The Town Files

White Cloud, Michigan

City in Newaygo County · population 1,479 (2020 Census)

Map: where White Cloud is in MichiganWhite Cloud
Median home
$165,900
Household income
$45,192
Jan low / Jul high
16° / 80°
Snow a year
64 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
9
Median age
39.3

White Cloud is a city of 1,479 people in Newaygo County, Michigan. The median home is worth $165,900, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better transit than 81% of Michigan towns.

How White Cloud 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.

White Cloud lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement31st pctFamilies11th pctQuiet64th pctWalkability20th pctFirst-time buyers63rd pctYoung professionals33rd pctVibrancy63rd pctHip & trendy53rd pctCollege town7th pctUpscale2nd pctVacation homes66th pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit81st pctDriving3rd 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 White Cloud is worth $165,900, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $45,192, which is more affordable than 12% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $831 a month. 65.6% of households own their home.

White Cloud vs Newaygo County vs typical Michigan townWhite CloudNewaygo CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$165,900$186,700$193,900Household income$45,192$63,304$69,792Monthly rent$831$904$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingWhite CloudTypical Michigan town
Median home value$165,900$193,900
Median rent$831$955
Median household income$45,192$69,792
Home value ÷ income3.7×2.8×
Homeownership65.6%86.8%
Median year built19711975
Seasonal / vacation homes3.8%—

Who lives in White Cloud

PeopleWhite CloudTypical Michigan town
Median age39.343.7
Age 65 and over20.6%20.7%
Under 1820.2%—
Bachelor's degree or higher14.4%21.5%
Below the poverty line15.1%10.4%
Veterans9.1%—
Born outside the U.S.1.6%—
Work from home10.0%9.1%
Average commute32.6 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband71.2%88.8%

Weather in White Cloud

July highs average 79.7°F and January lows 15.7°F. About 37.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 64.1 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 149 nights at or below freezing.

White Cloud monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing30°16°Jan32°16°Feb42°23°Mar55°33°Apr67°44°May76°54°Jun80°58°Jul78°56°Aug71°50°Sep59°39°Oct45°30°Nov34°22°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.518.71.913.02.46.93.82.23.93.63.33.43.43.90.43.15.42.517.3
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Fremont 4 Wsw station (14.8 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of White Cloud since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 17, 1975 about 8.8 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 3 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 29, 2005.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of White Cloud by decade01950s11960s21970s21980s31990s12000s02010s02020s
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 15 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 30, 1958.

Severe weather in Newaygo County since 1996

Storm events in Newaygo County since 1996 by typeHail42Flood7Tornado5Blizzard3High Wind9Ice Storm3Heavy Snow22Flash Flood7
NOAA Storm Events Database, Newaygo County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 2 deaths recorded.

Newaygo County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
June 30, 2026FloodDR-4925: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
June 18, 2013FloodDR-4121: Flooding
September 7, 2005HurricaneEM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

Jobs and pay in Newaygo County

Newaygo County had 11,901 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,371 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in White Cloud itself the ACS puts it at 7%.

Largest industries in Newaygo CountyManufacturing2,211 jobs · $63,636Retail1,775 jobs · $30,671Health care & social assistan…1,317 jobs · $39,983Hotels & restaurants753 jobs · $20,847Finance & insurance596 jobs · $75,068Other services558 jobs · $39,036
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Newaygo County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%2000200420082012201620202023Newaygo 4.3%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in White Cloud

3 public schools with 912 students, about 18.2 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
White Cloud Elementary SchoolK-542116.8
White Cloud High School9-1228023.3
White Cloud Junior High School6-821116.2

Towns near White Cloud

White Cloud questions

Is White Cloud, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, White Cloud scores better for retirees than 31% of Michigan towns and quieter than 64%. 20.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.3).

How much does a house cost in White Cloud?

The median owner-occupied home in White Cloud is valued at $165,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $45,192, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $831 a month.

What is the weather like in White Cloud?

July highs average 79.7°F and January lows 15.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.5 inches of precipitation a year and 64.1 inches of snow.

Does White Cloud get tornadoes?

9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of White Cloud since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 17, 1975. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to White Cloud's Census boundary (GEOID 2686680). 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.