The Town FilesGerrish, Michigan
Township in Roscommon County · population 2,796 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $232,100
- Household income
- $95,813
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 66 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 59.1
Gerrish is a township of 2,796 people in Roscommon County, Michigan. The median home is worth $232,100, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks quieter than 93% of Michigan towns, better for retirees than 89% of Michigan towns, better for a vacation home than 88% of Michigan towns.
- #2 in The 24 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Michigan
- #4 in The 25 Quietest Small Towns in Michigan
- #10 in The 50 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in America
- #10 in The 50 Best Quiet, Affordable Places to Retire in America
- #15 in The 25 Best Affordable Small Towns for Remote Workers in Michigan
How Gerrish 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 Gerrish is worth $232,100, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $95,813, which is more affordable than 80% of Michigan towns. 98.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gerrish | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $232,100 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | — | $955 |
| Median household income | $95,813 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 98.8% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 59.5% | — |
Who lives in Gerrish
| People | Gerrish | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 59.1 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 36.4% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 14.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.8% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.6% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 13.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 10.6% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 17.6 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.1% | 88.8% |
Weather in Gerrish
July highs average 80.5°F and January lows 11.4°F. About 29.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 65.9 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 169 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gerrish since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 10, 1974 about 3.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 9, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 21, 2003.
Severe weather in Roscommon County since 1996
Roscommon County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| 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 |
| January 27, 1978 | Snowstorm | EM-3057: Blizzards & Snowstorms |
Jobs and pay in Roscommon County
Roscommon County had 6,429 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $39,799 a year. Unemployment was 7.2% in 2023; in Gerrish itself the ACS puts it at 2.9%.
Towns near Gerrish
- Houghton Lake, MI12.4 mi · 5,294 people · home $126,200
- Denton, MI13.0 mi · 5,293 people · home $163,200
- Richfield, MI14.0 mi · 3,545 people · home $110,200
- Grayling, MI14.3 mi · 5,642 people · home $163,400
- St. Helen, MI14.9 mi · 2,735 people · home $95,600
- Roscommon, MI17.3 mi · 4,397 people · home $137,700
- Big Creek, MI22.5 mi · 2,604 people · home $111,700
- West Branch, MI27.4 mi · 2,567 people · home $171,600
Gerrish questions
Is Gerrish, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gerrish scores better for retirees than 89% of Michigan towns and quieter than 93%. 36.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 59.1).
How much does a house cost in Gerrish?
The median owner-occupied home in Gerrish is valued at $232,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $95,813, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Gerrish?
July highs average 80.5°F and January lows 11.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.6 inches of precipitation a year and 65.9 inches of snow.
Does Gerrish get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gerrish since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 10, 1974. 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)