The Town FilesSylvan, Michigan
Township in Osceola County · population 967 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $119,000
- Household income
- $43,583
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 61 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 45.6
Sylvan is a township of 967 people in Osceola County, Michigan. The median home is worth $119,000, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for cycling than 98% of Michigan towns, better transit than 84% of Michigan towns, quieter than 80% of Michigan towns.
How Sylvan 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 Sylvan is worth $119,000, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $43,583, which is more affordable than 61% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,067 a month. 91.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sylvan | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $119,000 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $1,067 | $955 |
| Median household income | $43,583 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 91.2% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 40.3% | — |
Who lives in Sylvan
| People | Sylvan | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.6 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.4% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.5% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.5% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 9.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.4% | — |
| Work from home | 2.6% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 76.0% | 88.8% |
Weather in Sylvan
July highs average 79.4°F and January lows 11.2°F. About 37.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 61.3 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 175 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sylvan since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 27, 1991 about 6.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 5, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 8 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 7, 2020.
Severe weather in Osceola County since 1996
Osceola County has been included in 14 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 |
| June 18, 2013 | Flood | DR-4121: Flooding |
| July 14, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1777: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Osceola County
Osceola County had 8,011 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,080 a year. Unemployment was 4.8% in 2023; in Sylvan itself the ACS puts it at 3.8%.
Towns near Sylvan
- Orient, MI4.6 mi · 733 people · home $173,400
- Freeman, MI5.2 mi · 1,125 people · home $150,600
- Osceola, MI6.1 mi · 943 people · home $154,000
- Middle Branch, MI6.3 mi · 775 people · home $139,100
- Garfield, MI6.9 mi · 1,807 people · home $171,500
- Evart, MI7.2 mi · 1,742 people · home $105,500
- Hartwick, MI8.3 mi · 591 people · home $160,000
- Evart, MI8.4 mi · 1,345 people · home $140,000
Sylvan questions
Is Sylvan, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sylvan scores better for retirees than 69% of Michigan towns and quieter than 80%. 24.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.6).
How much does a house cost in Sylvan?
The median owner-occupied home in Sylvan is valued at $119,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $43,583, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $1,067 a month.
What is the weather like in Sylvan?
July highs average 79.4°F and January lows 11.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.3 inches of precipitation a year and 61.3 inches of snow.
Does Sylvan get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sylvan since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 27, 1991. 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)