Bronson, Michigan, 2014
Bronson’s story
196 years in pictures
The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2005.
- 1830Bronson is settled
BronsonMI
Population
2,316
2025 Census estimate · +0.3% since 2020
Typical home
$181K
+2.8% in a year
Household income
$46K
median
Median age
35.3
years
Jobs based here
478
A commuter town
Is Bronson a good place to live?
The best of Bronson’s subject grades are an A− for walkability and civic life; the weakest is a C− for incomes. Only 107 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns score higher on walkability. 21% of residents live below the poverty line in Bronson, above both Michigan’s towns (8.9%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Bronson has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Bronson stand out
Where Bronson beats most towns.
A commuter town
92% of working residents leave Bronson for work
Where Bronson’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
478jobs based in Bronson
8%of working residents work in town
15 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2021
How Bronson grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Bronson is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 9.7 of 20; 5.6% of households have no carA−Open →Jobs & incomeC−Open →HealthLess healthy than 75% of U.S. towns; Insight Hospital and Medical Center Coldwater 11.3 miles awayC−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 28% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →Cost of livingB+Open →SafetyCOpen →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 1% conserved landB−Open →HistoryB+Open →Civic life3.6 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 35.3; 13% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Bronson: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bronson, and how to reach them.
PowerConsumers Energy20.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBronson water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Bronson’s trash rules yet
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 hereBronson City ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code4902849028 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 Bronson.
HealthC−
Bronson stands out in Michigan and nationally: a smaller share of its adults had a checkup this year
76% of Bronson adults had a checkup this year, where Michigan’s towns sit at 80% and U.S. towns at 79%. 12% of Bronson adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance. Bronson beats the Michigan average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 12.
25%healthier than U.S. townsC−Health Grade
| Bronson | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 27% | 23% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 15% | 14% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 32% | 33% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 76% | 80% | 79% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
1 better19 too close to call12 worse
| What stands out | Bronson | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 7.1% | 8.9% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 18.7% | 10.2% |
Insight Hospital and Medical Center Coldwater
11.3 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsB−
Bronson’s schools rank behind 51% of Michigan districts
Its public schools are run by the Bronson Community School District. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Bronson JrSr High School, with 530 students.
49%of MI districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades 3–5 | Grades 3–5 | 217 | C |
| Bronson JrSr High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 530 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
With 0.5 jobs for every working resident, most of Bronson’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Bronson for work: only 8% work in town. Bronson’s median household income is $46,000. Since 2011, Bronson has lost 254 jobs, to 478 in 2021.
8%work in town
| Bronson | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $46,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Bronson8%
Coldwater18%
Sturgis10%
Coldwater Township4%
Battle Creek2%
15 mi
median commute distance
478
jobs based in Bronson
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 80% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade B+
Homes in Bronson are worth about $181K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Bronson home is worth about $181,000, up 2.8% in a year, 31% below the Michigan typical home. 68% of households own their home in Bronson.
$181KZillow home value
| Bronson | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 68% | 84% | 73% |
| Median rent | $938 a month | $1,046 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Bronson$181K
Michigan$264K
+2.8%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Bronson faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 72% of U.S. communities.
28risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SafetyC
Crime per resident in Bronson is higher than in 68% of U.S. towns
The property crime rate in Bronson is 12.5 per 1,000 residents.
32%of U.S. towns report more crimeCSafety Grade
| Bronson | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 12.5 per 1,000 residents | 7.9 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.3 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Bronson1.3
Michigan4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Bronson12.5
Michigan13
U.S.15.5
32nd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
3
violent crimes reported in 2025
29
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Climate
Bronson has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Bronson has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 17° and about 43 inches of snow falls in a winter.
43″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–34°
Spring37–59°
Summer59–81°
Fall41–61°
Oct 13
typical first frost
May 2
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsB−
Bronson has set aside 1.4% of its land for conservation
0.7 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
1.4%conserved
| Bronson | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 1.4% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.5 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
1.4%
conserved · 13 of 872 acres
0.7 mi
of trails · 0.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Greenwald Park | — | 6 |
| 2. Douglas Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 32 attractions →Air Zoo and 14 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Bronson. Close and well known come first.
31 mi Theme parkAir Zoo16 mi Theme parkFun Spot Amusement Park & Zoo26 mi Zoo & aquariumBinder Park Zoo
30 mi MuseumAmerican Museum of Magic
36 mi MuseumAuburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum
35 mi MuseumKalamazoo Institute of ArtsSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Air Zoo: User:my name, CC BY-SA 3.0 · American Museum of Magic: rossograph, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum: Michael Walter, a.k.a. Cuppysfriend, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Kalamazoo Institute of Arts: 72elyod, CC BY-SA 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bronson
19pages on Bronson
The big questions
SchoolsB−Behind 51% of MI districts · 4 schoolsSafetyC1.3 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC−Better than MI on 1 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB+$181K typical home · up 2.8% in a yearWork & commuteC−$46K median household income · 478 jobs hereNatural hazardsB+FEMA risk higher than 28% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Bronson; the nearest are
Glen Oaks Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Centreville15.8 mi$4,176 in-state tuitionWestern Michigan UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Kalamazoo35.7 mi$15,252 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Bronson residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
About Bronson
City in Michigan, United States
Bronson is a city in Branch County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,307 at the 2020 census. Incorporated as a city in 1934, Bronson is mostly surrounded by Bronson Township, but the two are administered autonomously.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1830
- Area
- 1.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 912 ft
- ZIP code
- 49028
- Area code
- 517
Bronson’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Bronson.
Bronson TownshipBronson
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronson | — | — | B+ | C | B− | C− |
| Bronson Township | — | — | B+ | — | B− | C |
Bronson and Bronson Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Bronson Township reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Bronson with a neighbor →
Questions about Bronson
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bronson, MI expensive?
Not for the area. That is 2.8 years of the area's median household income ($63,724 across the Coldwater, MI area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.