Potterville is a solid, middle-of-the-road choice. It grades B− overall, 377th among Michigan's 697 graded towns, with no subject far below average. Its best mark is safety: crime is low: it reports less per resident than 72% of U.S. towns. A typical home there costs about $227K, 3.1 years of the Lansing metro’s $73K median household income. 29% of residents are under 18 in Potterville, above both Michigan’s towns (21%) and U.S. towns (22%). The biggest park or preserve is Lake Alliance Softball Complex, at 102 acres.

StrongestAOutdoors A⁻Hazard risk A⁻Civic life

What makes Potterville stand out

Where Potterville beats most towns.

Natural hazardsA⁻

Low risk of storm and flood damage

FEMA National Risk Index.

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

63% less violent crime than MI

FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.

A growing town

Potterville has grown 20% since 2010

2,617 counted in 2010 and 3,055 in 2020; an estimated 3,135 in 2025.

2,6172010

3,0552020

3,1352025 est.

U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025

How Potterville grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Potterville is from typical.

How grading works

Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 23% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA⁻Open →SafetyB⁺Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.7 of 20; 7.3% of households have no car; 0.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →HealthLess healthy than 56% of U.S. towns; University of Michigan Health - Sparrow Eaton 6.3 miles awayC⁺Open →SchoolsC⁺Open →Jobs & income$65K median household income; 813 jobs based hereBOpen →Cost of livingB⁻Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors1 mile of trail; 10% conserved landAOpen →HistoryB⁻Open →Civic life3.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA⁻Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 32.0; 20% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Getting set up

Moving to Potterville: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Potterville, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerConsumers Energy20.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterCity of Potterville water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet6 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpFrom the town’s siteTrash and recycling rulesTown site

SchoolsPotterville Public SchoolsWhich 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 herePotterville City ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025

ZIP code4887648876 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 Potterville.

Potterville is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has seen reported crime fall by about half.

Work & commuteJobs & income grade B

Most of Potterville’s workers commute out: the town has 0.7 jobs for each of them

Only 4% of working residents stay in Potterville for work; the rest commute out. The town’s average trip to work stands at 20 minutes. The top destinations are Lansing (23%), Delta Township (9%) and Charlotte (9%). 11% of Potterville residents live below the poverty line.

4%work in town

	Potterville	Michigan towns	U.S. towns
Average trip to work	20 minutes	25 minutes	25 minutes
Work from home	7.4%	10%	11%
Median household income	$65,000	$77,000	$80,000
Below the poverty line	11%	8.9%	9.6%

Where working residents work

In Potterville4%

Lansing23%

Delta Township9%

Charlotte9%

East Lansing6%

12 mi

median commute distance

813

jobs based in Potterville

A commuter town

jobs vs. working residents

Walkability grade: more walkable than 33% of U.S. towns

Full pagePotterville’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here813 jobs based here · A commuter town Where people work4% work in Potterville Commute times20 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 12 miles

Census LEHD 2021 · ACS

SchoolsC⁺

Public schools in Potterville fall behind 56% of Michigan districts

The public schools here belong to the Potterville Public Schools. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with the reason it’s listed.

44%of MI districts it outscoresC⁺School Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Potterville Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4	Grades PK–4	322	C
Potterville High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	209	C⁺

Full pagePotterville’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsPotterville Public Schools Vs. the neighborsBehind its graded neighbor Every school3 schools · Potterville Elementary School Questions“Are Potterville’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduation

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A⁻

The biggest natural risk in Potterville is inland flooding, at a low overall level

Households in Potterville have drawn federal disaster aid in 4 declared disasters, most recently in 2023. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 77% of U.S. communities. Flood insurance has paid out on 3 claims locally since 1978.

23risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind

paid flood claims since 1978

federal disasters paid out here

Full pagePotterville’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesLow risk Flood claims3 paid flood claims · Since 1978 Past disasters4 federal disasters · Paid out in Potterville Get ready0.4 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

SafetyB⁺

Potterville’s grade for safety is a B+

Reported crimes fell from 34 to 12 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings. Violent crime is rare: 5 reported in 2025, 1.6 per 1,000 residents.

The level of property crime in Potterville is 2.2 per 1,000 residents. The rate of reported violence locally is 1.6 per 1,000 residents.

72%of U.S. towns report more crimeB⁺Safety Grade

	Potterville	Michigan towns	U.S. towns
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	2.2 per 1,000 residents	8	9.9
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	1.6 per 1,000 residents	1.9	1.6

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Potterville1.6

Michigan4.3

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Potterville2.2

Michigan13

U.S.15.5

72nd

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

74th

percentile among MI towns

violent crimes reported in 2025

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pagePotterville’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type1.6 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsDown since 2023 Vs. the neighbors1 bordering town Questions“Is Potterville, MI safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

Climate

Potterville has four seasons and pleasant summers

Expect July afternoons of 82° and January nights of 16°, with about 37 inches of snow a winter.

37″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter19–33°

Spring36–57°

Summer58–80°

Fall41–60°

Oct 15

typical first frost

May 1

typical last frost

+1.3°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pagePotterville’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 82°, January lows 16°Rain & snow37″ of snow a winter · 36 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+1.3° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

HousingCost of living grade B⁻

Potterville’s grade for cost of living is a B−

Nearly three in five households live in a home they own in Potterville. The typical home value locally is about $227,000, up 3% in a year, 14% below the Michigan typical home. For Potterville, the median rent is $1,152 a month.

$227KZillow home value

	Potterville	Michigan towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	59%	84%	73%
Median rent	$1,152 a month	$1,045 a month	$1,185 a month

Typical home value

Potterville$227K

Michigan$264K

+3%

value change, 1 year

homes sold in May

Full pagePotterville’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 3% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 3.5 years of income Rents$1,152 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsBehind its graded neighbor

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

OutdoorsA

Conserved land covers 10.2% of Potterville

Across 4 parks and preserves: 0.5 miles of trail. For Potterville, the concentration of trails is 0.3 miles per square mile.

10.2%conserved

10.2%

conserved · 122 of 1,196 acres

0.5 mi

of trails · 0.3 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Lake Alliance Softball Complex	0.3 mi	102
2. Sunset Hills Park	—	14
3. Potterville City Park	0.1 mi	10

Full pagePotterville’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map0.5 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk0.3 miles of trail · Lake Alliance Softball Complex Conserved land10.2% conserved · 122 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Potterville?”

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

HealthC⁺

Compared with most of Michigan and the rest of the country, more of Potterville’s adults have been diagnosed with depression

Against the 9,877 U.S. towns with household incomes like Potterville’s, it is healthier than 62%, so its C+ isn’t only a matter of income.

The share of adults in Potterville who have diabetes: 9.9%. This Michigan town does better than the Michigan average on 5 of 32 CDC measures and worse on 4. In Potterville, 19% of adults binge drink, and 41% have obesity.

44%healthier than U.S. townsC⁺Health Grade