The Town FilesClare, Michigan
City in Clare County · population 3,254 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $134,600
- Household income
- $41,226
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 49 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 43.9
Clare is a city of 3,254 people in Clare County, Michigan. The median home is worth $134,600, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks hipper than 95% of Michigan towns, better transit than 95% of Michigan towns, more of a college town than 91% of Michigan towns.
How Clare 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 Clare is worth $134,600, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $41,226, which is more affordable than 26% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $822 a month. 59.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Clare | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $134,600 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $822 | $955 |
| Median household income | $41,226 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 59.3% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1966 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 6.3% | — |
Who lives in Clare
| People | Clare | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.9 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.1% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.9% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.9% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 11.5% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 26.7 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.8% | 88.8% |
Weather in Clare
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 15.9°F. About 35.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 48.5 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 146 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clare since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on October 7, 1965 about 3.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 26, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 6 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 27, 2014.
Severe weather in Clare County since 1996
Clare County has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3455: Covid-19 |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| January 10, 2001 | Snowstorm | EM-3160: Snow |
| September 18, 1986 | Flood | DR-774: Severe Storms & Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Clare County
Clare County had 7,261 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,949 a year. Unemployment was 6.3% in 2023; in Clare itself the ACS puts it at 6.7%.
Public schools in Clare
5 public schools with 1,618 students, about 15.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clare Primary School | PK-4 | 579 | 16.5 |
| Clare High School | 9-12 | 482 | 17.9 |
| Clare Middle School | 5-8 | 482 | 16.6 |
| ClareGladwin Area School | PK-12 | 43 | 4.3 |
| Clare Pioneer High School | 9-12 | 32 | 6.4 |
Towns near Clare
- Grant, MI3.0 mi · 3,360 people · home $155,700
- Surrey, MI7.7 mi · 3,635 people · home $121,300
- Hayes, MI15.5 mi · 4,642 people · home $93,700
- Mount Pleasant, MI15.9 mi · 21,688 people · home $173,100
- Sherman, MI16.4 mi · 3,127 people · home $157,400
- Chippewa, MI17.1 mi · 4,446 people · home $156,800
- Deerfield, MI17.4 mi · 3,257 people · home $237,000
- Gladwin, MI17.5 mi · 3,069 people · home $126,900
Clare questions
Is Clare, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Clare scores better for retirees than 61% of Michigan towns and quieter than 9%. 23.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.9).
How much does a house cost in Clare?
The median owner-occupied home in Clare is valued at $134,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $41,226, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $822 a month.
What is the weather like in Clare?
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 15.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.5 inches of precipitation a year and 48.5 inches of snow.
Does Clare get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clare since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on October 7, 1965. 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)