The Town FilesCooper, Michigan
Charter township in Kalamazoo County · population 10,418 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $236,900
- Household income
- $82,864
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 80 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 37.4
Cooper is a charter township of 10,418 people in Kalamazoo County, Michigan. The median home is worth $236,900, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks more upscale than 91% of Michigan towns, better for young professionals than 83% of Michigan towns, better for cycling than 80% of Michigan towns.
How Cooper 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 Cooper is worth $236,900, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $82,864, which is more affordable than 48% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,281 a month. 77.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cooper | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $236,900 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $1,281 | $955 |
| Median household income | $82,864 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 77.0% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Cooper
| People | Cooper | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.4 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.6% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.2% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.7% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 6.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.4% | — |
| Work from home | 7.5% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.5% | 88.8% |
Weather in Cooper
July highs average 83.1°F and January lows 18.1°F. About 33.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 80.1 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 129 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cooper 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 7.1 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 5 deaths and 108 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 14, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 26 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 29, 1987.
Severe weather in Kalamazoo County since 1996
Kalamazoo County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Flood | DR-4925: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 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 |
| September 23, 2003 | Other | EM-3189: Power Outage |
Jobs and pay in Kalamazoo County
Kalamazoo County had 120,708 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $65,730 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Cooper itself the ACS puts it at 6.2%.
Towns near Cooper
- Kalamazoo, MI4.8 mi · 22,777 people · home $180,200
- Gun Plain, MI5.3 mi · 6,148 people · home $264,000
- Plainwell, MI5.3 mi · 3,788 people · home $220,500
- Comstock Northwest, MI5.3 mi · 5,562 people · home $261,100
- Alamo, MI5.5 mi · 3,805 people · home $258,500
- Westwood, MI5.7 mi · 9,621 people · home $193,400
- Richland, MI5.7 mi · 8,693 people · home $309,500
- Eastwood, MI5.7 mi · 6,366 people · home $160,600
Cooper questions
Is Cooper, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cooper scores better for retirees than 22% of Michigan towns and quieter than 22%. 15.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.4).
How much does a house cost in Cooper?
The median owner-occupied home in Cooper is valued at $236,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $82,864, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $1,281 a month.
What is the weather like in Cooper?
July highs average 83.1°F and January lows 18.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.2 inches of precipitation a year and 80.1 inches of snow.
Does Cooper get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cooper since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 2, 1977. 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)