The Town Files

Waverly, Michigan

Community in Eaton County · population 23,812 (2020 Census)

Map: where Waverly is in MichiganWaverly
Median home
$234,600
Household income
$75,700
Jan low / Jul high
17° / 83°
Snow a year
50 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
26
Median age
41.7

Waverly is a community of 23,812 people in Eaton County, Michigan. The median home is worth $234,600, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for young professionals than 97% of Michigan towns, more vibrant than 96% of Michigan towns, better transit than 91% of Michigan towns.

How Waverly 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.

Waverly lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement44th pctFamilies5th pctQuiet7th pctWalkability86th pctFirst-time buyers54th pctYoung professionals97th pctVibrancy96th pctHip & trendy86th pctCollege town67th pctUpscale85th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling73rd pctTransit91st pctDriving9th 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 Waverly is worth $234,600, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $75,700, which is more affordable than 37% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,170 a month. 55.7% of households own their home.

Waverly vs Eaton County vs typical Michigan townWaverlyEaton CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$234,600$216,900$193,900Household income$75,700$79,597$69,792Monthly rent$1,170$1,092$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingWaverlyTypical Michigan town
Median home value$234,600$193,900
Median rent$1,170$955
Median household income$75,700$69,792
Home value ÷ income3.1×2.8×
Homeownership55.7%86.8%
Median year built19791975
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Waverly

PeopleWaverlyTypical Michigan town
Median age41.743.7
Age 65 and over22.9%20.7%
Under 1817.3%—
Bachelor's degree or higher44.1%21.5%
Below the poverty line10.1%10.4%
Veterans6.7%—
Born outside the U.S.9.6%—
Work from home19.1%9.1%
Average commute18.1 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband91.5%88.8%

Weather in Waverly

July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 17.2°F. About 33.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 50.2 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 143 nights at or below freezing.

Waverly monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing31°17°Jan34°18°Feb44°26°Mar58°36°Apr69°48°May79°57°Jun83°61°Jul81°60°Aug74°52°Sep61°41°Oct47°32°Nov36°23°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.114.31.712.92.15.93.31.73.73.82.93.52.83.20.22.53.91.911.3
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Lansing Capital City Ap station (4.0 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waverly since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 11, 1965 about 7.8 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 16 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 9, 2026.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Waverly by decade31950s71960s31970s41980s11990s62000s02010s22020s
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 37 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 25, 1998.

Severe weather in Eaton County since 1996

Storm events in Eaton County since 1996 by typeHail50Flood4Tornado10High Wind9Ice Storm5Heavy Snow14Flash Flood8Funnel Cloud3
NOAA Storm Events Database, Eaton County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 1 deaths recorded.

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

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
June 30, 2026FloodDR-4925: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
February 8, 2024FloodDR-4757: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
July 14, 2008Severe StormDR-1777: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding

Jobs and pay in Eaton County

Eaton County had 44,501 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,862 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Waverly itself the ACS puts it at 5.9%.

Largest industries in Eaton CountyManufacturing7,983 jobs · $77,674Retail5,476 jobs · $35,495Finance & insurance4,836 jobs · $82,593Transportation & warehousing3,996 jobs · $50,699Hotels & restaurants3,624 jobs · $23,000Health care & social assistan…2,514 jobs · $56,887
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Eaton County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Eaton 3.6%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Waverly

Waverly questions

Is Waverly, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Waverly scores better for retirees than 44% of Michigan towns and quieter than 7%. 22.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.7).

How much does a house cost in Waverly?

The median owner-occupied home in Waverly is valued at $234,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,700, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $1,170 a month.

What is the weather like in Waverly?

July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 17.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.3 inches of precipitation a year and 50.2 inches of snow.

Does Waverly get tornadoes?

26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waverly 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 Waverly's Census boundary (GEOID 2684800). 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.