The Town FilesRust, Michigan
Township in Montmorency County · population 519 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $173,500
- Household income
- $49,313
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 67 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 56.1
Rust is a township of 519 people in Montmorency County, Michigan. The median home is worth $173,500, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks quieter than 92% of Michigan towns, better for first-time buyers than 87% of Michigan towns, better for a vacation home than 82% of Michigan towns.
How Rust 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 Rust is worth $173,500, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $49,313, which is more affordable than 19% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $763 a month. 87.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rust | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $173,500 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $763 | $955 |
| Median household income | $49,313 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 87.8% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 28.7% | — |
Who lives in Rust
| People | Rust | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 56.1 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 35.6% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 17.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.1% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.5% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 10.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 8.1% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 29.5 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 75.5% | 88.8% |
Weather in Rust
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 9.8°F. About 32.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 67.3 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 193 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rust since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 3, 1999 about 8.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 13, 2004.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on August 27, 1990.
Severe weather in Montmorency County since 1996
Montmorency County has been included in 8 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 Montmorency County
Montmorency County had 2,050 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,365 a year. Unemployment was 7.5% in 2023; in Rust itself the ACS puts it at 11.1%.
Towns near Rust
- Avery, MI6.3 mi · 662 people · home $174,600
- Green, MI9.2 mi · 1,117 people · home $167,100
- Hillman, MI9.6 mi · 605 people · home $87,000
- Hillman, MI9.7 mi · 2,009 people · home $132,200
- Atlanta, MI10.8 mi · 720 people · home $100,200
- Briley, MI12.8 mi · 1,697 people · home $122,100
- Comins, MI13.9 mi · 1,839 people · home $120,800
- Albert, MI14.3 mi · 2,453 people · home $170,200
Rust questions
Is Rust, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rust scores better for retirees than 79% of Michigan towns and quieter than 92%. 35.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 56.1).
How much does a house cost in Rust?
The median owner-occupied home in Rust is valued at $173,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $49,313, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $763 a month.
What is the weather like in Rust?
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 9.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.0 inches of precipitation a year and 67.3 inches of snow.
Does Rust get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rust since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 3, 1999. 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)