Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,449, platted in 1871. A regional job hub with 1,724 jobs.
The best of Standish’s subject grades are an A− for cost of living, walkability, and civic life; the weakest is a D for incomes. On incomes, just 82 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns do worse. Standish's schools rank ahead of 76% of Michigan towns. Only 118 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns score higher on walkability. Michigan Central Railroad Standish Depot is on the National Register of Historic Places. Standish has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Standish beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Standish is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 246 in 1880, 1,458 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1967 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Standish, 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 Standish.
At $35,000, Standish’s median household income is against $77,000 in Michigan’s towns and $80,000 across U.S. towns. 20% of Standish residents live below the poverty line. Most working residents leave Standish for work: only 16% work in town.
| Standish | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 20% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $35,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 16% | 5.9% | 8% |
| Work from home | 8.6% | 10% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
The typical Standish home is worth about $165,000, up 11.4% in a year, 37% below the Michigan typical home. 56% of Standish households own their home, where Michigan’s towns sit at 84% and U.S. towns at 73%. Standish’s median rent is $689 a month.
| Standish | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 56% | 84% | 73% |
| Median rent | $689 a month | $1,046 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Standish beats the Michigan average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5. 30% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Standish.
| Standish | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 27% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 17% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 14% |
| What stands out | Standish | MI |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 15.1% | 10.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 10.3% | 8.1% |
| More smokers | 18.1% | 14.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 79% of U.S. communities. Since 1996, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Standish.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Standish has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Standish is 82°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
None within 15 miles of Standish; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Standish residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
Where Standish’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2021
City in Michigan, United States
Standish is a city in and the county seat of Arenac County, Michigan. The population was 1,458 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
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−.