Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 2,325, settled in 1918.
The best of Charlevoix’s subject grades are an A for walkability, an A− for schools, and an A+ for civic life; the weakest is a D for incomes. 25% of residents live below the poverty line in Charlevoix, above both the Michigan town median (8.9%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 2 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns score higher on hazard risk. Charlevoix’s trail density is 2.7 miles per square mile, where Michigan’s towns sit at 0.3 and U.S. towns at 0.4. Only 37 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns score higher on the outdoors. Charlevoix has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Charlevoix Central Historic District. Charlevoix has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Charlevoix beats most towns.
Where Charlevoix’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2021
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Charlevoix is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 512 in 1880, a peak of 3,519 in 1970, 2,348 in 2020. The archive holds 17 old photos and papers going back to 1890 and 2 maps from 1954 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Charlevoix, 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 Charlevoix.
The typical Charlevoix home is worth about $446,000, up 4.6% in a year, 69% above the Michigan typical home. 62% of Charlevoix households own their home.
| Charlevoix | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 62% | 84% | 73% |
| Median rent | $816 a month | $1,046 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by the Charlevoix Public Schools. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlevoix Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 398 | B+ |
| CharEm Special Education SchoolsLargest public high schoolGrades PK–12 | Grades PK–12 | 99 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduation
About one in 3 of Charlevoix’s working residents works in town. Charlevoix’s average trip to work is 13 minutes. Jobs based in Charlevoix grew to 1,840 in 2021, 432 more than in 2011.
| Charlevoix | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 13 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 29% | 5.9% | 8% |
| Median household income | $48,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
The FEMA risk score in Charlevoix is 0 of 100.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
People 65 and older are 28% of residents (19% statewide); children under 18 are 15% of residents (21% statewide). 40% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Charlevoix.
| Charlevoix | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 28% | 19% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 15% | 21% | 22% |
| Median age | 46.8 years | 42.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 40% | 26% | 29% |
55% women, 45% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±5.4 points. Across Michigan, 50.4% of residents are women.
| Charlevoix | MI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 6.2% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.2% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 11.5% | 9.2% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 8.2% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.2% | 12.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 8.6% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 17.5% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.8% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 14.9% | 7.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.5% | 7.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 22.6% | 28% | 26% |
| Some college | 23% | 21.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 8.2% | 9.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 22.7% | 19.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 17% | 12.7% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,300, single groups can be off by several points
Charlevoix beats the Michigan average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 11.
| Charlevoix | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 36% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 17% | 16% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 12% | 12% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 83% | 80% | 79% |
| What stands out | Charlevoix | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9.2% | 11.9% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82.8% | 77.6% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 17.6% | 10.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Among 702 Michigan towns, just 10 have a lower July high than Charlevoix. Charlevoix has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
5.6 miles of trail in 6 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lake Michigan Beach Park | 0.9 mi | 18 |
| 2. Ferry Avenue Park | 0.3 mi | 7 |
| 3. East Park | 0.3 mi | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
1 within 15 miles of the center of Charlevoix
About 1 of every 100 Charlevoix residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
7 notable people were born in Charlevoix.
City in Michigan, United States
Charlevoix ( SHAR-lə-voy) is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Charlevoix County. Part of Northern Michigan, Charlevoix is located on an isthmus between Lake Michigan and Lake Charlevoix, bisected by the short Pine River. Charlevoix serves as the main access point for Beaver Island, the largest island in Lake Michigan, which can be accessed by Island Airways or carferry. The population of Charlevoix was 2,348 at the 2020 census. Charlevoix is mostly surrounded by Charlevoix Township, but the two are administered autonomously.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
That is 5.8 years of the area's median household income ($76,531 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 C.
7 notable people were born here, including Alice Acheson and Zach Hankins.
