Bay Furnace · National Register of Historic Places
Au Train Township’s story
141 years in pictures
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1885Au Train Township is settled
Au Train TownshipMI
A town of 1,007, settled in 1885. 2.3 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Michigan town.
7 bordering townsMap →
Bay Furnace · Photo: Shonebrooks · CC BY 2.5
Population
1,007
2025 Census estimate · −1.3% since 2020
Typical home
$244K
+11% in a year
Household income
$64K
median
Median age
52.2
years
Jobs based here
179
A commuter town
Is Au Train Township a good place to live?
The best of Au Train Township’s subject grades are an A+ for civic life and an A− for the outdoors; the weakest is a D for incomes. 29% of residents are 65 or older in Au Train Township, above both the Michigan town median (19%) and the median of U.S. towns (18%). 52% of the land in Au Train Township is conserved, above both the Michigan town median (4.4%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). The biggest park or preserve is Alger Underwater Preserve, at 4,208 acres. Only 24 of Michigan’s 1,265 towns score higher on civic life. Au Train Township has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Au Train Township stand out
Where Au Train Township beats most towns.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Au Train Township7
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical MI town3.1
Civic lifeA+
2.3 times the nonprofits per person
than the typical Michigan town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
Natural hazardsB+
Low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
Small town
1,007 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Munising TownshipGrand Island TownshipMathias TownshipRock River TownshipOnota TownshipLimestone TownshipMunisingAu Train Township
How Au Train Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Au Train Township is from typical.
Jobs & income$64K median household incomeDOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 34% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →Cost of livingCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.6 of 20; 3.9% of households have no car; 0.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →HealthMunising Memorial Hospital 8.8 miles awayC+Open →SchoolsBeat 55% of Michigan districts on tests and graduationBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsA−Open →History3 places on the National RegisterB−Open →Civic life7 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Au Train Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Au Train Township, and how to reach them.
PowerUpper Michigan Energy Resources17.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterChatham water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers87% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Au Train Township’s trash rules yet
SchoolsMunising Public SchoolsAutrain-Onota Public Schools2 districts serve Au Train Township; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Michigan you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereAu Train Township ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP codes49862, 49806, 4989549862 65% · 49806 32% · 49895 3%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Au Train Township.
OutdoorsA−
Au Train Township has set aside nearly a third of its land for conservation
270 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves. The trail density in Au Train Township is 1.7 miles per square mile.
52.3%conserved
52.3%
conserved · 52,532 of 100,521 acres
270 mi
of trails · 1.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Alger Underwater Preserve | — | 4,208 |
| 2. Lake Superior Scenic View | 0.2 mi | 46 |
| 3. Scott Falls State Roadside Park | — | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
Most of Au Train Township’s workers commute out: the town has 0.6 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Au Train Township for work: only 8% work in town. Since 2011, Au Train Township has added 127 jobs, to 179 in 2021. 14% of Au Train Township residents live below the poverty line.
8%work in town
| Au Train Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 14% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $64,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Au Train Township8%
Munising22%
Marquette15%
Munising Township7%
Rock River Township5%
28 mi
median commute distance
179
jobs based in Au Train Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 33% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Who lives here
Older than Michigan overall
Au Train Township’s median age is 52.2 years. 28% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 32% across Michigan. 16% of residents are under 18 in Au Train Township.
52.2median age · MI 40.2
| Au Train Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.2 years | 42.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 16% | 21% | 22% |
Au Train TownshipMichiganUnited States
Ages · share of residents
20%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma2%
High school31%
Some college26%
Associate’s12%
Bachelor’s21%
Graduate7%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±1.5 points. Across Michigan, 50.4% of residents are women.
| Au Train Township | MI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 6.2% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.4% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7% | 9.2% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 7.8% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.8% | 12.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 7% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 19.4% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 20.1% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.3% | 7.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.2% | 7.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 31.2% | 28% | 26% |
| Some college | 26.3% | 21.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12% | 9.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 21.1% | 19.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 7.3% | 12.7% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,000, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
A typical July afternoon in Au Train Township is cooler than in the typical Michigan or U.S. town
Au Train Township has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 77°, January nights drop to 9° and about 164 inches of snow falls in a winter.
164″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter11–27°
Spring28–49°
Summer52–75°
Fall36–53°
Sep 27
typical first frost
May 30
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Au Train Township
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 66% of U.S. communities. Since 2022, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Au Train Township.
34risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingLightningCold waves
2
paid flood claims since 2022
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthC+
Health in Au Train Township trails 59% of U.S. towns
Au Train Township beats the Michigan average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4.
41%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Au Train Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 36% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 12% | 12% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 15% | 14% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 27% | 23% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
0 better28 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Au Train Township | MI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with heart disease | 8.3% | 7% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.4% | 8.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.3% | 8.1% |
Munising Memorial Hospital
8.8 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade C
Homes in Au Train Township are worth about $244K, by Zillow’s estimate
Typical home values rose 11% in the year to September 2026.
$244KZillow home value
Typical home value
Au Train Township$244K
Michigan$264K
+11%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Au Train Township
18pages on Au Train Township
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Au Train Township; the nearest are
Northern Michigan UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Marquette33.3 mi$14,277 in-state tuitionBay de Noc Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Escanaba42.6 mi$5,712 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Au Train Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
A shrinking town
Au Train Township has shrunk 12% since 2010
1,138 counted in 2010 and 1,019 in 2020; an estimated 1,007 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Landmarks
3 places in Au Train Township on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Au Train Township
Civil township in Michigan, United States
Au Train Township is a civil township of Alger County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, its population was 1,019.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 158 sq mi
- Elevation
- 974 ft
Questions about Au Train Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Au Train Township, MI a good place to live?
2.3 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Michigan town.
Is Au Train Township, MI expensive?
That is 4 years of the area's median household income ($61,286 across the county). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.