The Town Files

Washington, Michigan

Charter township in Macomb County · population 28,165 (2020 Census)

Map: where Washington is in MichiganWashington
Median home
$408,400
Household income
$97,723
Jan low / Jul high
17° / 82°
Snow a year
42 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
12
Median age
43.6

Washington is a charter township of 28,165 people in Macomb County, Michigan. The median home is worth $408,400, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks more of a college town than 94% of Michigan towns, more upscale than 90% of Michigan towns, better for young professionals than 86% of Michigan towns.

How Washington 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.

Washington lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement67th pctFamilies67th pctQuiet15th pctWalkability79th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals86th pctVibrancy81st pctHip & trendy38th pctCollege town94th pctUpscale90th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling65th pctTransit68th pctDriving48th 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 Washington is worth $408,400, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $97,723, which is more affordable than 6% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,151 a month. 81.3% of households own their home.

Washington vs Macomb County vs typical Michigan townWashingtonMacomb CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$408,400$243,900$193,900Household income$97,723$77,837$69,792Monthly rent$1,151$1,211$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingWashingtonTypical Michigan town
Median home value$408,400$193,900
Median rent$1,151$955
Median household income$97,723$69,792
Home value ÷ income4.2×2.8×
Homeownership81.3%86.8%
Median year built19951975
Seasonal / vacation homes0.6%—

Who lives in Washington

PeopleWashingtonTypical Michigan town
Median age43.643.7
Age 65 and over19.1%20.7%
Under 1821.8%—
Bachelor's degree or higher33.7%21.5%
Below the poverty line8.9%10.4%
Veterans4.3%—
Born outside the U.S.8.8%—
Work from home13.7%9.1%
Average commute30.0 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband94.0%88.8%

Weather in Washington

July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 17.1°F. About 33.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.5 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 135 nights at or below freezing.

Washington monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing31°17°Jan34°18°Feb44°26°Mar58°36°Apr69°49°May78°59°Jun82°63°Jul81°62°Aug74°54°Sep61°42°Oct47°32°Nov36°24°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.211.71.911.12.25.42.91.73.83.33.13.22.92.93.12.52.39.0
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Pontiac Wwtp station (13.7 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Washington since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 20, 1976 about 5.9 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 9 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 24, 2021.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Washington by decade01950s01960s31970s31980s11990s22000s22010s12020s
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 29 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 6, 2010.

Severe weather in Macomb County since 1996

Storm events in Macomb County since 1996 by typeHail160Heat15Flood36Tornado7High Wind36Lightning25Heavy Snow31Flash Flood25
NOAA Storm Events Database, Macomb County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 6 deaths recorded.

Macomb County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
February 8, 2024FloodDR-4757: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
July 15, 2021Severe StormDR-4607: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
September 25, 2014FloodDR-4195: Severe Storms And Flooding

Jobs and pay in Macomb County

Macomb County had 336,295 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $71,046 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Washington itself the ACS puts it at 4%.

Largest industries in Macomb CountyManufacturing63,562 jobs · $84,856Health care & social assistan…43,428 jobs · $56,939Retail40,456 jobs · $42,720Professional & technical serv…30,840 jobs · $129,262Hotels & restaurants28,154 jobs · $24,799Construction17,630 jobs · $83,549
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Macomb County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%16%2000200420082012201620202023Macomb 3.5%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Washington

4 public schools with 3,058 students, about 15.7 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Romeo High School9-121,79116.6
Indian Hills Elementary SchoolK-543416.1
Hevel ElementaryK-542813.4
Washington Elementary SchoolK-540514.5

Towns near Washington

Washington questions

Is Washington, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Washington scores better for retirees than 67% of Michigan towns and quieter than 15%. 19.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.6).

How much does a house cost in Washington?

The median owner-occupied home in Washington is valued at $408,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $97,723, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $1,151 a month.

What is the weather like in Washington?

July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 17.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.9 inches of precipitation a year and 41.5 inches of snow.

Does Washington get tornadoes?

12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Washington since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 20, 1976. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Washington's Census boundary (GEOID 2609984120). 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 2026-11-12.