MIMap-doton-Wellston, 2005
Wellston’s story
134 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2005 and 3 maps from 1933 on.
- 1892Wellston is settled
WellstonMI
The town was settled in 1892 and has 353 residents today.
Population
353
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$173K
+8.9% in a year
Household income
$53K
median
Median age
34.6
years
Jobs based here
23
A commuter town
Settled
1892
134 years ago
Is Wellston a good place to live?
Wellston’s average trip to work is 16 minutes, against 25 minutes in Michigan’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Of the 702 Michigan towns we compare, none has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Wellston. The biggest park or preserve is Crystal Lake Township Park, at 23 acres. Wellston has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
353 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Wellston.
Housing
Homes in Wellston are worth about $173K, by Zillow’s estimate
$173KZillow home value
89% of Wellston households live in a home they own. Values rose 8.9% in the 12 months to September 2026. For Wellston, the going rate for rent is $769 a month.
| Wellston | Typical Michigan town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 89% | 84% | 73% |
| Median rent | $769 a month | $1,046 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Wellston$173K
Michigan$264K
+8.9%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
Top of a low hazard risk in Wellston: inland flooding
21risk score of 100
Of the losses FEMA expects in Wellston, 68% come from inland flooding and 12% from cold waves. Compared with 79% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage locally is lower.
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesLightning
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
Most of Wellston’s workers head elsewhere: there are 0.3 jobs for each of them
2%work in town
Most people who work leave Wellston to do it: just 2% work in town. The middle household income locally is $53,000. The top destinations are Norman Township (13%), Manistee Township (10%) and Manistee (5%). Half the trips to work are shorter than 27 miles.
| Wellston | Typical Michigan town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $53,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.3% | 5.9% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.4% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Wellston2%
Norman Township13%
Manistee Township10%
Manistee5%
Cadillac3%
27 mi
median commute distance
23
jobs based in Wellston
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Climate
Wellston: snowy winters and pleasant summers
93″snow a winter
The peak summer temperature for Wellston is 81°F.
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–31°
Spring32–55°
Summer55–79°
Fall39–58°
Sep 25
typical first frost
May 28
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Wellston is
Among adults in Wellston, 15% binge drink. In Wellston, 21% of adults smoke cigarettes, and 15% have diabetes.
| Wellston | Typical Michigan town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 14% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 15% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 12% | 12% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 25% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
0 better21 too close to call11 worse
| What stands out | Wellston | MI |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 18.8% | 10.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 12.7% | 8.1% |
| More smokers | 20.7% | 14.6% |
Munson Healthcare Manistee Hospital
15.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
Protected land: 6.8% of Wellston
6.8%conserved
Trails run 0.3 miles in 2 parks and preserves. Between them, the parks and preserves give Wellston 61 acres of open land.
| Wellston | Typical Michigan town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 6.8% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
6.8%
conserved · 44 of 645 acres
0.3 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Manistee National Forest - Manistee Ranger District | — | 38 |
| 2. Crystal Lake Township Park | — | 23 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Wellston
16pages on Wellston
The big questions
Out and about
Getting set up
Moving to Wellston: who provides what
Wellston is unincorporated, so Manistee County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerConsumers Energy20.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet2 providers7% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesManistee CountyManistee County provides services here
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 hereNorman Township ClerkNorman Township; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code4968949689 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.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Wellston for work
Where Wellston’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
23jobs based in Wellston
2%of working residents work in town
27 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2021
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Wellston; the nearest are
West Shore Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Scottville23.5 mi$4,470 in-state tuitionFerris State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Big Rapids44.2 mi$14,778 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Wellston residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
About Wellston
Census-designated place & unincorporated community in Michigan, United States
Wellston is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Norman Township, Manistee County, Michigan, United States. Its population was 254 as of the 2020 census, down from 311 in 2010. The community is in the Manistee National Forest just south of M-55, about 21 miles (34 km) east of Manistee and about 29 miles (47 km) west of Cadillac. Wellston has a post office with ZIP code 49689.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 774 ft
- ZIP code
- 49689
Questions about Wellston
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Wellston, MI a good place to live?
Wellston has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Wellston is in here
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