Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The best of Montague’s subject grades are an A− for civic life and the outdoors. Only 116 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns score higher on hazard risk. Montague’s average trip to work is 18 minutes, where Michigan’s towns sit at 25 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Montague has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Montague beats most towns.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Montague is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,297 in 1880, a low of 845 in 1920, 2,417 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1883 and 2 maps from 1959 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Montague, 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 Montague.
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 91% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 6 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Montague.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Its public schools are run by the Montague Area Public Schools. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Montague High School, with 419 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oehrli Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades 1–5 | Grades 1–5 | 436 | B |
| Montague High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 419 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduation
Montague has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. At 81°F, Montague’s July high is below both Michigan’s towns (82°F) and U.S. towns (85°F).
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Most working residents leave Montague for work: only 12% work in town. Since 2011, Montague has added 249 jobs, to 1,139 in 2021. 4.8% of Montague residents live below the poverty line.
| Montague | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 4.8% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 12% | 5.9% | 8% |
| Median household income | $67,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Montague's reported crime rate is well below Michigan's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. 5 violent crimes were reported in 2023.
| Montague | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 7.9 per 1,000 residents | 10.6 | 13.1 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 2.1 per 1,000 residents | 2 | 1.8 |
FBI crime data, 2023 · crimes reported to police
| Montague | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 8% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. City Park | — | 12 |
| 2. Buttermilk Creek Park | 0.2 mi | 9 |
| 3. Maple Grove Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Montague beats the Michigan average on 5 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 40% of adults have obesity in Montague.
| Montague | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 37% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 27% | 23% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 33% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 14% | 14% |
| What stands out | Montague | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 10.3% | 15.4% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 6.2% | 8.7% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.7% | 8.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The typical Montague home is worth about $278,000, up 4.6% in a year, 5% above the Michigan typical home. Montague’s median rent is $810 a month.
| Montague | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $810 a month | $1,046 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 79% | 84% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Montague. Close and well known come first.
39 mi National forestManistee National Forest
13 mi MuseumUSS LST-39313 mi Stadium & arenaMercy Health Arena
6 mi Theme parkWildWater Adventure
14 mi MuseumMuskegon Museum of ArtManistee National Forest: RomanKahler, CC BY-SA 4.0 · USS LST-393: USN, Public domain · WildWater Adventure: Larry Pieniazek, CC BY 2.5 · Muskegon Museum of Art: Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
1 within 15 miles of the center of Montague
About 3 of every 100 Montague residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
City in Michigan, United States
Montague is a city in Muskegon County, Michigan, United States. The population was 2,417 at the 2020 census. The city is politically independent from Montague Township, which borders it on three sides.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
2 towns share a border with Montague.
| Town | MI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montague | — | — | B+ | — | B+ | B |
| Whitehall | #262 | B+ | B− | B | A− | C+ |
| Montague Township | — | — | B− | — | B+ | B− |
Montague and Montague Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Montague and Montague Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Montague with a neighbor →
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 B+.
