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Michigan›St. Clair County
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Pearl BeachMI

A town of 4,506, settled in 1898.

Population
4,506
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$302K
Census ACS
Household income
$83K
median
Median age
53.7
years
Jobs based here
661
A commuter town

Is Pearl Beach a good place to live?

Pearl Beach’s average trip to work is 38 minutes, above both Michigan’s towns (25 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). St. John's Marsh State Wildlife Area, at 221 acres with 1.2 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. We don’t grade Pearl Beach yet; the figures below are still real.

A growing town

Pearl Beach has grown 66% from 2010 to 2020

2,829 counted in 2010 and 4,698 in 2020.

2,8292010
4,6982020

U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts

Getting set up

Moving to Pearl Beach: who provides what

Pearl Beach is unincorporated, so St. Clair County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerDTE20.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterClay Township water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesSt. Clair CountySt. Clair County provides services here
SchoolsAlgonac Community School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES
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.gov
Who runs elections hereClay Township ClerkClay Township; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code4800148001 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 Pearl Beach.

Work & commute

Pearl Beach has 0.3 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out

Most working residents leave Pearl Beach for work: only 4% work in town. Since 2011, Pearl Beach has lost 172 jobs, to 661 in 2021. The top destinations are Detroit (6%), Clay Township (6%) and Chesterfield Township (5%).

4%work in town
Pearl BeachMichigan townsU.S. towns
Working residents who work in town4%5.9%8%
Median household income$83,000$77,000$80,000

Where working residents work

In Pearl Beach4%
Detroit6%
Clay Township6%
Chesterfield Township5%
Warren5%
24 mi
median commute distance
661
jobs based in Pearl Beach
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Full pagePearl Beach’s work & commute pageOpen the page
The jobs here661 jobs based here · A commuter townWhere people work4% work in Pearl BeachCommute times38 minutes · The average commuteHow far they goHalf commute less than 24 miles

Census LEHD 2021 · ACS

Climate

In Pearl Beach, expect four seasons and pleasant summers

Pearl Beach has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Pearl Beach’s July high is 81°F, near the Michigan town median (82°F) and below the median of U.S. towns (85°F).

32″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter22–34°
Spring38–55°
Summer62–79°
Fall46–60°
Oct 18
typical first frost
May 3
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
Full pagePearl Beach’s climate pageOpen the page
A year of weatherJuly highs 81°, January lows 20°Rain & snow32″ of snow a winter · 35 inches of rain and snow a yearHeating & coolingMostly a heating billThen and now+1.7° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Natural hazards

Pearl Beach faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 67% of U.S. communities.

33risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
33Low riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
Full pagePearl Beach’s hazards pageOpen the page
What it facesLow riskFlood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on recordPast disasters9 disaster declarations · Declared for the countyGet ready1 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Health

How healthy Pearl Beach is

Pearl Beach beats the Michigan average on 7 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 41% of adults have high blood pressure in Pearl Beach.

Pearl BeachMichigan townsU.S. towns
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)41%36%35%
Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES)83%80%79%
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)15%17%16%
Depression (CDC PLACES)26%27%23%
32 measures vs. Michigan
7 better21 too close to call4 worse
What stands outPearl BeachMI
Fewer adults facing housing insecurity8.6%11.9%
Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off6.3%8.7%
More adults who have had cancer11.6%8.9%
Ascension River District Hospital
12 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
Full pagePearl Beach’s health reportOpen the page
Everyday habitsFewer binge drinkersHospitals & doctors nearby12 miles to an ER · Ascension River District HospitalHow adults are doingMore adults in frequent physical distressEvery CDC estimateBetter than MI on 7 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Outdoors

6.1% of Pearl Beach is conserved land

1.2 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.

6.1%conserved
6.1%
conserved · 218 of 3,592 acres
1.2 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. St. John's Marsh State Wildlife Area1.2 mi221
2. North Channel Boating Access Site—7
Full pagePearl Beach’s outdoors pageOpen the page
Trail map1.2 miles of trail, mappedPick a walk1.2 miles of trail · St. John's Marsh State Wildlife AreaConserved land6.1% conserved · 218 acres protectedQuestions“Where can I hike in Pearl Beach?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Housing

A home in Pearl Beach sells for about $450K at the median

93% of Pearl Beach households own their home.

$450Kmedian sale price
Pearl BeachMichigan townsU.S. towns
Households that own their home93%84%73%
Median rent$1,054 a month$1,046 a month$1,185 a month
4
homes sold in May
Full pagePearl Beach’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page
Prices over the yearsPrices over the yearsYears of income to buyA typical home costs 5.4 years of incomeRents$1,054 a month · Median rentVs. the neighbors1 bordering town

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Nearby attractions

Lake Saint Clair and 35 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Pearl Beach. Close and well known come first.

All 47 attractions →
13 mi LakeLake Saint ClairBig draw31 mi Stadium & arenaFord Field31 mi Stadium & arenaComerica Park31 mi TheatreFox Theatre40 mi MuseumThe Henry Ford1.8M visitors a year28 mi GardenBelle Isle Park
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits

Lake Saint Clair: Copernicus Sentinel-2, ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 igo · Ford Field: Unknown, CC BY 2.5 · Comerica Park: City of Detroit, Public domain · Fox Theatre: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0 · The Henry Ford: Alvintrusty, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Belle Isle Park: WMrapids, CC0

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Pearl Beach

16pages on Pearl Beach
The big questions
HealthBetter than MI on 7 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingWork & commute$83K median household income · 661 jobs hereNatural hazardsFEMA risk higher than 33% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
Outdoors1 mi of trails · 6% conserved landPlacesAttractions47 nearby · Tashmoo Park 4 miLibraryAlgonac-Clay Township LibraryColleges
The story
HistorySettled 1898Climate81° summer highs · 32″ of snow
Day to day
NewsWeatherHandbookTown SquareNeighbors
After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of Pearl Beach; the nearest are

Macomb Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Warren21.5 mi$3,660 in-state tuitionWayne State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Detroit31 mi$15,190 in-state tuition

About 3 of every 100 Pearl Beach residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A commuter town

96% of working residents leave Pearl Beach for work

Where Pearl Beach’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

6% → Detroit Detroit 6% 6% → Clay Township Clay Township 6% 5% → Chesterfield Township Chesterfield Township 5% 5% → Warren Warren 5% 5% → Clinton Township Clinton Township 5% 4% → Sterling Heights Sterling Heights 4% Pearl Beach · 4% stay
661jobs based in Pearl Beach
4%of working residents work in town
24 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2021

About Pearl Beach

Census-designated place & unincorporated community in Michigan, United States

Pearl Beach is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population of the CDP was 4,698 at the 2020 census. The community is located within Clay Township.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area
3.0 sq mi
Elevation
577 ft

Pearl Beach’s neighbors

One town shares a border with Pearl Beach.

Explore the map →
AlgonacAlgonacPearl Beach
Algonac
E
Visit
How the neighbors grade
TownMI rankOverallCostSafetySchoolsHealth
Pearl Beach——————
Algonac#459C+B+—B+D

Algonac reports no FBI crime data of its own. Pearl Beach isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Pearl Beach with a neighbor →

Questions about Pearl Beach

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Pearl Beach, MI a good place to live?

We don’t grade Pearl Beach yet; the figures below are still real.