Douglas Union School · National Register of Historic Places
Douglas’s story
175 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1982.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1851Douglas is settled
DouglasMI
A town of 1,411, settled in 1851. Public schools that outperform most of Michigan.
Trash & recycling2 bordering townsMap →
Francis Metallic Surfboat · Photo: Andrew Jameson · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,411
2025 Census estimate · +3.5% since 2020
Typical home
$673K
+5.2% in a year
Household income
$82K
median
Median age
59.9
years
Jobs based here
580
Balanced
Is Douglas a good place to live?
The best of Douglas’ subject grades are an A+ for schools and an A− for walkability and incomes. 57% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Douglas, where Michigan’s towns sit at 26% and U.S. towns at 29%. On walkability, just 72 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns do better. 14% of the land in Douglas is conserved, above both the Michigan town median (4.4%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). Douglas has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Francis Metallic Surfboat and Douglas Union School. Douglas has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Douglas stand out
Where Douglas beats most towns.
Small town
1,411 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Saugatuck TownshipSaugatuckDouglas
How Douglas grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Douglas is from typical.
SchoolsA+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.5 of 20; 4.2% of households have no carA−Open →Jobs & income$82K median household incomeA−Open →HealthHealthier than 76% of U.S. towns; Holland Hospital 10.5 miles awayA−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 31% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →Cost of livingC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trailA−Open →History2 places on the National Register; 1 notable person born hereBOpen →
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 Douglas: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Douglas, and how to reach them.
PowerConsumers Energy20.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterKalamazoo Lake Sewer & Water Authority1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpRepublic ServicesTrash haulerTown 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 hereDouglas City ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP codes49406, 4940849406 75% · 49408 25%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 Douglas.
HousingCost of living grade C+
Homes in Douglas are worth about $673K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Douglas home is worth about $673,000, up 5.2% in a year, more than twice the Michigan typical home. Douglas’ median rent is $781 a month.
$673KZillow home value
| Douglas | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 91% | 84% | 73% |
| Median rent | $781 a month | $1,046 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Douglas$673K
Michigan$264K
+5.2%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsA+
Public schools in Douglas beat 98% of Michigan districts
Its public schools are run by the Saugatuck Public Schools. Its one school is below.
98%of MI districts it outscoresA+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 366 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduation
HealthA−
Douglas stands out in Michigan and nationally: a smaller share of its adults report frequent mental distress
12% of adults report frequent mental distress in Douglas. Among 702 Michigan towns, just 5 have a lower share of adults who feel lonely than Douglas. 16% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Douglas.
76%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Douglas | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 18% | 17% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 32% | 33% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 85% | 80% | 79% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 36% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
19 better8 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Douglas | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 5.5% | 11.9% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.1% | 8.7% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 14.4% | 8.9% |
Holland Hospital
10.5 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: primary care
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Douglas faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 69% of U.S. communities.
31risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Douglas has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Douglas has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Douglas is 81°F.
109″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter22–35°
Spring37–56°
Summer60–79°
Fall44–61°
Oct 21
typical first frost
Apr 28
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsA−
Conserved land covers 13.6% of Douglas
0.8 miles of trail in 8 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Schultz Park, at 21 acres.
13.6%conserved
13.6%
conserved · 174 of 1,277 acres
0.8 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Schultz Park | 0.1 mi | 21 |
| 2. Veterans Walk Park | 0.2 mi | 2 |
| 3. Wade's Bayou Memorial Park | 0.1 mi | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
Douglas has 1.1 jobs for every working resident, and 532 people commute in
Most working residents leave Douglas for work: only 9% work in town. Since 2011, Douglas has added 78 jobs, to 580 in 2021. The top destinations are Holland (13%), Holland Township (7%) and Grand Rapids (5%).
9%work in town
| Douglas | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 9.5% | 5.9% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Douglas9%
Holland13%
Holland Township7%
Grand Rapids5%
Saugatuck5%
17 mi
median commute distance
580
jobs based in Douglas
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 85% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Douglas
19pages on Douglas
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Douglas
Western Theological SeminaryUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Holland11.5 miHope CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Holland11.6 mi$41,970 tuition
About 3 of every 100 Douglas residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
A growing town
Douglas has grown 16% since 2010
1,232 counted in 2010 and 1,378 in 2020; an estimated 1,411 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Landmarks
2 places in Douglas on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Douglas
City in Michigan, United States
Douglas (officially known as the City of the Village of Douglas) is a city in Allegan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,378 at the 2020 census. The city is surrounded by Saugatuck Township and the city of Saugatuck is adjacent on the north. Douglas had long been a village within Saugatuck Township. On December 13, 2004, residents voted to adopt a charter incorporating Douglas as a city. Under Michigan law, cities are independent entities whereas villages are part of the township. The official name is City of the Village of Douglas.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1851
- Area
- 2.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 610 ft
- ZIP code
- 49406
- Area code
- 269
Questions about Douglas
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Douglas, MI a good place to live?
Public schools that outperform most of Michigan.
Is Douglas, MI expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.