Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,938, settled in 1880. 3 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Michigan town.
The best of Munising’s subject grades are an A for cost of living and walkability and an A+ for civic life; the weakest is a C for incomes. 36% of working residents work locally in Munising, where Michigan’s towns sit at 5.9% and U.S. towns at 8%. Only 36 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns score higher on cost of living. Munising’s trail density is 2.8 miles per square mile, above both the Michigan town median (0.3) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). Only 3 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns score higher on the outdoors. The biggest park or preserve is Alger Underwater Preserve, at 2,430 acres. Munising has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Munising beats most towns.
2,355 counted in 2010 and 1,986 in 2020; an estimated 1,938 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Munising is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 135 in 1880, a peak of 5,037 in 1920, 1,986 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1868 and 2 maps from 1958 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Munising, 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 Munising.
About one in 3 of Munising’s working residents works in town. The average trip to work in Munising is 17 minutes. Jobs based in Munising fell to 1,048 in 2021, 157 fewer than in 2011.
| Munising | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 4.2% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $60,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Its public schools are run by the Munising Public Schools. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| William G Mather Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 253 | B |
| Munising High and Middle SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 296 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduation
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 92% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Munising since 1996.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The typical Munising home is worth about $209,000, up 3.4% in a year, 21% below the Michigan typical home. Munising’s median rent is $706 a month.
| Munising | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $706 a month | $1,046 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 68% | 84% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Of the 702 Michigan towns we compare, none has a lower July high than Munising. Munising has cold, snowy winters and cool summers.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
People 65 and older are 27% of residents (19% statewide); children under 18 are 14% of residents (21% statewide). 30% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 32% across Michigan.
| Munising | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 14% | 21% | 22% |
| Median age | 49.7 years | 42.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 27% | 19% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 30% | 26% | 29% |
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±2.8 points. Across Michigan, 50.4% of residents are women.
| Munising | MI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 8.8% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 5.3% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 10.2% | 9.2% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.4% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 7.1% | 12.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.7% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 16.7% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 15.6% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 11.2% | 7.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 3.8% | 7.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 26.6% | 28% | 26% |
| Some college | 27.3% | 21.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.6% | 9.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 20.5% | 19.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 9.3% | 12.7% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,900, single groups can be off by several points
25 miles of trail in 6 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (Federal Unit) | 9.2 mi | 782 |
| 2. Twin Waterfalls Memorial Plant Preserve | 0.6 mi | 17 |
| 3. Alger Underwater Preserve | — | 2,430 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Munising's reported crime rate is well below Michigan's. Violent crime is rare: 2 reported in 2025.
| Munising | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.1 per 1,000 residents | 7.9 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Munising beats the Michigan average on 5 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5. 40% of Munising adults have high blood pressure.
| Munising | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 36% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 17% | 16% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 12% | 12% |
| What stands out | Munising | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9.2% | 11.9% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 6.9% | 8.7% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.8% | 8.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Munising; the nearest are
About 6 of every 100 Munising residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Michigan.
Where Munising’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2021
2 places in Munising on the National Register of Historic Places.
8 notable people were born in Munising.
City in Michigan, United States
Munising ( MEW-nə-sing) is a city in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Alger County. The population was 1,986 at the 2020 census. The city is partially surrounded by Munising Township, but the two are administered autonomously. Located on the southern shore of Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula, it serves as the western gateway to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
3 towns share a border with Munising.
| Town | MI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Munising | — | — | A | — | B | C+ |
| Munising Township | #534 | C | A− | — | B | C |
| Grand Island Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Au Train Township | — | — | C | — | B | C+ |
Munising and Au Train Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Munising, Munising Township and Au Train Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Grand Island Township isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Munising with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
3 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Michigan town.
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.
8 notable people were born here, including Steven J. Raica and Connie Binsfeld.
