Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
47% of residents are 65 or older in Pentwater, against 19% in Michigan’s towns and 18% across U.S. towns. Of the 702 Michigan towns we compare, none has a higher median age than Pentwater. Pentwater’s density of trails is 2.2 miles per square mile, above both the Michigan town median (0.3) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). The biggest place to walk is Charles Mears State Park, 53 acres with 3 miles of trail. Pentwater has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Pentwater beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 1,294 in 1870, a peak of 1,510 in 1890, 890 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1910 and 3 maps from 1932 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Pentwater, 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 Pentwater.
Zillow values the typical Pentwater home at about $393,000, up 5% in a year, 49% above the Michigan typical home. Pentwater: 85% of households are owner-occupiers.
| Pentwater | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $556 a month | $1,046 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 85% | 84% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
On expected storm and flood damage, Pentwater sits below 82% of U.S. communities. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Pentwater once, in 1999. 55% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by strong winds at 29%. The national flood insurance program has paid 2 claims in the town since 1986.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Half the trips to work are shorter than 27 miles. Employers in Pentwater added 82 jobs between 2011 and 2021, to 175. Commuting out is the norm here: 7% of working residents work locally. Also worth knowing: its mean commuting time stands at 17 minutes.
| Pentwater | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 10% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
July afternoons reach 78°, January nights drop to 18° and about 79 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
9 crimes were reported in Pentwater in 2025: 4 property and 5 violent. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Pentwater is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
On the CDC’s 32 measures, Pentwater is ahead of Michigan on 13 and behind on 7. 15% of adults have diabetes here. Of the 702 Michigan towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who had a checkup this year than Pentwater.
| Pentwater | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 17% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 36% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 34% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 18% | 17% |
| What stands out | Pentwater | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 6.4% | 11.9% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.8% | 8.7% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 15.8% | 8.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
3.8 miles of trail wind through 7 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Charles Mears State Park | 3 mi | 53 |
| 2. Pentwater Auxillary Sports Fields | — | 9 |
| 3. West Michigan Underwater Preserve | — | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Pentwater; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Pentwater residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
Where Pentwater’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2021
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Pentwater has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
2 notable people were born here, including Jim Lites and D. Stanley Coors.