The Town FilesEnsley, Michigan
Township in Newaygo County · population 2,603 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $247,700
- Household income
- $75,954
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 57 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 44.1
Ensley is a township of 2,603 people in Newaygo County, Michigan. The median home is worth $247,700, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for a vacation home than 83% of Michigan towns, easier by car than 76% of Michigan towns, better for families than 72% of Michigan towns.
How Ensley 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 Ensley is worth $247,700, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $75,954, which is more affordable than 26% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $663 a month. 95.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ensley | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $247,700 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $663 | $955 |
| Median household income | $75,954 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 95.9% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 10.3% | — |
Who lives in Ensley
| People | Ensley | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.1 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.8% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.6% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.8% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 4.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.2% | — |
| Work from home | 11.4% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 30.8 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.7% | 88.8% |
Weather in Ensley
July highs average 83.3°F and January lows 13.7°F. About 38.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 56.6 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 168 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ensley since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 17, 1975 about 9.8 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 1 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 30, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on September 21, 2022.
Severe weather in Newaygo County since 1996
Newaygo County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 |
| June 18, 2013 | Flood | DR-4121: Flooding |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Newaygo County
Newaygo County had 11,901 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,371 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Ensley itself the ACS puts it at 0.8%.
Towns near Ensley
- Solon, MI5.2 mi · 6,496 people · home $256,900
- Grant, MI6.1 mi · 3,298 people · home $221,100
- Croton, MI6.3 mi · 3,368 people · home $216,700
- Pierson, MI6.9 mi · 3,363 people · home $243,700
- Tyrone, MI7.3 mi · 5,021 people · home $238,400
- Brooks, MI7.7 mi · 3,705 people · home $244,100
- Reynolds, MI8.2 mi · 5,431 people · home $181,200
- Cedar Springs, MI8.5 mi · 3,627 people · home $214,000
Ensley questions
Is Ensley, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ensley scores better for retirees than 19% of Michigan towns and quieter than 56%. 20.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.1).
How much does a house cost in Ensley?
The median owner-occupied home in Ensley is valued at $247,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,954, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $663 a month.
What is the weather like in Ensley?
July highs average 83.3°F and January lows 13.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.5 inches of precipitation a year and 56.6 inches of snow.
Does Ensley get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ensley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 17, 1975. 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)