Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 2,868, settled in 1879. 2 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Michigan town.
Manistique gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $192K for a typical one, or 3.4 years of the county’s $57K median household income. It grades C− overall, ranked 592nd of 697 in Michigan. The low prices come with trade-offs. Its crime rate is higher than 93% of U.S. towns, with 31 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, and CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 92% of the country. On the plus side, it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 90% of U.S. towns. 41% of working residents work locally in Manistique, above both Michigan’s towns (5.9%) and U.S. towns (8%). Manistique's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 95% of U.S. towns. Manistique has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Manistique Pumping Station and Manistique East Breakwater Light.
Where Manistique beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Manistique is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 693 in 1880, a peak of 6,380 in 1920, 2,828 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1880 and 2 maps from 1931 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Manistique, 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 Manistique.
Manistique is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has cooler summers than nearly all U.S. towns, but it reports violent crime at about twice the Michigan rate.
Violent crime runs at 10.8 per 1,000 residents, about twice the Michigan rate; the Safety Grade counts each violent crime four times, so this weighs most on its D.
The violent crime rate in Manistique is 10.8 per 1,000 residents. Manistique reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 93% report less. The property crime rate in Manistique is 15.6 per 1,000 residents.
| Manistique | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 10.8 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 15.6 per 1,000 residents | 7.8 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Its public schools are run by the Manistique Area Schools. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Manistique Middle and High School, with 412 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emerald Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 267 | C+ |
| Manistique Middle and High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 412 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduation
Against the 1,976 U.S. towns with household incomes like Manistique’s, it is less healthy than 55%, so its D isn’t only a matter of income.
19% of adults report frequent physical distress in Manistique. Manistique beats the Michigan average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 16. 20% of adults smoke cigarettes in Manistique.
| Manistique | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 14% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 15% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 12% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 36% | 35% |
| What stands out | Manistique | MI |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 21.6% | 10.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 12.6% | 8.1% |
| More adults with heart disease | 10% | 7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
2.6 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves. Manistique’s trail density is 0.7 miles per square mile. Lakeview Park, at 90 acres with 1.8 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
| Manistique | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.7 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 5.4% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lakeview Park | 1.8 mi | 90 |
| 2. Manistique Central Park | 0.5 mi | 43 |
| 3. Historical Park | 0.1 mi | 6 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
The median property tax bill is $1,307, against $2,904 across Michigan, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
53% of Manistique renter households spend 30% or more of their income on rent. Typical home values rose 11% in the year to September 2026.
| Manistique | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $665 a month | $1,047 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 53% | 45% | 48% |
| Households that own their home | 78% | 84% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
July afternoons average 75.1°, cooler than in 98% of U.S. towns; January nights average 12°.
Of the 701 Michigan towns we compare, none has a lower July high than Manistique. Manistique has cold winters and cool summers.
| Manistique | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 75°F | 82°F | 85°F |
| January low | 12°F | 16°F | 22°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The average commute for its 940 working residents takes 14.3 minutes, against 24.2 across Michigan.
Among 701 Michigan towns, just 4 have a lower median household income than Manistique. The top destinations are Thompson Township (9%), Sault Ste. Marie (4%) and Escanaba (3%).
| Manistique | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 14 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 18% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $38,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 52% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
None within 15 miles of Manistique; the nearest are
About 1 of every 100 Manistique residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
2 places in Manistique on the National Register of Historic Places.
City in Michigan, United States
Manistique ( man-iss-TEEK) is the only city in and the county seat of Schoolcraft County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 2,828. The city borders the adjacent Manistique Township, but the two are administered independently. The city lies on the north shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manistique River, which forms a natural harbor that has been improved with breakwaters, dredging, and the Manistique East Breakwater Light. The city is named after the river. The economy depends heavily on tourism from Lake Michigan, as well as nearby Indian Lake State Park and Palms Book State Park.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
2 towns share a border with Manistique.
| Town | MI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manistique | #592 | C− | A | D | B− | D |
| Manistique Township | — | — | B− | — | B− | D |
| Hiawatha Township | — | — | A− | — | B− | C− |
Manistique Township and Hiawatha Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Manistique Township and Hiawatha Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Manistique with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Manistique grades C− overall, better than 21% of U.S. towns and #592 of 697 in Michigan. It grades D for health, D for safety and B− for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D.
