Brethren, 2020
Brethren’s story
125 years in pictures
The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2020 and 2 maps from 1956 on.
- 1901Brethren is settled
BrethrenMI
A town of 318, settled in 1901.
Photo: Gpwitteveen · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
318
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$212K
+9.2% in a year
Household income
$52K
median
Median age
42.2
years
Jobs based here
103
Balanced
Is Brethren a good place to live?
Brethren’s mean commuting time is 33 minutes, above both the Michigan town median (25 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). 11% of the land in Brethren 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 Manikawa Park, at 57 acres. Brethren has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
318 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
Moving to Brethren: who provides what
Brethren is unincorporated, so Manistee County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerConsumers Energy20.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet2 providers0% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesManistee CountyManistee County provides services here
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 hereDickson Township ClerkDickson Township; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code4961949619 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 Brethren.
Natural hazards
Top of a low hazard risk in Brethren: inland flooding
Brethren’s FEMA risk score stands at 32 of 100. 60% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by cold waves at 21%. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in just over two thirds of U.S. communities.
32risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesLightning
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Brethren
A winter brings about 93 inches of snow, with January nights at 15° and July afternoons at 81°.
93″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–31°
Spring32–55°
Summer55–79°
Fall39–58°
Sep 25
typical first frost
May 28
typical last frost
+1.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Housing
Brethren’s typical home value is about $212K
Home values are up 9.2% over the year to September 2026. 93% of households own their home in Brethren.
$212KZillow home value
Typical home value
Brethren$212K
Michigan$264K
+9.2%
value change, 1 year
0
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
Most people working in Brethren commute elsewhere
Commuting out is the norm in Brethren: 3% of working residents work locally. Among residents locally, 18% live below the poverty line. Employers in Brethren added 80 jobs between 2011 and 2021, to 103. The median commute is under 29 miles.
3%work in town
| Brethren | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 18% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.1% | 5.9% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Brethren3%
Manistee Township18%
Manistee6%
Traverse City6%
Garfield Township5%
29 mi
median commute distance
103
jobs based in Brethren
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Outdoors
Protected land: 11.3% of Brethren
Walkers can cover 0.5 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves. The trail density for Brethren comes to 0.4 miles per square mile.
11.3%conserved
11.3%
conserved · 94 of 837 acres
0.5 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Manikawa Park | — | 57 |
| 2. Manistee National Forest - Manistee Ranger District | — | 45 |
| 3. Dickson Township Park | — | 10 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Health
How healthy Brethren is
For adults in Brethren, the share who report frequent physical distress is 17%. In Brethren, nearly a fifth of adults smoke cigarettes, and 41% have high blood pressure.
| Brethren | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 15% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 36% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 25% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
0 better23 too close to call9 worse
| What stands out | Brethren | MI |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 16.6% | 10.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 11.7% | 8.1% |
| More adults with heart disease | 9.3% | 7% |
Munson Healthcare Manistee Hospital
12.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Brethren
16pages on Brethren
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Brethren; the nearest are
West Shore Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Scottville25.9 mi$4,470 in-state tuitionFerris State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Big Rapids50.2 mi$14,778 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Brethren residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
About Brethren
Census-designated place & unincorporated community in Michigan, United States
Brethren is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in the U.S. state of Michigan. The community is located within Dickson Township, Manistee County, and is in the Northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The community had a population of 331 at the 2020 census, down from 410 in 2010. The community is located in the Manistee National Forest, 18 miles (29 km) northeast of Manistee. Brethren has a post office with ZIP code 49619.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 3.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 722 ft
- ZIP code
- 49619
Questions about Brethren
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Brethren, MI a good place to live?
Brethren has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.