Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,025, settled in 1875.
Baldwin’s best subject grade is an A for civic life; its weakest is a D− for incomes. 39% of residents live below the poverty line in Baldwin, above both the Michigan town median (8.9%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). No town in Michigan scores lower than Baldwin on incomes. Baldwin's public schools trail 89% of Michigan towns on state tests and graduation. On history, just 117 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns do worse. Baldwin has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Baldwin beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
| Widest gap | Baldwin | MI |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 21.3% | 10.2% |
1,208 counted in 2010 and 902 in 2020; an estimated 1,025 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Baldwin is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 165 in 1880, a peak of 1,208 in 2010, 902 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 3 maps from 1931 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Baldwin, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Baldwin.
33% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Baldwin, against 19% in Michigan’s towns and 19% across U.S. towns. 21% of Baldwin adults report frequent physical distress. Baldwin beats the Michigan average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 20.
| Baldwin | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 19% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 15% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 12% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 14% | 14% |
| What stands out | Baldwin | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 13.1% | 15.9% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.2% | 77.6% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 21.3% | 10.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Baldwin’s median household income is $25,000. Since 2011, Baldwin has added 331 jobs, to 677 in 2021. Baldwin’s average trip to work is 22 minutes.
| Baldwin | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $25,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 10% | 5.9% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
The typical Baldwin home is worth about $150,000, up 8.7% in a year, 43% below the Michigan typical home. 41% of households own their home in Baldwin.
| Baldwin | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 41% | 84% | 73% |
| Median rent | $628 a month | $1,046 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Baldwin has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Baldwin is 82°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 62% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Baldwin Hatchery Boating Access Site | — | 16 |
| 2. Manistee National Forest - Baldwin Ranger District | — | 9 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Baldwin; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Baldwin residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Village in Michigan, United States
Baldwin is a village in and county seat of Lake County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 863 at the 2020 census. The village is mostly located in Pleasant Plains Township with a smaller portion extending north into Webber Township
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
That is 2.9 years of the area's median household income ($50,805 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 B−.