Bad River St Charles Michigan, 2015
St. Charles’s story
172 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,317 in 1900, 1,992 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2015 and 2 maps from 1917 on.
- 1854St. Charles is settled
St. CharlesMI
A town of 1,941, settled in 1854.
Population
1,941
2025 Census estimate · −2.9% since 2020
Typical home
$205K
+4.8% in a year
Household income
$50K
median
Median age
46.6
years
Jobs based here
504
A commuter town
Is St. Charles a good place to live?
St. Charles’ best subject grades are a B+ for walkability and cost of living; its weakest is a C− for incomes. Only 110 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns score lower on hazard risk. The biggest place to walk is Coal Miners' Park, 37 acres with 1 miles of trail. St. Charles has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
WeakestC−Jobs & income
What makes St. Charles stand out
Where St. Charles beats most towns.
WalkabilityB+
More walkable than 72% of U.S. towns
3.8% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Typical home value
St. Charles$205K
Michigan$264K
Cost of livingB+
3.4 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 72% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
A commuter town
91% of working residents leave St. Charles for work
Where St. Charles’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
504jobs based in St. Charles
9%of working residents work in town
17 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2021
How St. Charles grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far St. Charles is from typical.
St.
Jobs & income504 jobs based hereC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.7 of 20; 9.1% of households have no carB+Open →Cost of livingB+Open →HealthHealthsource Saginaw 12.4 miles awayC+Open →SchoolsBeat 61% of Michigan districts on tests and graduationBOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC+Open →SafetyB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 2% conserved landBOpen →History1 notable person born hereC+Open →Civic life3.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB+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 46.6; 18% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to St. Charles: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in St. Charles, and how to reach them.
PowerConsumers Energy20.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterVillage of St. Charles water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers97% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have St. Charles’ 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 hereSt Charles Township ClerkSt. Charles Township; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code4865548655 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 St. Charles.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
Most of St. Charles’ workers commute out: the town has 0.7 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave St. 15% of St. Charles residents live below the poverty line, where Michigan’s towns sit at 8.9% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. St. Charles’ median household income is $50,000.
9%work in town
| St. Charles | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 15% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $50,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 9.4% | 5.9% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In St. Charles9%
Saginaw11%
St. Charles Township10%
Saginaw Township8%
Chesaning Township7%
17 mi
median commute distance
504
jobs based in St. Charles
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 72% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade B+
St. Charles stands out in Michigan and nationally, with the median rent lower than most
At $460 a month, St. Charles’ median rent is below both the Michigan town median ($1,046 a month) and the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). Typical home values rose 4.8% in the year to September 2026. The typical St.
$205KZillow home value
| St. Charles | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $460 a month | $1,046 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 69% | 84% | 73% |
Typical home value
St. Charles$205K
Michigan$264K
+4.8%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
St. Charles has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Charles has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 16° and about 41 inches of snow falls in a winter.
41″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter18–33°
Spring36–57°
Summer58–81°
Fall41–60°
Oct 21
typical first frost
Apr 29
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthC+
On CDC estimates, St. Charles is less healthy than 65% of U.S. towns
29% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in St. Charles. Charles beats the Michigan average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 16% of adults report frequent physical distress in St. Charles.
35%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| St. Charles | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 27% | 23% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 17% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 25% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
0 better31 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | St. Charles | MI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.1% | 8.9% |
Healthsource Saginaw
12.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SafetyB−
St. Charles is safer than 54% of U.S. towns, by crime per resident
The violent crime rate in St. Charles is 3.6 per 1,000 residents.
54%of U.S. towns report more crimeB−Safety Grade
| St. Charles | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3.6 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 7.8 per 1,000 residents | 7.9 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
St. Charles3.6
Michigan4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
St. Charles7.8
Michigan13
U.S.15.5
54th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
7
violent crimes reported in 2025
15
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in St. Charles
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 54% of U.S. communities. Since 1986, 17 flood insurance claims have been paid out in St. Charles.
54risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
17
paid flood claims since 1986
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
2.4%conserved
| St. Charles | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 2.4% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.5 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
2.4%
conserved · 33 of 1,380 acres
1.1 mi
of trails · 0.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Coal Miners' Park | 1 mi | 37 |
| 2. Waterfowl Park | — | 4 |
| 3. Lumberjack Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about St. Charles
20pages on St. Charles
The big questions
SchoolsBBeat 61% of MI districtsSafetyB−3.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC+Better than MI on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB+$205K typical home · up 4.8% in a yearWork & commuteC−$50K median household income · 504 jobs hereNatural hazardsC+FEMA risk higher than 54% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of St. Charles; the nearest are
Saginaw Valley State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · University Center17.9 mi$12,930 in-state tuitionDelta CollegeCommunity college · Public · University Center20.3 mi$4,820 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 St. Charles residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
About St. Charles
Village in Michigan, United States
St. Charles is a village in Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The village is located in the northwest corner of St. Charles Township with portions of the village located within Brant and Swan Creek townships. As of the 2020 census, St. Charles had a population of 1,992.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 597 ft
- ZIP code
- 48655
St. Charles’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with St. Charles.
St. Charles TownshipBrant TownshipSwan Creek TownshipSt. Charles
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Charles | — | — | B+ | B− | B | C+ |
| St. Charles Township | #341 | B | A− | — | B | C+ |
| Brant Township | — | — | B+ | — | B | C |
| Swan Creek Township | — | — | C+ | — | A− | C+ |
St. Charles, Brant Township and Swan Creek Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. St. Charles Township, Brant Township and Swan Creek Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare St. Charles with a neighbor →
Questions about St. Charles
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is St. Charles, 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 B+.