The Town FilesYale, Michigan
City in St. Clair County · population 1,903 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $127,100
- Household income
- $53,236
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 33.5
Yale is a city of 1,903 people in St. Clair County, Michigan. The median home is worth $127,100, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks easier by car than 89% of Michigan towns, more of a college town than 75% of Michigan towns, more vibrant than 71% of Michigan towns.
How Yale 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 Yale is worth $127,100, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $53,236, which is more affordable than 80% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $857 a month. 69.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Yale | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $127,100 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $857 | $955 |
| Median household income | $53,236 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 69.9% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1948 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Yale
| People | Yale | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.5 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.1% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.9% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.0% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 2.8% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 35.0 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.2% | 88.8% |
Weather in Yale
July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 12.7°F. About 31.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.7 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 160 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Yale since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 8, 1953 about 1.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 6, 2015.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 2.25 inches on August 8, 1983.
Severe weather in St. Clair County since 1996
St. Clair County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3455: Covid-19 |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| June 30, 2004 | Severe Storm | DR-1527: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| September 23, 2003 | Other | EM-3189: Power Outage |
Jobs and pay in St. Clair County
St. Clair County had 42,283 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,695 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Yale itself the ACS puts it at 16.1%.
Public schools in Yale
4 public schools with 1,288 students, about 19.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yale Senior High School | 9-12 | 526 | 21.0 |
| Yale Junior High School | 6-8 | 409 | 19.5 |
| Yale Elementary School | PK-5 | 342 | 17.1 |
| Phoenix Alternative School | 6-12 | 11 | — |
Towns near Yale
- Brockway, MI1.3 mi · 1,897 people · home $235,200
- Speaker, MI4.7 mi · 1,343 people · home $182,100
- Greenwood, MI5.4 mi · 1,490 people · home $261,100
- Lynn, MI7.1 mi · 1,117 people · home $283,300
- Fremont, MI7.2 mi · 958 people · home $192,000
- Emmett, MI7.2 mi · 2,515 people · home $239,800
- Maple Valley, MI8.2 mi · 1,178 people · home $221,400
- Kenockee, MI8.5 mi · 2,405 people · home $232,200
Yale questions
Is Yale, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Yale scores better for retirees than 52% of Michigan towns and quieter than 49%. 17.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.5).
How much does a house cost in Yale?
The median owner-occupied home in Yale is valued at $127,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,236, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $857 a month.
What is the weather like in Yale?
July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 12.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.3 inches of precipitation a year and 40.7 inches of snow.
Does Yale get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Yale since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 8, 1953. 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)