The Town Files

Vernon, Michigan

Village in Shiawassee County · population 738 (2020 Census)

Map: where Vernon is in MichiganVernon
Median home
$133,400
Household income
$69,625
Jan low / Jul high
15° / 83°
Snow a year
38 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
19
Median age
45.7

Vernon is a village of 738 people in Shiawassee County, Michigan. The median home is worth $133,400, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks easier by car than 80% of Michigan towns, quieter than 71% of Michigan towns, more walkable than 70% of Michigan towns.

How Vernon 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.

Vernon lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement44th pctFamilies24th pctQuiet71st pctWalkability70th pctFirst-time buyers69th pctYoung professionals7th pctVibrancy63rd pctHip & trendy24th pctCollege town35th pctUpscale8th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving80th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Vernon is worth $133,400, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $69,625, which is more affordable than 96% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,250 a month. 94.9% of households own their home.

Vernon vs Shiawassee County vs typical Michigan townVernonShiawassee CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$133,400$171,600$193,900Household income$69,625$67,404$69,792Monthly rent$1,250$899$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingVernonTypical Michigan town
Median home value$133,400$193,900
Median rent$1,250$955
Median household income$69,625$69,792
Home value ÷ income1.9×2.8×
Homeownership94.9%86.8%
Median year built19581975
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Vernon

PeopleVernonTypical Michigan town
Median age45.743.7
Age 65 and over24.7%20.7%
Under 1820.7%—
Bachelor's degree or higher14.3%21.5%
Below the poverty line16.1%10.4%
Veterans11.2%—
Born outside the U.S.1.7%—
Work from home7.7%9.1%
Average commute33.6 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband92.7%88.8%

Weather in Vernon

July highs average 83.3°F and January lows 15.2°F. About 33.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.3 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 148 nights at or below freezing.

Vernon monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing31°15°Jan34°15°Feb44°24°Mar57°34°Apr69°47°May79°57°Jun83°61°Jul81°58°Aug75°50°Sep61°39°Oct47°30°Nov36°21°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.212.41.58.92.04.03.30.84.13.93.23.23.03.10.22.32.11.99.9
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Durand Wwtp station (2.4 mi away); snow from Owosso Wwtp (9.1 mi).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Vernon since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 11, 1965 about 10.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 14, 2026.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Vernon by decade11950s21960s41970s21980s21990s12000s62010s12020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 26, 2007.

Severe weather in Shiawassee County since 1996

Storm events in Shiawassee County since 1996 by typeHail42Heat13Flood12Tornado16High Wind24Ice Storm6Lightning7Heavy Snow31
NOAA Storm Events Database, Shiawassee County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996).

Shiawassee County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
September 7, 2005HurricaneEM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation
June 30, 2004Severe StormDR-1527: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
January 10, 2001SnowstormEM-3160: Snow

Jobs and pay in Shiawassee County

Shiawassee County had 15,541 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,381 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Vernon itself the ACS puts it at 0%.

Largest industries in Shiawassee CountyHealth care & social assistan…2,551 jobs · $61,367Retail2,209 jobs · $39,059Manufacturing1,771 jobs · $62,607Hotels & restaurants1,427 jobs · $20,076Construction773 jobs · $59,501Professional & technical serv…686 jobs · $60,470
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Shiawassee County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%16%2000200420082012201620202023Shiawassee 4.3%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Vernon

1 public school with — students.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Shiawassee RESD College and Career Readiness Center9-12——

Towns near Vernon

Vernon questions

Is Vernon, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Vernon scores better for retirees than 44% of Michigan towns and quieter than 71%. 24.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.7).

How much does a house cost in Vernon?

The median owner-occupied home in Vernon is valued at $133,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,625, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $1,250 a month.

What is the weather like in Vernon?

July highs average 83.3°F and January lows 15.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.5 inches of precipitation a year and 38.3 inches of snow.

Does Vernon get tornadoes?

19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Vernon since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 11, 1965. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Vernon's Census boundary (GEOID 2682020). Comparisons use the median of Michigan towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.