mackinac County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| May 10, 1994 | Freezing | DR-1028: Severe Deep Freeze |
Jobs and pay in Mackinac County
Mackinac County had 4,836 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,728 a year. Unemployment was 8.9% in 2023; in Portage itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Portage
1 public school with 100 students, about 12.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Three Lakes Academy (charter) | PK-6 | 100 | 12.5 |
Towns near Portage
- Lakefield, MI6.8 mi · 1,135 people · home $172,700
- Garfield, MI13.0 mi · 1,166 people · home $176,000
- Doyle, MI13.5 mi · 563 people · home $198,400
- Newberry, MI17.3 mi · 1,446 people · home $68,500
- Pentland, MI18.4 mi · 1,564 people · home $133,500
- Manistique, MI18.5 mi · 1,045 people · home $200,900
- McMillan, MI25.9 mi · 2,471 people · home $76,100
- Hiawatha, MI26.8 mi · 1,305 people · home $184,500
Portage questions
Is Portage, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Portage scores better for retirees than 96% of Michigan towns and quieter than 99%. 50.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 65.1).
How much does a house cost in Portage?
The median owner-occupied home in Portage is valued at $213,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $81,667, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $517 a month.
What is the weather like in Portage?
July highs average 76.7°F and January lows 9.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.8 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Portage get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Portage since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 14, 1984. 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)