Newago County Courthouse, 2016
White Cloud’s story
149 years in pictures
Census counts: 440 in 1880, 1,479 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1959 on.
- 1877White Cloud is settled
White CloudMI
A town of 1,548, settled in 1877.
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Charles W. Chapman · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,548
2025 Census estimate · +4.9% since 2020
Typical home
$205K
+5.5% in a year
Household income
$45K
median
Median age
39.3
years
Jobs based here
872
A job hub
Is White Cloud a good place to live?
White Cloud’s best subject grades are an A for walkability and the outdoors; its weakest is a D for incomes. On walkability, just 43 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns do better. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 91% of the country. Only 97 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns score lower on incomes. White Cloud’s trail density is 1.3 miles per square mile, against 0.3 in Michigan’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. On the outdoors, just 77 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns do better. The biggest park or preserve is White Cloud County Park, at 60 acres. White Cloud has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes White Cloud stand out
Where White Cloud beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
A job hub
Every workday, about 831 people come to White Cloud for work
Where White Cloud’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
872jobs based in White Cloud
9%of working residents work in town
32 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2021
How White Cloud grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far White Cloud is from typical.
Jobs & income872 jobs based hereDOpen →HealthCorewell Health Gerber Hospital 10.9 miles awayDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.5 of 20; 19.1% of households have no car; 8% of workers walk, bike or ride transitAOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 22% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA−Open →SchoolsCOpen →Cost of livingBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors3 miles of trails; 6% conserved landAOpen →HistoryC+Open →Civic life3.2 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 39.3; 14% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to White Cloud: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in White Cloud, and how to reach them.
PowerDTE20.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWhite Cloud water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers97% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have White Cloud’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 hereWhite Cloud City ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code4934949349 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 White Cloud.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
With 1.8 jobs for every working resident, White Cloud draws in 831 commuters
Most working residents leave White Cloud for work: only 9% work in town. White Cloud’s average trip to work is 33 minutes, where Michigan’s towns sit at 25 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. White Cloud’s median household income is $45,000.
9%work in town
| White Cloud | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 33 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $45,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 15% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 8.6% | 5.9% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In White Cloud9%
Grand Rapids8%
Newaygo8%
Everett Township5%
Big Rapids3%
32 mi
median commute distance
872
jobs based in White Cloud
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 88% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
SchoolsC
Public schools in White Cloud fall behind 66% of Michigan districts
Its public schools are run by the White Cloud Public Schools. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
34%of MI districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Cloud Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 423 | C |
| White Cloud High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 274 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduation
HealthD
White Cloud stands out in Michigan and nationally, with more of its adults who smoke cigarettes
23% of adults smoke cigarettes in White Cloud. White Cloud beats the Michigan average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 18. 31% of adults get no exercise outside work in White Cloud.
9%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| White Cloud | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 15% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 18% | 17% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 14% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 19% | 19% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
1 better13 too close to call18 worse
| What stands out | White Cloud | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 7.6% | 8.9% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 16.8% | 10.2% |
Corewell Health Gerber Hospital
10.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Low risk in White Cloud, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 78% of U.S. communities.
22risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingStrong windCold waves
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade B
White Cloud’s typical home value is about $205K
The typical White Cloud home is worth about $205,000, up 5.5% in a year, 22% below the Michigan typical home. 66% of White Cloud households own their home.
$205KZillow home value
| White Cloud | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 66% | 84% | 73% |
| Median rent | $831 a month | $1,046 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
White Cloud$205K
Michigan$264K
+5.5%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
In White Cloud, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
White Cloud has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in White Cloud is 82°F.
64″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–32°
Spring33–56°
Summer55–80°
Fall38–59°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 17
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsA
White Cloud has set aside 6.3% of its land for conservation
2.5 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves.
6.3%conserved
6.3%
conserved · 79 of 1,267 acres
2.5 mi
of trails · 1.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. White Cloud County Park | 0.7 mi | 60 |
| 2. Smith Park | — | 4 |
| 3. Rotary Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about White Cloud
18pages on White Cloud
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of White Cloud; the nearest are
Ferris State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Big Rapids17.2 mi$14,778 in-state tuitionMuskegon Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Muskegon30 mi$7,250 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 White Cloud residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
About White Cloud
City in Michigan, United States
White Cloud is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, a small town on the bank of the White River. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 1,479. It is the county seat of Newaygo County. Being designated a trail town, the outdoors are a big part of life in White Cloud, with the 4,600 mile North Country Trail stretching nearby, the Mill Pond Park with a beach and playground, and the White Cloud County Park and Campground, being major draws to the area. White Cloud was recognized by the North Country Trail Association as a "Trail Town".
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 876 ft
- ZIP code
- 49349
- Area code
- 231
White Cloud’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with White Cloud.
Wilcox TownshipEverett TownshipWhite Cloud
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Cloud | — | — | B | — | C | D |
| Wilcox Township | — | — | A− | — | C | D |
| Everett Township | — | — | B+ | — | C | D |
White Cloud, Wilcox Township and Everett Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. White Cloud, Wilcox Township and Everett Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare White Cloud with a neighbor →
Questions about White Cloud
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is White Cloud, MI expensive?
That is 3.2 years of the area's median household income ($63,304 across the county). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.