Saranac sign, 2015
Saranac’s story
187 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2005.
- 1839Saranac is settled
SaranacMI
Population
1,386
2025 Census estimate · +0.9% since 2020
Typical home
$299K
+6.6% in a year
Household income
$67K
median
Median age
35.6
years
Jobs based here
237
A commuter town
Is Saranac a good place to live?
Saranac’s best subject grades are an A− for schools, cost of living, and the outdoors; its weakest is a C− for walkability. Only 89 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns score lower on hazard risk. Saranac’s trail density is 1.6 miles per square mile, above both Michigan’s towns (0.3) and U.S. towns (0.4). The biggest park or preserve is Saranac Village Nature Park, at 48 acres. Saranac has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Saranac stand out
Where Saranac beats most towns.
Small town
1,386 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Saranac grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Saranac is from typical.
SchoolsBeat 82% of Michigan districts on tests and graduationA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.5 of 20; 14.4% of households have no car; 0.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →Cost of livingA−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC+Open →Jobs & income$67K median household incomeC+Open →HealthSparrow Ionia Hospital 6.8 miles awayB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2 miles of trails; 2% conserved landA−Open →History1 notable person born hereB+Open →Civic life1.9 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
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 35.6; 20% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Saranac: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Saranac, and how to reach them.
PowerConsumers Energy20.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSaranac water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Saranac’s trash rules yet
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.govWho runs elections hereBoston Township ClerkBoston Township; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code4888148881 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 Saranac.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
Saranac has 0.4 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Saranac for work: only 3% work in town. 15% of Saranac residents live below the poverty line, against 8.9% in Michigan’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Since 2011, Saranac has lost 173 jobs, to 237 in 2021.
3%work in town
| Saranac | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 15% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.8% | 5.9% | 8% |
| Median household income | $67,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Saranac3%
Grand Rapids13%
Cascade Township8%
Boston Township6%
Lowell5%
20 mi
median commute distance
237
jobs based in Saranac
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 19% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Climate
In Saranac, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Saranac has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 16° and about 66 inches of snow falls in a winter.
66″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–33°
Spring35–57°
Summer58–81°
Fall40–60°
Oct 12
typical first frost
May 3
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade A−
Saranac stands out in Michigan and nationally: the median rent there is lower
The median rent in Saranac is $538 a month. Typical home values rose 6.6% in the year to September 2026. 59% of households own their home in Saranac.
$299KZillow home value
| Saranac | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 59% | 84% | 73% |
| Median rent | $538 a month | $1,046 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Saranac$299K
Michigan$264K
+6.6%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Moderate risk in Saranac, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 57% of U.S. communities.
57risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
1.9%conserved
1.9%
conserved · 14 of 766 acres
1.9 mi
of trails · 1.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Scheid Park | 0.3 mi | 17 |
| 2. Saranac Village Nature Park | 0.1 mi | 48 |
| 3. Saranac Riverwalk Park | 0.1 mi | 6 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthB−
Saranac ranks healthier than 51% of the country’s towns
Saranac beats the Michigan average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 28% of Saranac adults have been diagnosed with depression.
51%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Saranac | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 27% | 23% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 37% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 34% | 36% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 6% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
2 better30 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Saranac | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9.7% | 11.9% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 7.1% | 8.7% |
Sparrow Ionia Hospital
6.8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Saranac
19pages on Saranac
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Saranac; the nearest are
Davenport UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Grand Rapids17.2 mi$24,466 tuitionGrand Rapids Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Grand Rapids23.2 mi$4,179 in-state tuitionGrand Valley State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Allendale34.5 mi$15,140 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Saranac residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Saranac for work
Where Saranac’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
237jobs based in Saranac
3%of working residents work in town
20 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2021
About Saranac
Village in Michigan, United States
Saranac is a village in Boston Township, Ionia County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, Saranac had a population of 1,376. Today, Saranac serves as a retail and services hub for agricultural areas surrounding the village.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 646 ft
- ZIP code
- 48881
Questions about Saranac
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Saranac, MI expensive?
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−.