The Town FilesSault Ste. Marie, Michigan
City in Chippewa County · population 13,337 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $139,400
- Household income
- $55,328
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 120 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 34.0
Sault Ste. Marie is a city of 13,337 people in Chippewa County, Michigan. The median home is worth $139,400, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks hipper than 99% of Michigan towns, better for cycling than 98% of Michigan towns, more walkable than 93% of Michigan towns.
How Sault Ste. Marie 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 Sault Ste. Marie is worth $139,400, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $55,328, which is more affordable than 74% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $804 a month. 60.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sault Ste. Marie | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $139,400 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $804 | $955 |
| Median household income | $55,328 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 60.5% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1956 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.1% | — |
Who lives in Sault Ste. Marie
| People | Sault Ste. Marie | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.0 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.5% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 18.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.0% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.8% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 6.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.7% | — |
| Work from home | 4.5% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 12.0 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.8% | 88.8% |
Weather in Sault Ste. Marie
July highs average 76.8°F and January lows 8.4°F. About 34.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 120.1 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 164 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Sault Ste. Marie since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. The strongest, an F1, struck on August 5, 1977 about 5.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 5, 1977.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 8 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on September 12, 2010.
Severe weather in Chippewa County since 1996
Chippewa County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| January 27, 1978 | Snowstorm | EM-3057: Blizzards & Snowstorms |
Jobs and pay in Chippewa County
Chippewa County had 12,793 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,748 a year. Unemployment was 5.9% in 2023; in Sault Ste. Marie itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Public schools in Sault Ste. Marie
8 public schools with 2,500 students, about 15.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sault Area High School | 8-12 | 734 | 28.2 |
| Joseph K Lumsden Bahweting Anishnabe Academy (charter) | PK-8 | 597 | 12.7 |
| Sault Area Middle School | 5-9 | 498 | 17.8 |
| Lincoln School | PK-7 | 350 | 12.5 |
| Washington Elementary School | K-1 | 227 | 17.5 |
| Malcolm High School | 9-12 | 89 | 14.8 |
| EUPISD Project Search | 12-12 | 5 | 5.0 |
| Sault Area Career Center | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Sault Ste. Marie
- Kincheloe, MI14.9 mi · 2,587 people · home $110,700
- Soo, MI16.6 mi · 2,966 people · home $241,200
- Kinross, MI18.7 mi · 6,139 people · home $127,300
- Pickford, MI20.9 mi · 2,791 people · home $167,400
Sault Ste. Marie questions
Is Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sault Ste. Marie scores better for retirees than 27% of Michigan towns and quieter than 7%. 16.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.0).
How much does a house cost in Sault Ste. Marie?
The median owner-occupied home in Sault Ste. Marie is valued at $139,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,328, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $804 a month.
What is the weather like in Sault Ste. Marie?
July highs average 76.8°F and January lows 8.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.5 inches of precipitation a year and 120.1 inches of snow.
Does Sault Ste. Marie get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Sault Ste. Marie since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on August 5, 1977. 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)