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Michigan›Oceana County
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Ferry TownshipMI

A town of 1,305, settled in 1871.

Population
1,305
2025 Census estimate · +2.4% since 2020
Median home value
$202K
Census ACS
Household income
$55K
median
Median age
41.3
years
Jobs based here
35
A commuter town

Is Ferry Township a good place to live?

The best of Ferry Township’s subject grades is a B+ for the outdoors; the weakest is a D for incomes. Among 702 Michigan towns, just 2 have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Ferry Township. Ferry Township’s average trip to work is 30 minutes, against 25 minutes in Michigan’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Ferry Township has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.

WeakestDJobs & incomeC−Health
Small town

1,305 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
Shelby Township · 6 miNewfield Township · 6 miElbridge Township · 6 miNew Era · 7 miShelby · 7 miOtto Township · 7 mi
Shelby TownshipNewfield TownshipElbridge TownshipOtto TownshipShelby TownshipNewfield TownshipElbridge TownshipOtto TownshipFerry Township

How Ferry Township grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Ferry Township is from typical.

How grading works

Jobs & incomeDOpen →HealthMercy Health Lakeshore Campus 7.3 miles awayC−Open →Cost of livingTypical home $202K, 3.2 years of the county’s $62K median household incomeBOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 3.5 of 20; 0.6% of households have no car; 6.8% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →SchoolsBeat 53% of Michigan districts on tests and graduationB−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 45% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors10% conserved landB+Open →HistoryCOpen →Civic life2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 41.3; 17% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Getting set up

Moving to Ferry Township: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Ferry Township, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →
PowerDTE20.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet6 providers79% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Ferry Township’s trash rules yet
SchoolsShelby Public SchoolsWhich school depends on your addressNCES
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.gov
Who runs elections hereFerry Township ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP codes49455, 4942149455 51% · 49421 49%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 Ferry Township.

HealthC−

On CDC estimates, Ferry Township is less healthy than 82% of U.S. towns

Ferry Township beats the Michigan average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 11. 17% of Ferry Township adults report frequent physical distress, where Michigan’s towns sit at 14% and U.S. towns at 14%. 41% of Ferry Township adults have obesity.

18%healthier than U.S. townsC−Health Grade
Ferry TownshipMichigan townsU.S. towns
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)17%14%14%
Obesity (CDC PLACES)41%37%35%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)18%15%14%
Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES)23%19%19%
32 measures vs. Michigan
0 better21 too close to call11 worse
What stands outFerry TownshipMI
More uninsured adults10.1%6.9%
More older adults who have lost all their teeth14.2%10.2%
More adults with COPD10.2%8.1%
Mercy Health Lakeshore Campus
7.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
Full pageFerry Township’s health reportOpen the page
Everyday habitsMore smokersHospitals & doctors nearby7.3 miles to an ER · Mercy Health Lakeshore CampusHow adults are doingMore adults in fair or poor healthEvery CDC estimateBetter than MI on 0 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Work & commuteJobs & income grade D

Ferry Township has 0.1 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out

Most working residents leave Ferry Township for work: only 1% work in town. Since 2011, Ferry Township has added 24 jobs, to 35 in 2021. The median household income in Ferry Township is $55,000.

1%work in town
Ferry TownshipMichigan townsU.S. towns
Work from home5.2%10%11%
Median household income$55,000$77,000$80,000
Below the poverty line12%8.9%9.6%

Where working residents work

In Ferry Township1%
Fremont9%
Muskegon8%
Whitehall6%
Grand Rapids6%
26 mi
median commute distance
35
jobs based in Ferry Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 43% of U.S. towns
Full pageFerry Township’s work & commute pageOpen the page
The jobs here35 jobs based here · A commuter townWhere people work1% work in Ferry TownshipCommute times30 minutes · The average commuteHow far they goHalf commute less than 26 miles

Census LEHD 2021 · ACS

Climate

Ferry Township has snowy winters and pleasant summers

Ferry Township has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Ferry Township’s July high is 82°F.

75″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter18–33°
Spring33–56°
Summer55–80°
Fall39–59°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 17
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
Full pageFerry Township’s climate pageOpen the page
A year of weatherJuly highs 82°, January lows 16°Rain & snow75″ of snow a winter · 36 inches of rain and snow a yearHeating & coolingMostly a heating billThen and now+1.6° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

OutdoorsB+

Conserved land covers 10.1% of Ferry Township

24 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.

10.1%conserved
10.1%
conserved · 2,312 of 22,969 acres
24 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. Mill Pond County Park—5
2. Manistee National Forest-White Cloud Unit—3
Full pageFerry Township’s outdoors pageOpen the page
Trail map24 miles of trail, mappedPick a walk5 acres · Mill Pond County ParkConserved land10.1% conserved · 2,312 acres protectedQuestions“Where can I hike in Ferry Township?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−

Ferry Township faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 55% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 7 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Ferry Township.

45risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
45Moderate riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingStrong wind
7
paid flood claims since 1979
Full pageFerry Township’s hazards pageOpen the page
What it facesModerate riskFlood claimsSince 1979Past disasters11 disaster declarations · Declared for the countyGet ready0.3 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Nearby attractions

Lake Michigan and 9 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Ferry Township. Close and well known come first.

All 18 attractions →
Big draw39 mi LakeLake Michigan18 mi Theme parkMichigan's Adventure37 mi MuseumJim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia24 mi National forestManistee National Forest25 mi MuseumUSS LST-39325 mi Stadium & arenaMercy Health Arena
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits

Lake Michigan: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, ISS Expedition, Public domain · Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia: Jim Crow Museum, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Manistee National Forest: RomanKahler, CC BY-SA 4.0 · USS LST-393: USN, Public domain

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Ferry Township

18pages on Ferry Township
The big questions
SchoolsB−Beat 53% of MI districtsHealthC−Better than MI on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingBWork & commuteD$55K median household income · 35 jobs hereNatural hazardsB−FEMA risk higher than 45% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
OutdoorsB+24 mi of trails · 10% conserved landPlacesAttractions18 nearby · Michigan Heritage Park 14 miLibraryBShelby Area District LibraryColleges
The story
HistoryCSettled 1871Town Hall & politicsClimate82° summer highs · 75″ of snow
Day to day
NewsWeatherHandbookTown SquareNeighbors
After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of Ferry Township; the nearest are

Muskegon Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Muskegon24.1 mi$7,250 in-state tuitionFerris State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Big Rapids37.3 mi$14,778 in-state tuition

About 2 of every 100 Ferry Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A commuter town

99% of working residents leave Ferry Township for work

Where Ferry Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

9% → Fremont Fremont 9% 8% → Muskegon Muskegon 8% 6% → Whitehall Whitehall 6% 6% → Grand Rapids Grand Rapids 6% 4% → Montague Montague 4% 4% → Norton Shores Norton Shores 4% Ferry Township · 1% stay
35jobs based in Ferry Township
1%of working residents work in town
26 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2021

About Ferry Township

Township in Michigan, United States

Ferry Township is a civil township of Oceana County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,271 at the 2020 census. Ferry Township was established in 1869. It was named for U.S.representative and later U.S. senator from Michigan Thomas W. Ferry.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area
36 sq mi
Elevation
696 ft

Questions about Ferry Township

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Ferry Township, 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 B.