St. Mary-Carson City, 2020
Carson City’s story
160 years in pictures
Census counts: 709 in 1880, 1,120 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1967 on.
- 1866Carson City is settled
Carson CityMI
A town of 1,137, settled in 1866. A regional job hub with 657 jobs.
Population
1,137
2025 Census estimate · +2.8% since 2020
Typical home
$209K
+10.3% in a year
Household income
$44K
median
Median age
47.2
years
Jobs based here
657
A job hub
Is Carson City a good place to live?
The best of Carson City’s subject grades is an A for cost of living; the weakest is a D for incomes. Only 33 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns score higher on cost of living. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 87% of the country. On incomes, just 78 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns do worse. The biggest park or preserve is Haradine Memorial Park, at 27 acres. Carson City has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Carson City stand out
Where Carson City beats most towns.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here657
Residents who work292
Work
2.3 jobs for every working resident
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 95% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021.
Typical home value
Carson City$209K
Michigan$264K
Cost of livingA
2.5 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 94% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
Natural hazardsB+
Low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
Small town
1,137 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Bloomer TownshipCarson City
How Carson City grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Carson City is from typical.
Cost of livingAOpen →Jobs & incomeDOpen →HealthUniversity of Michigan Health-Sparrow Carson 0.4 miles awayDOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 30% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.7 of 20; 11% of households have no car; 3.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →SchoolsC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0% conserved landC+Open →History4 notable people born hereB−Open →Civic life1.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market$209K typical home, up 10.3% in a year–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 47.2; 15% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Carson City: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Carson City, and how to reach them.
PowerDTE20.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCarson City water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Carson City’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 hereCarson City City ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code4881148811 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 Carson City.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
With 2.2 jobs for every working resident, Carson City draws in 643 commuters
Most working residents leave Carson City for work: only 5% work in town. Carson City’s median household income is $44,000, below both the Michigan town median ($77,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($80,000). 16% of Carson City residents live below the poverty line.
5%work in town
| Carson City | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $44,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 16% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.8% | 5.9% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Carson City5%
Greenville8%
Ionia5%
Lansing4%
Bloomer Township3%
34 mi
median commute distance
657
jobs based in Carson City
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 61% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
SchoolsC+
On state tests, Carson City’s schools trail 60% of Michigan districts
Its public schools are run by the Carson City-Crystal Area Schools. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
40%of MI districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carson CityCrystal Upper ElementaryMiddle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 4–8 | Grades 4–8 | 262 | C− |
| Carson CityCrystal High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 187 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduation
HealthD
Carson City’s grade for health is a D
17% of Carson City adults report frequent physical distress, where Michigan’s towns sit at 14% and U.S. towns at 14%. 31% of adults get no exercise outside work in Carson City. Carson City beats the Michigan average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 11.
13%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Carson City | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 25% | 25% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 19% | 19% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 37% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
0 better21 too close to call11 worse
| What stands out | Carson City | MI |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 21.8% | 10.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 11.6% | 8.1% |
| More adults with heart disease | 9.3% | 7% |
University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Carson
0.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Carson City
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 70% of U.S. communities.
30risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Carson City
Carson City 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
Winter18–33°
Spring35–56°
Summer58–81°
Fall40–60°
Oct 13
typical first frost
May 1
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade A
Carson City stands out in Michigan and nationally, with fewer of its households who own their home
Carson City’s median rent is $680 a month. Typical home values rose 10% in the year to September 2026.
$209KZillow home value
| Carson City | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 50% | 84% | 73% |
| Median rent | $680 a month | $1,046 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Carson City$209K
Michigan$264K
+10.3%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in April
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Safety
Crime reported in Carson City
Carson City's reported crime rate is well below Michigan's. The property crime rate in Carson City is 4.4 per 1,000 residents. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
| Carson City | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 4.4 per 1,000 residents | 7.9 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.9 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Carson City0.9
Michigan4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Carson City4.4
Michigan13
U.S.15.5
1
violent crimes reported in 2025
5
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
0.3%conserved
| Carson City | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.3% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
0.3%
conserved · 2 of 746 acres
0.2 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Haradine Memorial Park | 0.1 mi | 27 |
| 2. Grove Park | — | 14 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Carson City
20pages on Carson City
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 60% of MI districts · 4 schoolsSafety0.9 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthDBetter than MI on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA$209K typical home · up 10.3% in a yearWork & commuteD$44K median household income · 657 jobs hereNatural hazardsB+FEMA risk higher than 30% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Carson City
About 8 of every 100 Carson City residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
A job hub
Every workday, about 643 people come to Carson City for work
Where Carson City’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
657jobs based in Carson City
5%of working residents work in town
34 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2021
Famous people from Carson City
4 notable people were born in Carson City.
About Carson City
City in Michigan, United States
Carson City is a city in Montcalm County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,120 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1866
- Area
- 1.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 761 ft
- ZIP code
- 48811
- Area code
- 989
Questions about Carson City
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Carson City, 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.
What is Carson City, MI known for?
4 notable people were born here, including Daniel Henney and Bill Knott.