Old G.A.R. hall, 2009
Leslie’s story
190 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2005.
- 1836Leslie is settled
LeslieMI
Population
1,937
2025 Census estimate · −0.1% since 2020
Typical home
$237K
+1.4% in a year
Household income
$74K
median
Median age
32.0
years
Jobs based here
372
A commuter town
Is Leslie a good place to live?
Leslie’s best subject grade is an A− for history; its weakest is a C for walkability. 30% of residents are under 18 in Leslie, above both Michigan’s towns (21%) and U.S. towns (22%). Leslie has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
StrongestA−History
What makes Leslie stand out
Where Leslie beats most towns.
0historic places
HistoryA−
Settled in 1836
A long history
A history going back 190 years.
Typical home value
Leslie$237K
Michigan$264K
Cost of livingB+
3.3 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 75% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
Natural hazardsB+
Low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
A commuter town
95% of working residents leave Leslie for work
Where Leslie’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
372jobs based in Leslie
5%of working residents work in town
20 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2021
How Leslie grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Leslie is from typical.
Cost of livingB+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 30% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.6 of 20; 2.5% of households have no car; 0.8% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →SafetyB+Open →HealthEaton Rapids Medical Center 11.9 miles awayBOpen →Jobs & income$74K median household incomeBOpen →SchoolsBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2% conserved landC+Open →History4 notable people born hereA−Open →Civic life3.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB+Open →
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 32.0; 20% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Leslie: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Leslie, and how to reach them.
PowerConsumers Energy20.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Leslie water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers95% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Leslie’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 hereLeslie City ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code4925149251 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 Leslie.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
Most of Leslie’s workers commute out: the town has 0.6 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Leslie for work: only 5% work in town. Since 2011, Leslie has added 72 jobs, to 372 in 2021. 13% of residents live below the poverty line in Leslie, against 8.9% in Michigan’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns.
5%work in town
| Leslie | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.8% | 5.9% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Leslie5%
Lansing18%
Mason6%
Delta Township5%
East Lansing4%
20 mi
median commute distance
372
jobs based in Leslie
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 31% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
SchoolsB
Public schools in Leslie beat 55% of Michigan districts
Its public schools are run by the Leslie Public Schools. One of its 2 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
55%of MI districts it outscoresBSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodworth Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 410 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduation
SafetyB+
Leslie reports less crime per resident than 69% of U.S. towns
Leslie’s property crime rate is 4.6 per 1,000 residents.
69%of U.S. towns report more crimeB+Safety Grade
| Leslie | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 4.6 per 1,000 residents | 7.9 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Leslie1
Michigan4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Leslie4.6
Michigan13
U.S.15.5
69th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
2
violent crimes reported in 2025
9
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Low risk in Leslie, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 70% of U.S. communities. Since 2011, 4 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Leslie.
30risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
4
paid flood claims since 2011
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Leslie
Leslie has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 17° and about 36 inches of snow falls in a winter.
36″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–33°
Spring36–57°
Summer58–80°
Fall41–60°
Oct 14
typical first frost
May 1
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthB
Residents of Leslie are healthier than 62% of U.S. towns
Leslie beats the Michigan average on 8 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 29% of Leslie adults have been diagnosed with depression.
62%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Leslie | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 27% | 23% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 17% | 16% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 17% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 32% | 33% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
8 better22 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Leslie | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 7.1% | 10.2% |
| Fewer adults who have had a stroke | 2.9% | 3.7% |
| More binge drinkers | 18.9% | 15.9% |
Eaton Rapids Medical Center
11.9 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade B+
The typical home in Leslie is valued at about $237K
The typical Leslie home is worth about $237,000, up 1.4% in a year, 10% below the Michigan typical home.
$237KZillow home value
| Leslie | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 74% | 84% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,057 a month | $1,046 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Leslie$237K
Michigan$264K
+1.4%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
1.9%conserved
1.9%
conserved · 16 of 817 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Russell Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 46 attractions →Michigan Stadium and 23 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Leslie. Close and well known come first.
Big draw37 mi Stadium & arenaMichigan Stadium
20 mi MuseumEli and Edythe Broad Art Museum150K visitors a year
39 mi Park & preserveDomino's Farms
19 mi Zoo & aquariumPotter Park Zoo
37 mi TheatreMichigan Theater
30 mi MuseumAmerican Museum of MagicSources: 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 · Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum: Dj1997, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Domino's Farms: Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0 · Potter Park Zoo: Dj1997, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Michigan Theater: mrkumm, CC BY 2.0 · American Museum of Magic: rossograph, CC BY-SA 4.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Leslie
20pages on Leslie
The big questions
SchoolsBBeat 55% of MI districts · 2 schoolsSafetyB+1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthBBetter than MI on 8 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB+$237K typical home · up 1.4% in a yearWork & commuteB$74K median household income · 372 jobs hereNatural hazardsB+FEMA risk higher than 30% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Leslie; the nearest are
Spring Arbor UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Spring Arbor18 mi$34,014 tuitionMichigan State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · East Lansing19.6 mi$16,458 in-state tuitionLansing Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Lansing20.8 mi$4,100 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Leslie residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
Famous people from Leslie
4 notable people were born in Leslie.
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About Leslie
City in Michigan, United States
Leslie is a city in Ingham County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,167 at the 2020 census. The city is surrounded by Leslie Township, but the two are administered autonomously.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1836
- Area
- 1.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 935 ft
- ZIP code
- 49251
- Area code
- 517
Questions about Leslie
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Leslie, 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 B+.
What is Leslie, MI known for?
4 notable people were born here, including Voltairine de Cleyre and Dave Latter.