The Town Files

Charlotte, Michigan

City in Eaton County · population 9,299 (2020 Census)

Map: where Charlotte is in MichiganCharlotte
Median home
$153,900
Household income
$62,681
Jan low / Jul high
15° / 82°
Snow a year
38 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
15
Median age
34.4

Charlotte is a city of 9,299 people in Eaton County, Michigan. The median home is worth $153,900, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for cycling than 96% of Michigan towns, more walkable than 90% of Michigan towns, more vibrant than 89% of Michigan towns.

How Charlotte 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.

Charlotte lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement10th pctFamilies10th pctQuiet13th pctWalkability90th pctFirst-time buyers58th pctYoung professionals81st pctVibrancy89th pctHip & trendy76th pctCollege town46th pctUpscale41st pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling96th pctTransit75th pctDriving12th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Charlotte is worth $153,900, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $62,681, which is more affordable than 74% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $887 a month. 67.0% of households own their home.

Charlotte vs Eaton County vs typical Michigan townCharlotteEaton CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$153,900$216,900$193,900Household income$62,681$79,597$69,792Monthly rent$887$1,092$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingCharlotteTypical Michigan town
Median home value$153,900$193,900
Median rent$887$955
Median household income$62,681$69,792
Home value ÷ income2.5×2.8×
Homeownership67.0%86.8%
Median year built19641975
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Charlotte

PeopleCharlotteTypical Michigan town
Median age34.443.7
Age 65 and over15.2%20.7%
Under 1825.0%—
Bachelor's degree or higher18.2%21.5%
Below the poverty line11.1%10.4%
Veterans5.2%—
Born outside the U.S.1.0%—
Work from home12.9%9.1%
Average commute18.7 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband90.2%88.8%

Weather in Charlotte

July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 15.1°F. About 35.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.1 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 149 nights at or below freezing.

Charlotte monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing30°15°Jan33°16°Feb43°24°Mar57°35°Apr68°46°May78°56°Jun82°60°Jul79°58°Aug73°50°Sep60°40°Oct46°30°Nov35°22°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.314.91.74.42.35.83.41.04.03.83.03.63.23.50.32.72.12.29.6
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Charlotte station (1.2 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Charlotte since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 2, 1977 about 4.6 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 54 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 15, 2025.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Charlotte by decade21950s11960s41970s11980s01990s62000s02010s12020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 23, 2004.

Severe weather in Eaton County since 1996

Storm events in Eaton County since 1996 by typeHail50Flood4Tornado10High Wind9Ice Storm5Heavy Snow14Flash Flood8Funnel Cloud3
NOAA Storm Events Database, Eaton County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 1 deaths recorded.

Eaton County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, tornado.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
June 30, 2026FloodDR-4925: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
February 8, 2024FloodDR-4757: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
July 14, 2008Severe StormDR-1777: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding

Jobs and pay in Eaton County

Eaton County had 44,501 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,862 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Charlotte itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.

Largest industries in Eaton CountyManufacturing7,983 jobs · $77,674Retail5,476 jobs · $35,495Finance & insurance4,836 jobs · $82,593Transportation & warehousing3,996 jobs · $50,699Hotels & restaurants3,624 jobs · $23,000Health care & social assistan…2,514 jobs · $56,887
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Eaton County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Eaton 3.6%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Charlotte

10 public schools with 2,454 students, about 18.6 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Charlotte Senior High School8-1266623.0
Charlotte Upper Elementary School4-853023.0
Charlotte Middle School7-836220.1
Parkview Elementary SchoolK-330317.8
Washington Elementary School1-324916.6
Galewood Early Elementary SchoolPK-K20211.2
Eaton RESA Meadowview OffsitePK-125012.5
Charlotte Public Schools Project Success9-123434.0
Eaton RESA Meadowview OnsitePK-12326.4
Eaton County Youth Facility3-122613.0

Towns near Charlotte

Charlotte questions

Is Charlotte, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Charlotte scores better for retirees than 10% of Michigan towns and quieter than 13%. 15.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.4).

How much does a house cost in Charlotte?

The median owner-occupied home in Charlotte is valued at $153,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,681, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $887 a month.

What is the weather like in Charlotte?

July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 15.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.8 inches of precipitation a year and 38.1 inches of snow.

Does Charlotte get tornadoes?

15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Charlotte since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 2, 1977. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Charlotte's Census boundary (GEOID 2614820). Comparisons use the median of Michigan towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.