Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,556, settled in 1880.
The best of Harbor Beach’s subject grades are an A+ for cost of living and an A for walkability and the outdoors; the weakest is a D− for incomes. 33% of residents are 65 or older in Harbor Beach, above both Michigan’s towns (19%) and U.S. towns (18%). Only 23 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns score higher on cost of living. Harbor Beach’s trail density is 1.6 miles per square mile, above both Michigan’s towns (0.3) and U.S. towns (0.4). Only 75 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns score higher on the outdoors. Harbor Beach's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 90% of U.S. towns. Harbor Beach has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Harbor Beach beats most towns.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Harbor Beach is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 534 in 1880, a peak of 2,349 in 1950, 1,604 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1858 and 2 maps from 1970 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Harbor Beach, 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 Harbor Beach.
Harbor Beach beats the Michigan average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 9. 17% of Harbor Beach adults report frequent physical distress.
| Harbor Beach | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 36% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 12% | 12% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 25% | 25% |
| What stands out | Harbor Beach | MI |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 16.5% | 10.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 11.6% | 8.1% |
| More adults with heart disease | 9.3% | 7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Harbor Beach Community Schools. Two of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harbor Beach Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 165 | C |
| Harbor Beach Community High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 218 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduation
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 87% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The median rent in Harbor Beach is $554 a month. Typical home values rose 6.6% in the year to September 2026.
| Harbor Beach | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $554 a month | $1,046 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 76% | 84% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Harbor Beach has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Harbor Beach’s July high is 77°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
16% of residents live below the poverty line in Harbor Beach. About one in 4 of Harbor Beach’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Bad Axe (13%), Colfax Township (7%) and Sand Beach Township (5%).
| Harbor Beach | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 15 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 23% | 5.9% | 8% |
| Median household income | $41,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 16% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
3.2 miles of trail in 6 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Thumb Area Underwater Preserve, at 212 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. North Park | 2.2 mi | 98 |
| 2. Thumb Area Underwater Preserve | — | 212 |
| 3. Waterworks Park | 0.2 mi | 40 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Harbor Beach; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Harbor Beach residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
2 places in Harbor Beach on the National Register of Historic Places.
4 notable people were born in Harbor Beach.
City in Michigan, United States
Harbor Beach is a city in Huron County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,604 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
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+.
4 notable people were born here, including Frank Murphy and Dick Lange.
