The Town FilesByron Center, Michigan
Community in Kent County · population 7,431 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $384,400
- Household income
- $122,553
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 75 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 26
- Median age
- 41.7
Byron Center is a community of 7,431 people in Kent County, Michigan. The median home is worth $384,400, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for families than 99% of Michigan towns, better transit than 98% of Michigan towns, more upscale than 94% of Michigan towns.
How Byron Center 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 Byron Center is worth $384,400, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $122,553, which is more affordable than 37% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,517 a month. 95.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Byron Center | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $384,400 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $1,517 | $955 |
| Median household income | $122,553 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 95.9% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1998 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Byron Center
| People | Byron Center | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.7 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.5% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 28.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.1% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.3% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 7.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.2% | — |
| Work from home | 15.3% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 20.3 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.3% | 88.8% |
Weather in Byron Center
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 17.0°F. About 39.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 75.0 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 143 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Byron Center since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on April 3, 1956 about 7.6 miles from the town center and killed 14. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 19 deaths and 379 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 15, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 41 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on March 10, 2026.
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 Byron Center itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Public schools in Byron Center
8 public schools with 5,480 students, about 20.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Byron Center High School | 9-12 | 1,363 | 21.6 |
| Cross Creek Charter Academy (charter) | K-8 | 807 | 20.7 |
| Byron Center West Middle School | 6-9 | 694 | 21.0 |
| Robert L Nickels Intermediate School | 3-7 | 681 | 20.0 |
| Countryside Elementary School | K-4 | 617 | 21.3 |
| Brown Elementary School | K-4 | 600 | 20.7 |
| Marshall Elementary School | PK-4 | 528 | 18.9 |
| Byron Center Charter School (charter) | K-12 | 190 | 10.6 |
Towns near Byron Center
- Byron, MI0.2 mi · 26,927 people · home $339,700
- Cutlerville, MI3.4 mi · 17,849 people · home $222,600
- Jamestown, MI5.6 mi · 9,630 people · home $445,400
- Wyoming, MI5.7 mi · 76,501 people · home $225,200
- Dorr, MI5.7 mi · 3,520 people · home $277,600
- Dorr, MI5.9 mi · 7,922 people · home $290,100
- Gaines, MI6.2 mi · 28,812 people · home $325,200
- Grandville, MI6.4 mi · 16,083 people · home $271,300
Byron Center questions
Is Byron Center, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Byron Center scores better for retirees than 64% of Michigan towns and quieter than 25%. 19.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.7).
How much does a house cost in Byron Center?
The median owner-occupied home in Byron Center is valued at $384,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $122,553, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $1,517 a month.
What is the weather like in Byron Center?
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 17.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.6 inches of precipitation a year and 75.0 inches of snow.
Does Byron Center get tornadoes?
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Byron Center since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 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)