The Town FilesBowne, Michigan
Township in Kent County · population 3,289 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $360,500
- Household income
- $120,859
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 66 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 37.6
Bowne is a township of 3,289 people in Kent County, Michigan. The median home is worth $360,500, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for families than 100% of Michigan towns, more upscale than 92% of Michigan towns, better for young professionals than 73% of Michigan towns.
How Bowne ranks
Percentile among Michigan towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Michigan towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bowne is worth $360,500, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $120,859, which is more affordable than 43% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $3,033 a month. 96.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bowne | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $360,500 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $3,033 | $955 |
| Median household income | $120,859 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 96.8% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bowne
| People | Bowne | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.6 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.9% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 28.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.3% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 0.8% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 6.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 11.6% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 26.2 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.2% | 88.8% |
Weather in Bowne
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 16.6°F. About 39.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 65.9 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 140 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bowne since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 3, 1956 about 1.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 2.25 inches on April 4, 2023.
Severe weather in Kent County since 1996
Kent County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 8, 2024 | Flood | DR-4757: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3455: Covid-19 |
| June 18, 2013 | Flood | DR-4121: Flooding |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Kent County
Kent County had 415,565 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,288 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Bowne itself the ACS puts it at 8.3%.
Public schools in Bowne
1 public school with 404 students, about 17.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alto Elementary School | PK-5 | 404 | 17.6 |
Towns near Bowne
- Lowell, MI5.2 mi · 6,276 people · home $321,600
- Caledonia, MI6.3 mi · 15,811 people · home $382,600
- Irving, MI7.0 mi · 3,734 people · home $365,800
- Cascade, MI7.9 mi · 19,667 people · home $472,500
- Lowell, MI8.0 mi · 4,142 people · home $228,400
- Boston, MI8.0 mi · 6,021 people · home $235,400
- Middleville, MI8.7 mi · 4,295 people · home $226,700
- Thornapple, MI9.4 mi · 9,331 people · home $280,800
Bowne questions
Is Bowne, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bowne scores better for retirees than 29% of Michigan towns and quieter than 39%. 9.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.6).
How much does a house cost in Bowne?
The median owner-occupied home in Bowne is valued at $360,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $120,859, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $3,033 a month.
What is the weather like in Bowne?
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 16.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.2 inches of precipitation a year and 65.9 inches of snow.
Does Bowne get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bowne since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 3, 1956. The typical Michigan town has had 10.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)