Escanaba River at Flat Rock, Mich, 1880
Flat Rock’s story
188 years in pictures
Census counts: 373 in 1880, 10,541 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1880 and 8 maps from 1906 on.
- 1838Flat Rock is platted
Flat RockMI
A town of 10,218, platted in 1838.
Population
10,218
2025 Census estimate · −3.1% since 2020
Typical home
$264K
+4.5% in a year
Household income
$82K
median
Median age
39.3
years
Jobs based here
1,739
A commuter town
TownGrade
B−
#414 of 697 in MI
Is Flat Rock a good place to live?
Flat Rock is a solid, middle-of-the-road choice. It grades B− overall, ranked 414th of 697 in Michigan, with no subject far below average. Its best mark is schools: its public schools beat 53% of Michigan towns on state tests and graduation. A typical home there costs about $264K, 3.4 years of the Detroit metro’s $77K median household income. Only 85 of Michigan’s 1,265 towns score lower on civic life. Flat Rock’s average trip to work is 29 minutes, above both Michigan’s towns (25 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). The biggest park or preserve is Oakwoods Metropark, at 46 acres.
StrongestA−Hazard risk
What makes Flat Rock stand out
Where Flat Rock beats most towns.
A commuter town
95% of working residents leave Flat Rock for work
Where Flat Rock’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,739jobs based in Flat Rock
5%of working residents work in town
17 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2021
How Flat Rock grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Flat Rock is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 21% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8 of 20; 4.6% of households have no car; 1.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →SafetyB−Open →Cost of livingB−Open →SchoolsB−Open →HealthCorewell Health Trenton Hospital 3.3 miles awayB−Open →Jobs & income$82K median household incomeB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors4% conserved landB+Open →HistoryPlatted 1838; 2 notable people born hereC+Open →Civic life1.8 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 market18 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 39.3; 30% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 69 attractions →Michigan Stadium and 58 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Flat Rock. Close and well known come first.
Big draw27 mi Stadium & arenaMichigan Stadium
Big draw20 mi Stadium & arenaFord Field
20 mi Stadium & arenaComerica Park
14 mi MuseumThe Henry Ford1.8M visitors a year
20 mi TheatreFox Theatre
39 mi LakeLake Saint ClairSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Michigan Stadium: Lectrician2, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ford Field: Unknown, CC BY 2.5 · Comerica Park: City of Detroit, Public domain · The Henry Ford: Alvintrusty, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fox Theatre: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lake Saint Clair: Copernicus Sentinel-2, ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 igo
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Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Flat Rock: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Flat Rock, and how to reach them.
PowerDTE20.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterFlat Rock water system2 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Flat Rock’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 hereFlat Rock City ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP codes48134, 4817348134 98% · 48173 2%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 Flat Rock.
Flat Rock reports more crime than Huron Township and its other graded neighbors, but it trails Huron Township and its other neighbors on schools and has lost a quarter or more of its jobs in ten years.
OutdoorsB+
Flat Rock has set aside 4.1% of its land for conservation
3.7 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves.
#259for trails in MI
| Flat Rock | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.6 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 4.1% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
4.1%
conserved · 173 of 4,266 acres
3.7 mi
of trails · 0.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Civic Center Park | 1 mi | 34 |
| 2. Oakwoods Metropark | — | 46 |
| 3. Huroc Park | 0.1 mi | 15 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsB−
Flat Rock earns a B− for schools
Each of its 6 graded neighbors has a higher School Grade than its B−, Huron Township highest at A−.
Its public schools are run by the Flat Rock Community Schools. Two of its 8 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Flat Rock Community High School, with 501 students.
53%of MI districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Simpson Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 417 | C+ |
| Flat Rock Community High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 501 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Flat Rock faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 79% of U.S. communities. Since 1982, 12 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Flat Rock.
21risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
12
paid flood claims since 1982
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
Most of Flat Rock’s workers commute out: the town has 0.4 jobs for each of them
Jobs based here fell from 4,779 in 2011 to 1,739.
Most working residents leave Flat Rock for work: only 5% work in town. Since 2011, Flat Rock has lost 3,040 jobs, to 1,739 in 2021. The top destinations are Detroit (9%), Dearborn (7%) and Taylor (4%).
5%work in town
| Flat Rock | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 9.1% | 10% | 11% |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.8% | 5.9% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Flat Rock5%
Detroit9%
Dearborn7%
Taylor4%
Romulus4%
17 mi
median commute distance
1,739
jobs based in Flat Rock
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 57% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Flat Rock
Flat Rock has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 19° and about 45 inches of snow falls in a winter.
45″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter22–35°
Spring38–58°
Summer62–82°
Fall44–62°
Oct 27
typical first frost
Apr 20
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
An age mix much like Michigan’s
No broad age group is more than 4 points off the Michigan average. 25% of residents are under 18 in Flat Rock. Flat Rock has lost 3.1% of its people since 2020, down to 10,218 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
39.3median age · MI 40.2
| Flat Rock | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 25% | 21% | 22% |
| Aged 65 or older | 15% | 19% | 18% |
| Median age | 39.3 years | 42.5 years | 40.5 years |
Flat RockMichiganUnited States
Ages · share of residents
15%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma8%
High school28%
Some college26%
Associate’s9%
Bachelor’s18%
Graduate11%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.4 points. Across Michigan, 50.4% of residents are women. Among residents 18 to 24, 73% are men (MI 51%).
| Flat Rock | MI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 13% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 11.8% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.5% | 9.2% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.4% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.8% | 12.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 15.1% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.1% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.8% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 4.5% | 7.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 8% | 7.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 27.5% | 28% | 26% |
| Some college | 26.3% | 21.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 8.7% | 9.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18.3% | 19.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 11.2% | 12.7% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
SafetyB−
Flat Rock sees more crime per resident than 55% of U.S. towns
Each of the 3 graded towns on its borders reports less crime per resident, from Huron Township (B−) to Rockwood (A−).
Flat Rock’s violent crime rate is 2.6 per 1,000 residents.
45%of U.S. towns report more crimeB−Safety Grade
| Flat Rock | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.6 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 9 per 1,000 residents | 7.8 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Flat Rock2.6
Michigan4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Flat Rock9
Michigan13
U.S.15.5
45th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
44th
percentile among MI towns
26
violent crimes reported in 2025
92
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HealthB−
Residents of Flat Rock are healthier than 52% of U.S. towns
Flat Rock beats the Michigan average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 20% of Flat Rock adults report frequent mental distress.
52%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Flat Rock | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 34% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 27% | 23% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 37% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
4 better25 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Flat Rock | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 10.3% | 11.9% |
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 6.1% | 7% |
| More adults in frequent mental distress | 19.8% | 17.6% |
Corewell Health Trenton Hospital
3.3 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
53rd
percentile among MI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade B−
Flat Rock earns a B− for cost of living
The median property tax bill is $5,455, against $2,904 across Michigan, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
Typical home values rose 4.5% in the year to September 2026. The median rent in Flat Rock is $919 a month.
$264KZillow home value
| Flat Rock | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $919 a month | $1,047 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 83% | 84% | 73% |
Typical home value
Flat Rock$264K
Michigan$264K
Market temperature
18
days on market
101.9%
sale-to-list price
+4.5%
value change, 1 year
12
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Flat Rock
20pages on Flat Rock
The big questions
SchoolsB−Beat 53% of MI districts · 8 schoolsSafetyB−2.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthB−Better than MI on 4 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB−$264K typical home · up 4.5% in a yearWork & commuteB−$82K median household income · 1,739 jobs hereNatural hazardsA−FEMA risk higher than 21% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Flat Rock; the nearest are
University of Michigan-DearbornUniversity or college · Public · Dearborn15.3 mi$15,640 in-state tuitionMonroe County Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Monroe16.2 mi$4,759 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Flat Rock residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Michigan.
About Flat Rock
City in Michigan, United States
Flat Rock is a city in Wayne and Monroe counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. A Downriver suburb of Detroit, Flat Rock is located roughly 23 miles (37.0 km) southwest of downtown Detroit. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 10,541.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 6.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 597 ft
- ZIP code
- 48134
- Area code
- 734
Flat Rock’s neighbors
6 towns share a border with Flat Rock.
Huron Township next door grades higher for schools (A− to Flat Rock’s B−) and lower for cost of living (C− to B−).
Berlin TownshipRockwoodSouth RockwoodBrownstown TownshipWoodhavenHuron TownshipFlat Rock
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flat Rock | #414 | B− | B− | B− | B− | B− |
| Berlin Township | #555 | C | C+ | — | B | C |
| Rockwood | #185 | A− | B | A− | B+ | B− |
| South Rockwood | — | — | B− | — | B | C+ |
| Brownstown Township | #326 | B | C | B | B+ | B |
| Woodhaven | #370 | B− | C+ | — | B+ | B |
| Huron Township | #449 | C+ | C− | B− | A− | B− |
South Rockwood has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Berlin Township, South Rockwood and Woodhaven report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Flat Rock with a neighbor →
Questions about Flat Rock
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Flat Rock, MI a good place to live?
Flat Rock grades B− overall, better than 48% of U.S. towns and #414 of 697 in Michigan. It grades B− for health, B− for safety and B− for schools.
Is Flat Rock, 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−.
What is Flat Rock, MI known for?
Flat Rock was platted in 1838. 2 notable people were born here, including Dann Florek and Fred Gladding.