1982 John McAra House, 1982
Davison’s story
137 years in pictures
Census counts: 163 in 1880, 5,143 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1899 and 4 maps from 1920 on.
- 1889Davison is incorporated
Population
5,039
2025 Census estimate · −1.9% since 2020
Median home value
$181K
Census ACS
Household income
$49K
median
Median age
42.2
years
Jobs based here
2,506
Balanced
TownGrade
C+
#478 of 697 in MI
Is Davison a good place to live?
Davison grades C+ overall, 478th of 697 graded towns in Michigan, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. Its schools outperform 80% of the state's and 8% of its land is conserved. On the other side, the median household income is $49K, and 16% of residents live below the poverty line. Only 111 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns score higher on walkability. The biggest park or preserve is Jack Abernathy Regional Park, at 144 acres. On civic life, just 87 of Michigan’s 1,265 towns do worse.
What makes Davison stand out
Where Davison beats most towns.
Davison Community Schools
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Central Elementary School | 1–4 | 581 |
| Thomson Elementary School | PK–K | 322 |
| Hill Elementary School | K–4 | 261 |
SchoolsA−
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
WalkabilityA−
More walkable than 80% of U.S. towns
5% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
How Davison grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Davison is from typical.
Jobs & income2,506 jobs based hereC−Open →SchoolsA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.1 of 20; 11.8% of households have no carA−Open →HealthHurley Medical Center 9.4 miles awayCOpen →Cost of livingTypical home $181K, 2.9 years of the Flint metro’s $62K median household incomeCOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 32% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →SafetyBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trailA−Open →HistoryIncorporated 1889; 4 notable people born hereCOpen →Civic life1.7 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Davison: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Davison, and how to reach them.
PowerConsumers Energy20.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Davison water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpFrom the town’s siteTrash and recycling rulesTown 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 hereDavison City ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2026
ZIP code4842348423 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 Davison.
Davison is healthier than towns with similar incomes and is mostly renters.
SchoolsA−
Davison’s grade for schools is an A−
Its public schools are run by the Davison Community Schools. Two of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
80%of MI districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davison Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 7–8 | Grades 7–8 | 816 | B+ |
| Hill Elementary SchoolTop results in townGrades K–4 | Grades K–4 | 261 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduation
HealthC
Residents of Davison are less healthy than 74% of U.S. towns
Against the 5,318 U.S. towns with household incomes like Davison’s, it is healthier than 63%, so its C isn’t only a matter of income.
Davison beats the Michigan average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 29% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Davison, where Michigan’s towns sit at 27% and U.S. towns at 23%. 20% of Davison adults report frequent mental distress.
27%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| Davison | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 27% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 17% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 32% | 33% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 34% | 36% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
0 better26 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Davison | MI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 10.1% | 8.1% |
| More adults in frequent physical distress | 16.3% | 14% |
| More adults with arthritis | 33.1% | 29.1% |
Hurley Medical Center
9.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
23rd
percentile among MI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Davison faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 68% of U.S. communities. Since 1981, 5 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Davison.
32risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
5
paid flood claims since 1981
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Davison has four seasons and pleasant summers
Davison has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 16° and about 34 inches of snow falls in a winter.
34″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter18–33°
Spring35–57°
Summer58–81°
Fall41–60°
Oct 5
typical first frost
May 8
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
A job hub: Davison has 1.2 jobs for every working resident and draws in 2,354 commuters
Most working residents leave Davison for work: only 7% work in town. Davison’s median household income is $49,000, against $77,000 in Michigan’s towns and $80,000 across U.S. towns. Davison’s average trip to work is 27 minutes.
7%work in town
| Davison | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $49,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Davison7%
Flint10%
Davison Township6%
Lapeer5%
Flint Township5%
16 mi
median commute distance
2,506
jobs based in Davison
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 80% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
SafetyB
Crime per resident in Davison is lower than in 59% of U.S. towns
The property crime rate in Davison is 4.8 per 1,000 residents.
59%of U.S. towns report more crimeBSafety Grade
| Davison | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 4.8 per 1,000 residents | 8 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.8 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Davison1.8
Michigan4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Davison4.8
Michigan13
U.S.15.5
59th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
59th
percentile among MI towns
9
violent crimes reported in 2025
24
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than Michigan overall
Only 47.9% of households own their home, against 73.2% across Michigan.
Adults 18 to 34 are 18% of residents (22% statewide). 24% of residents are under 18 in Davison. 24% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 32% across Michigan.
42.2median age · MI 40.2
| Davison | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 24% | 21% | 22% |
| Aged 65 or older | 21% | 19% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 24% | 26% | 29% |
DavisonMichiganUnited States
Ages · share of residents
13%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma8%
High school28%
Some college21%
Associate’s19%
Bachelor’s15%
Graduate10%
Women and men · all residents
55% women, 45% men
About 81 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±3.7 points). Across Michigan, 50.4% of residents are women.
| Davison | MI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 12.1% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 11.8% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.6% | 9.2% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.8% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.8% | 12.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.4% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.4% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.6% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.6% | 7.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 8.1% | 7.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 27.6% | 28% | 26% |
| Some college | 21% | 21.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 19.1% | 9.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 14.6% | 19.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 9.5% | 12.7% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
7.7%conserved
| Davison | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 7.7% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
7.7%
conserved · 97 of 1,264 acres
0.7 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Jack Abernathy Regional Park | 0.6 mi | 144 |
| 2. Manford Park | — | 7 |
| 3. Waterworks Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade C
A smaller share of households in Davison own their home than in the typical Michigan or U.S. town
$301Kmedian sale price
4
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 77 attractions →Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum and 7 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Davison. Close and well known come first.
36 mi MuseumMarvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum
8 mi MuseumSloan Museum8 mi MuseumCrossroads Village (Michigan)
8 mi MuseumFlint Institute of Arts
8 mi MuseumRobert J. Whaley House
38 mi MuseumHolocaust Memorial Center
8 mi MuseumSloan Museum8 mi MuseumCrossroads Village (Michigan)8 mi MuseumFlint Institute of Arts8 mi MuseumRobert J. Whaley House38 mi MuseumHolocaust Memorial CenterSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Sloan Museum: Amancour, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Flint Institute of Arts: Blueskiesfalling at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Robert J. Whaley House: kennethaw88, CC BY 4.0 · Holocaust Memorial Center: Dave Parker, CC BY 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Davison
20pages on Davison
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Davison
Mott Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Flint7.8 mi$6,845 in-state tuitionUniversity of Michigan-FlintUniversity or college · Public · Flint8.7 mi$14,704 in-state tuitionKettering UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Flint9.9 mi$48,470 tuition
About 5 of every 100 Davison residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Michigan.
Famous people from Davison
4 notable people were born in Davison.
About Davison
City in Michigan, United States
Davison is a city in Genesee County in the U.S. state of Michigan and a suburb of Flint. As of the 2020 census, Davison had a population of 5,143. Davison is located within Davison Township survey township area (7N 8E), but is administratively autonomous. Davison was named after Judge Norman Davison, a judge of Lapeer County and a delegate to state constitution convention of 1835. He resided in a nearby hamlet formerly known as Davisonville, now known as Atlas.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 794 ft
- ZIP code
- 48423
- Area code
- 810
Questions about Davison
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Davison, MI a good place to live?
Davison grades C+ overall, better than 40% of U.S. towns and #478 of 697 in Michigan. It grades C for health, B for safety and A− for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Davison, MI expensive?
The typical home is worth about $181,000, 31% below the Michigan typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
What is Davison, MI known for?
Davison was incorporated in 1889. 4 notable people were born here, including Thomas C. Hart and Kathleen Flinn.