The Town FilesSpring Arbor, Michigan
Township in Jackson County · population 8,530 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $217,700
- Household income
- $87,316
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 42 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 38.9
Spring Arbor is a township of 8,530 people in Jackson County, Michigan. The median home is worth $217,700, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks more of a college town than 98% of Michigan towns, better for young professionals than 93% of Michigan towns, better for cycling than 88% of Michigan towns.
How Spring Arbor 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 Spring Arbor is worth $217,700, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $87,316, which is more affordable than 74% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,078 a month. 81.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Spring Arbor | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $217,700 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $1,078 | $955 |
| Median household income | $87,316 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 81.7% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.7% | — |
Who lives in Spring Arbor
| People | Spring Arbor | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.9 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.5% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.3% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.5% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 5.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.2% | — |
| Work from home | 7.3% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 20.5 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.5% | 88.8% |
Weather in Spring Arbor
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 17.5°F. About 32.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.5 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 137 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Spring Arbor since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 12, 1976 about 9.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 1, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 22 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on March 27, 1991.
Severe weather in Jackson County since 1996
Jackson County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 |
| June 30, 2004 | Severe Storm | DR-1527: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| January 10, 2001 | Snowstorm | EM-3160: Snow |
Jobs and pay in Jackson County
Jackson County had 55,945 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,139 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Spring Arbor itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.
Public schools in Spring Arbor
2 public schools with 779 students, about 20.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bean Elementary School | K-5 | 398 | 19.9 |
| Warner Elementary School | K-5 | 381 | 20.1 |
Towns near Spring Arbor
- Spring Arbor, MI0.9 mi · 2,916 people · home $225,000
- Summit, MI5.6 mi · 22,920 people · home $197,400
- Concord, MI5.6 mi · 2,755 people · home $188,200
- Sandstone, MI5.7 mi · 3,927 people · home $230,600
- Hanover, MI5.7 mi · 3,662 people · home $227,800
- Jackson, MI7.3 mi · 31,309 people · home $103,200
- Vandercook Lake, MI7.9 mi · 4,579 people · home $136,600
- Blackman, MI8.5 mi · 25,642 people · home $169,000
Spring Arbor questions
Is Spring Arbor, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Spring Arbor scores better for retirees than 77% of Michigan towns and quieter than 11%. 17.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.9).
How much does a house cost in Spring Arbor?
The median owner-occupied home in Spring Arbor is valued at $217,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $87,316, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $1,078 a month.
What is the weather like in Spring Arbor?
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 17.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.2 inches of precipitation a year and 41.5 inches of snow.
Does Spring Arbor get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Spring Arbor since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 12, 1976. 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)