MIMap-doton-Breckenridge, 2005
Breckenridge’s story
154 years in pictures
Census counts: 237 in 1880, 1,238 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1934 on.
- 1872Breckenridge is founded
Population
1,265
2025 Census estimate · −1.9% since 2020
Typical home
$176K
+6.6% in a year
Household income
$58K
median
Median age
39.5
years
Jobs based here
548
Balanced
Is Breckenridge a good place to live?
The best of Breckenridge’s subject grades are an A+ for cost of living and an A− for civic life; the weakest is a C− for incomes. Only 15 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns score higher on cost of living. 18% of residents live below the poverty line in Breckenridge, against 8.9% in Michigan’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Breckenridge has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Breckenridge stand out
Where Breckenridge beats most towns.
Small town
1,265 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Breckenridge grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Breckenridge is from typical.
Cost of livingA+Open →Jobs & incomeC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.1 of 20; 3.7% of households have no car; 6.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →SafetyBOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 39% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listBOpen →HealthMymichigan Medical Center Alma 9.5 miles awayB−Open →SchoolsBeat 54% of Michigan districts on tests and graduationB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trails; 8% conserved landB+Open →History1 notable person born hereC+Open →Civic life3.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 39.5; 12% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Breckenridge: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Breckenridge, and how to reach them.
PowerConsumers Energy20.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterVillage of Breckenridge water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpFridayTrash dayTown site
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 hereWheeler Township ClerkWheeler Township; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code4861548615 100%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 Breckenridge.
HousingCost of living grade A+
Breckenridge’s typical home value is about $176K
The typical Breckenridge home is worth about $176,000, up 6.6% in a year, 33% below the Michigan typical home. Breckenridge’s median rent is $731 a month, where Michigan’s towns sit at $1,046 a month and U.S. towns at $1,185 a month. 65% of Breckenridge households own their home.
$176KZillow home value
| Breckenridge | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 65% | 84% | 73% |
| Median rent | $731 a month | $1,046 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Breckenridge$176K
Michigan$264K
+6.6%
value change, 1 year
4
homes sold in April
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Breckenridge
Breckenridge has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 16° and about 39 inches of snow falls in a winter.
39″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter18–32°
Spring35–56°
Summer58–80°
Fall40–60°
Oct 13
typical first frost
May 1
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
Most working residents commute out of Breckenridge
Most working residents leave Breckenridge for work: only 8% work in town. Since 2011, Breckenridge has lost 172 jobs, to 548 in 2021. Breckenridge’s median household income is $58,000.
8%work in town
| Breckenridge | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $58,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Breckenridge8%
Wheeler Township12%
Alma9%
Midland8%
Ithaca5%
20 mi
median commute distance
548
jobs based in Breckenridge
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 65% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B
Breckenridge faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 61% of U.S. communities.
39risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SafetyB
Less crime per resident in Breckenridge than in 59% of U.S. towns
The violent crime rate in Breckenridge is 0.8 per 1,000 residents.
59%of U.S. towns report more crimeBSafety Grade
| Breckenridge | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.8 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 11.9 per 1,000 residents | 7.9 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Breckenridge0.8
Michigan4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Breckenridge11.9
Michigan13
U.S.15.5
59th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
1
violent crimes reported in 2025
15
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
8.3%conserved
| Breckenridge | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 8.3% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
8.3%
conserved · 65 of 784 acres
0.3 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Jaycee & Hoffmeyer Memorial Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthB−
On CDC estimates, Breckenridge is less healthy than 55% of U.S. towns
Breckenridge tracks Michigan closely on all 32 CDC measures. 28% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Breckenridge.
45%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Breckenridge | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 27% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 17% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 32% | 33% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
0 better32 too close to call0 worse
Mymichigan Medical Center Alma
9.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Nearby attractions
All 25 attractions →USS Edson and 10 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Breckenridge. Close and well known come first.
34 mi MuseumUSS Edson
19 mi GardenDow Gardens
16 mi GardenChippewa Nature Center
34 mi MuseumSaginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum26 mi Zoo & aquariumChildren's Zoo at Celebration Square
27 mi TheatreTemple TheatreSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
USS Edson: U.S. Navy, Public domain · Dow Gardens: Chris.Schiemann, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Chippewa Nature Center: Christian Collins, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum: John McCullough, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Temple Theatre: Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Breckenridge
20pages on Breckenridge
The big questions
SchoolsB−Beat 54% of MI districtsSafetyB0.8 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthB−Better than MI on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA+$176K typical home · up 6.6% in a yearWork & commuteC−$58K median household income · 548 jobs hereNatural hazardsBFEMA risk higher than 39% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Breckenridge
About 4 of every 100 Breckenridge residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
About Breckenridge
Village in Michigan, United States
Breckenridge is a village in Gratiot County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,238 at the 2020 census. The village is located in Wheeler Township.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 735 ft
- ZIP code
- 48615
Questions about Breckenridge
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Breckenridge, MI expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A+.