Monguagon Township, 1893
Trenton’s story
179 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,103 in 1880, 18,544 in 2020. The archive holds 30 old photos and papers going back to 1893 and 8 maps from 1906 on.
- 1847Trenton is settled
Population
17,849
2025 Census estimate · −3.7% since 2020
Typical home
$243K
+3.1% in a year
Household income
$82K
median
Median age
48.2
years
Jobs based here
4,403
A commuter town
TownGrade
A+
#11 of 697 in MI
Is Trenton a good place to live?
Trenton is one of the best-graded places in America: an A+, ranked 11th of 697 in Michigan. It reports less crime per resident than 84% of U.S. towns, its schools rank ahead of 83% of Michigan towns, and the median household earns $82K. Its lowest mark, a B, is in cost of living. Only 71 of Michigan’s 1,265 towns score lower on civic life. Trenton’s median age is 48.2 years, above both Michigan’s towns (42.5 years) and U.S. towns (40.5 years). On the outdoors, just 91 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns do better.
What makes Trenton stand out
Where Trenton beats most towns.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Trenton0.6
Michigan4.3
U.S.3.3
SafetyA−
86% less violent crime than MI
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
Trenton Public Schools
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Jesse L Anderson Elementary School | PK–5 | 617 |
| Richard C Hedke Elem School | PK–5 | 541 |
| St. Joseph Elementary School | PK–8 | 223 |
SchoolsA−
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
Get outside
6 miles of trails in Trenton
8.9% of the town is conserved land, across 22 parks and preserves.
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
How Trenton grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Trenton is from typical.
SafetyA−Open →SchoolsA−Open →Jobs & incomeA−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listA−Open →HealthCorewell Health Trenton Hospital 1.9 miles awayB+Open →Cost of livingBOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.1 of 20; 5.4% of households have no car; 1.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors6 miles of trails; 9% conserved landAOpen →History17 notable people born hereC+Open →Civic life2.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 69 attractions →Michigan Stadium and 57 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Trenton. Close and well known come first.
Big draw30 mi Stadium & arenaMichigan Stadium
Big draw16 mi Stadium & arenaFord Field
16 mi Stadium & arenaComerica Park
12 mi MuseumThe Henry Ford1.8M visitors a year
16 mi TheatreFox Theatre
34 mi LakeLake Saint ClairSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Michigan Stadium: Lectrician2, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ford Field: Unknown, CC BY 2.5 · Comerica Park: City of Detroit, Public domain · The Henry Ford: Alvintrusty, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fox Theatre: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lake Saint Clair: Copernicus Sentinel-2, ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 igo
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Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Trenton: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Trenton, and how to reach them.
PowerDTE20.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTrenton water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressTown pickup · day by addressTown site
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 hereTrenton City ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Oct 2021
ZIP code4818348183 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 Trenton.
Trenton pairs an A+ overall with homes cheaper than the Michigan norm, pairs an A− for schools with modest home prices and sees little violent crime.
OutdoorsA
Conservation land takes up 8.9% of Trenton
The trail network density for Trenton comes to 0.8 miles per square mile. Across 22 parks and preserves: 6.3 miles of trail. Elizabeth Park, at 163 acres with 2.8 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
#179for trails in MI
| Trenton | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.8 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 8.9% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
8.9%
conserved · 427 of 4,806 acres
6.3 mi
of trails · 0.8 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Elizabeth Park | 2.8 mi | 163 |
| 2. Humbug Marsh | 0.8 mi | 48 |
| 3. Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge Gateway | 0.5 mi | 46 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsA−
Trenton’s grade for schools is an A−
That grade comes with a B for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $243K.
Two of its 5 schools are below, each with the reason it’s listed. The largest public high school is Trenton High School, with 846 students. The Trenton Public Schools runs its public schools.
83%of MI districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jesse L Anderson Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 617 | A− |
| Trenton High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 846 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduation
SafetyA−
Trenton’s grade for safety is an A−
Violent crime is rare: 11 reported in 2025, 0.6 per 1,000 residents.
For Trenton, the rate of thefts and burglaries is 4.6 per 1,000 residents. The level of violent crime here is 0.6 per 1,000 residents.
84%of U.S. towns report more crimeA−Safety Grade
| Trenton | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.6 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 4.6 per 1,000 residents | 8 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Trenton0.6
Michigan4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Trenton4.6
Michigan13
U.S.15.5
84th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
87th
percentile among MI towns
11
violent crimes reported in 2025
82
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
With 0.5 jobs for every working resident, most of Trenton’s workers commute out
Jobs based here grew from 3,195 in 2011 to 4,403.
The share of residents in Trenton who live below the poverty line: 5.5%. For most workers, Trenton is a place to come home to: only 7% work in town. Between 2011 and 2021, jobs in the town rose by 1,208, to 4,403. Half the trips to work are shorter than 15 miles.
7%work in town
| Trenton | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 5.5% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 13% | 10% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Trenton7%
Detroit12%
Dearborn8%
Wyandotte4%
Taylor4%
15 mi
median commute distance
4,403
jobs based in Trenton
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 57% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Natural hazards: low risk in Trenton, mostly inland flooding
Households here have drawn federal disaster aid in 5 declared disasters, most recently in 2023. For Trenton, the FEMA risk score is 22 of 100. FEMA puts 64% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 13% to cold waves.
22risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
22
paid flood claims since 1979
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthB+
Residents of Trenton are healthier than 71% of U.S. towns
5.3% of Trenton adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance. CDC measures, 32 in all: Trenton beats Michigan on 12 and trails on 2. Among adults in the town, 29% feel lonely and 25% have been diagnosed with depression.
71%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Trenton | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 37% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 32% | 33% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 27% | 23% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 15% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
12 better18 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Trenton | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 10.7% | 15.4% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 6.3% | 8.7% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.8% | 8.9% |
Corewell Health Trenton Hospital
1.9 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
74th
percentile among MI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Who lives here
Fewer adults under 35 in Trenton than across Michigan
Nearly a quarter of residents are 65 or older in Trenton. This Michigan town has lost 3.7% of its people since 2020, down to 17,849 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. Here, 28% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree, against 32% in Michigan as a whole.
48.2median age · MI 40.2
| Trenton | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 24% | 19% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 20% | 21% | 22% |
TrentonMichiganUnited States
Ages · share of residents
15%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma4%
High school32%
Some college27%
Associate’s10%
Bachelor’s16%
Graduate11%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±2.1 points. Across Michigan, 50.4% of residents are women. Among residents 45 to 54, 58% are men (MI 50%).
| Trenton | MI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 8.7% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 11.5% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.2% | 9.2% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 7.5% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.1% | 12.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 14.7% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.4% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.8% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 11.3% | 7.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 3.6% | 7.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 32.1% | 28% | 26% |
| Some college | 26.6% | 21.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10.3% | 9.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 16.3% | 19.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 11.2% | 12.7% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Climate
Expect snowy winters and pleasant summers in Trenton
The range runs from 20° on a January night to 83° on a July afternoon, with about 54 inches of snow a winter.
54″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter23–35°
Spring39–57°
Summer63–81°
Fall46–61°
Oct 27
typical first frost
Apr 20
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade B
A typical Trenton home is worth about $243K
Trenton grades A+ overall with a typical home of about $243K, below the Michigan typical value; only 13 of the 103 Michigan towns graded A− or better can say that.
In Trenton, 38% of renter households spend 30% or more of their income on rent. Over the 12 months to September 2026, the typical home gained 3.1% in value. Its rent at the middle of the market is $880 a month.
$243KZillow home value
| Trenton | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 38% | 45% | 48% |
| Median rent | $880 a month | $1,047 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Trenton$243K
Michigan$264K
Market temperature
12
days on market
102.2%
sale-to-list price
+3.1%
value change, 1 year
19
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Trenton
20pages on Trenton
The big questions
SchoolsA−Beat 83% of MI districts · 5 schoolsSafetyA−0.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthB+Better than MI on 12 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB$243K typical home · up 3.1% in a yearWork & commuteA−$82K median household income · 4,403 jobs hereNatural hazardsA−FEMA risk higher than 22% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Trenton
University of Michigan-DearbornUniversity or college · Public · Dearborn12.4 mi$15,640 in-state tuitionHenry Ford CollegeCommunity college · Public · Dearborn12.9 mi$3,568 in-state tuitionWayne County Community College DistrictCommunity college · Public · Detroit14.7 mi$3,112 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Trenton residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Michigan.
A commuter town
93% of working residents leave Trenton for work
Where Trenton’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
4,403jobs based in Trenton
7%of working residents work in town
15 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2021
Famous people from Trenton
17 notable people were born in Trenton.
S
Steve AveryAmerican professional baseball player, pitcher · born 1970L
Larry DePalmaAmerican ice hockey player · born 1965M
Michael MortonAmerican ultramarathon runner · born 1971G
Griffen MolinoAmerican ice hockey player · born 1994About Trenton
City in Michigan, United States
Trenton is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. A Downriver suburb of Detroit, Trenton is located roughly 18 miles (29.0 km) southwest of downtown Detroit. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 18,544. A Shawnee village was built in the area by legendary war chief Blue Jacket after the 1795 Treaty of Greenville. The area later became the site of the Battle of Monguagon between Americans and a British-Indian coalition during the War of 1812. The battle is commemorated with a Michigan State Historical Site marker in present-day Elizabeth Park, which was the first county park in Michigan when it was established in 1919. Portions of the Detroit River International…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1855
- Area
- 7.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 597 ft
- ZIP code
- 48183
Trenton’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with Trenton.
At #11 in MI, it grades higher overall than all 3 graded towns on its borders; Grosse Ile Township (A−) comes closest.
Grosse Ile TownshipWoodhavenRiverviewTrenton
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton | #11 | A+ | B | A− | A− | B+ |
| Grosse Ile Township | #129 | A− | C− | — | A | A |
| Woodhaven | #370 | B− | C+ | — | B+ | B |
| Riverview | #188 | A− | C+ | B− | B+ | B |
Grosse Ile Township and Woodhaven report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Trenton with a neighbor →
Questions about Trenton
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Trenton, MI a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. Trenton grades A+ overall, better than 98% of U.S. towns and #11 of 697 in Michigan. It grades B+ for health, A− for safety and A− for schools.
Is Trenton, MI safe?
Yes, by national standards. Trenton reports less crime per resident than 84% of U.S. towns, an A− Safety Grade: 11 violent and 82 property crimes in 2025.
Is Trenton, MI expensive?
That is 3.2 years of the area's median household income ($76,664 across the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area).
What is Trenton, MI known for?
17 notable people were born here, including Andy Greene and J. J. Putz.