Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
2.6 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Michigan town.
Escanaba gives you more for your money than most places: a typical home costs about $185K, 3.2 years of the Escanaba area’s $58K median household income. It grades C overall, ranked 547th of 697 in Michigan. The low prices come with trade-offs. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 90% of the country, and the median household income is $45K, and 18% of residents live below the poverty line. On the plus side, it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 84% of U.S. towns. Escanaba’s average trip to work is 11 minutes, below both Michigan’s towns (25 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Escanaba's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 98% of U.S. towns. Escanaba is home to Bay de Noc Community College.
Where Escanaba beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Carnegie Public LibraryEach subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Escanaba is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 3,026 in 1880, 12,450 in 2020. The archive holds 17 old photos and papers going back to 1867 and 2 maps from 1958 on.
5 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Escanaba, 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 Escanaba.
Escanaba draws workers from Wells Township and beyond, is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has cooler summers than nearly all U.S. towns.
7,521 jobs are based in Escanaba, 1.7 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. The average commute takes 11 minutes, against 24.2 across Michigan.
48% of working residents work locally in Escanaba. Since 2011, Escanaba has lost 1,304 jobs, to 7,521 in 2021. 6.1% of workers work from home in Escanaba.
| Escanaba | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 48% | 5.9% | 8% |
| Median household income | $45,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 6.1% | 10% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Its public schools are run by the Escanaba Area Public Schools. Two of its 8 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Escanaba JuniorSenior High School, with 1,089 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Escanaba Upper ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades 3–5 | Grades 3–5 | 426 | B− |
| Escanaba JuniorSenior High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 1,089 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduation
Against the 4,144 U.S. towns with household incomes like Escanaba’s, it is less healthy than 67%, so its D isn’t only a matter of income.
30% of Escanaba adults have been diagnosed with depression. Escanaba beats the Michigan average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 18. 42% of Escanaba adults have obesity.
| Escanaba | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 27% | 23% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 15% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 37% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 17% |
| What stands out | Escanaba | MI |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 16% | 10.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 12.1% | 8.1% |
| More adults with heart disease | 9.4% | 7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
10 miles of trail in 11 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Portage Point State Wildlife Area, at 131 acres.
| Escanaba | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.6 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 5.1% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ludington Park | 0.6 mi | 66 |
| 2. Portage Point State Wildlife Area | 0.5 mi | 131 |
| 3. Aronson Island | 0.3 mi | 36 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Reported crimes fell from 321 to 216 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Escanaba’s property crime rate is 14.7 per 1,000 residents.
| Escanaba | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 14.7 per 1,000 residents | 7.8 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.9 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Home values rose 58% in five years, to about $185K, against 24% across Michigan.
The median rent in Escanaba is $657 a month. Typical home values rose 9.1% in the year to September 2026.
| Escanaba | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 64% | 84% | 73% |
| Median rent | $657 a month | $1,047 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 70% of U.S. communities. Since 1986, 3 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Escanaba.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
July afternoons average 76.6°, cooler than in 97% of U.S. towns; January nights average 10.9°.
Escanaba has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. About 47 inches of snow falls in a winter.
| Escanaba | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 77°F | 82°F | 85°F |
| January low | 11°F | 16°F | 22°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
1 within 15 miles of the center of Escanaba
About 4 of every 100 Escanaba residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
Where Escanaba’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2021
5 places in Escanaba on the National Register of Historic Places.
19 notable people were born in Escanaba.
City in Michigan, United States
Escanaba ( ES-kə-NAH-bə), commonly shortened to Esky, is a port city in and the county seat of Delta County in the U.S. state of Michigan, located on Little Bay de Noc in the state's Upper Peninsula. The population was 12,450 at the 2020 census, making it the third-largest city in the Upper Peninsula after Marquette and Sault Ste. Marie. There is also Escanaba Township, which is north of the city and is not adjacent to it, although a portion of the urban area around the city extends into the township. Both are named for the Escanaba River, which flows into the Little Bay de Noc of Lake Michigan just north of the city. The names are derived from the Ojibwa language.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
2 towns share a border with Escanaba.
| Town | MI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Escanaba | #547 | C | A− | C− | B | D |
| Wells Township | #489 | C+ | B+ | — | B | C− |
| Ford River Township | — | — | B | — | B | C+ |
Ford River Township has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Wells Township and Ford River Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Escanaba with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Escanaba grades C overall, better than 29% of U.S. towns and #547 of 697 in Michigan. It grades D for health, C− for safety and B for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D.
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−.
19 notable people were born here, including Tom Bissell and Roger H. Zion.
