Historic Grain Silos, 2005
Fennville’s story
189 years in pictures
Census counts: 360 in 1890, 1,745 in 2020. The archive holds 9 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 3 maps from 1928 on.
- 1837Fennville is settled
FennvilleMI
Population
1,724
2025 Census estimate · −0.7% since 2020
Typical home
$377K
+5.5% in a year
Household income
$59K
median
Median age
29.8
years
Jobs based here
421
A commuter town
Is Fennville a good place to live?
Fennville’s best subject grade is an A+ for cost of living; its weakest is a D for incomes. 25% of residents live below the poverty line in Fennville, above both the Michigan town median (8.9%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 7 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns score higher on cost of living. On civic life, just 94 of Michigan’s 1,265 towns do worse. Fennville has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Fennville stand out
Where Fennville beats most towns.
Typical home value
Fennville$377K
Michigan$264K
Cost of livingA+
4.5 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 97% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
Natural hazardsA−
Low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
0historic places
History
Settled in 1837
A long history
A history going back 189 years.
A growing town
Fennville has grown 24% since 2010
1,398 counted in 2010 and 1,745 in 2020; an estimated 1,724 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Fennville grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Fennville is from typical.
Cost of livingA+Open →Jobs & incomeDOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 26% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA−Open →HealthLess healthy than 67% of U.S. towns; Holland Hospital 12.4 miles awayCOpen →SchoolsC+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.8 of 20; 4.8% of households have no car; 5.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 1% conserved landBOpen →History4 notable people born hereBOpen →Civic life2.6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 29.8; 6% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Fennville: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Fennville, and how to reach them.
PowerConsumers Energy20.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterFennville 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 Fennville’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 hereFennville City ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code4940849408 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 Fennville.
HousingCost of living grade A+
The median rent in Fennville is lower than in the typical Michigan or U.S. town
At $650 a month, Fennville’s median rent is against $1,046 a month in Michigan’s towns and $1,185 a month across U.S. towns. 64% of Fennville households own their home. Typical home values rose 5.5% in the year to September 2026.
$377KZillow home value
| Fennville | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 64% | 84% | 73% |
| Median rent | $650 a month | $1,046 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Fennville$377K
Michigan$264K
+5.5%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsC+
Public schools in Fennville fall behind 62% of Michigan districts
Its public schools are run by the Fennville Public Schools. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Fennville Public High School, with 383 students.
38%of MI districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fennville Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 503 | C |
| Fennville Public High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 383 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
Most of Fennville’s workers commute out: the town has 0.6 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Fennville for work: only 4% work in town. Since 2011, Fennville has added 121 jobs, to 421 in 2021. Fennville’s median household income is $59,000.
4%work in town
| Fennville | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $59,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.3% | 5.9% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Fennville4%
Holland21%
Holland Township12%
Zeeland8%
Grand Rapids5%
16 mi
median commute distance
421
jobs based in Fennville
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 59% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Fennville
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 74% of U.S. communities.
26risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthC
Fennville stands out in Michigan and nationally: a larger share of its adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance
13% of adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance in Fennville. Fennville beats the Michigan average on 7 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 9. 76% of adults had a checkup this year in Fennville.
33%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| Fennville | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 14% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 36% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 17% | 16% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
7 better16 too close to call9 worse
| What stands out | Fennville | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6.1% | 8.9% |
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 5.6% | 7% |
| More uninsured adults | 13.3% | 6.9% |
Holland Hospital
12.4 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: primary care
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Fennville
Fennville has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 19° and about 109 inches of snow falls in a winter.
109″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter21–35°
Spring37–57°
Summer59–81°
Fall42–61°
Oct 21
typical first frost
Apr 28
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Safety
Crime reported in Fennville
Fennville's reported crime rate is well below Michigan's. The property crime rate in Fennville is 0.6 per 1,000 residents. Among 280 Michigan towns, just 2 have a lower violent crime rate than Fennville.
| Fennville | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2022) | 0.6 per 1,000 residents | 10.5 | 14.1 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2022) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 1.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Fennville0
Michigan4.7
U.S.4
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Fennville0.6
Michigan15.9
U.S.20
0
violent crimes reported in 2022
1
property crimes reported in 2022
FBI crime data, 2022 · crimes reported to police
OutdoorsB
Fennville has set aside 0.7% of its land for conservation
0.9 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
0.7%conserved
| Fennville | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.8 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 0.7% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
0.7%
conserved · 5 of 734 acres
0.9 mi
of trails · 0.8 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Paradise Park | 0.4 mi | 6 |
| 2. City Square | 0.1 mi | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Fennville
20pages on Fennville
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 62% of MI districts · 4 schoolsSafety0 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2022)HealthCBetter than MI on 7 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA+$377K typical home · up 5.5% in a yearWork & commuteD$59K median household income · 421 jobs hereNatural hazardsA−FEMA risk higher than 26% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Fennville
Western Theological SeminaryUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Holland13.2 miHope CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Holland13.3 mi$41,970 tuition
About 3 of every 100 Fennville residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave Fennville for work
Where Fennville’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
421jobs based in Fennville
4%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2021
Famous people from Fennville
4 notable people were born in Fennville.
About Fennville
City in Michigan, United States
Fennville is a city in Allegan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,745 at the 2020 census. Located on M-89 on the boundary between Manlius Township to the north and Clyde Township to the south, Fennville is located about 11 miles (18 km) southeast of the city of Saugatuck and about 13 miles (21 km) west-northwest of the city of Allegan. It is about 13 miles (21 km) south of Holland, about 16 miles (26 km) northeast of South Haven and roughly 40 miles (64 km) miles southwest of Grand Rapids. Initially settled in the mid-nineteenth century, the settlement was established on the perimeter of a swamp until the town was destroyed by fire in 1871. Following the creation of …
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1837
- Area
- 1.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 666 ft
- ZIP code
- 49408
- Area code
- 269
Fennville’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Fennville.
Manlius TownshipClyde TownshipFennville
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fennville | — | — | A+ | — | C+ | C |
| Manlius Township | #295 | B | B− | — | B+ | B− |
| Clyde Township | — | — | B+ | — | C+ | C |
Fennville and Clyde Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Fennville, Manlius Township and Clyde Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Fennville with a neighbor →
Questions about Fennville
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Fennville, 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 Fennville, MI known for?
4 notable people were born here, including J. Edward Hutchinson and Don Quine.