The Town Files

Ishpeming, Michigan

Township in Marquette County · population 3,392 (2020 Census)

Map: where Ishpeming is in MichiganIshpeming
Median home
$206,400
Household income
$94,271
Jan low / Jul high
6° / 78°
Snow a year
150 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
1
Median age
41.7

Ishpeming is a township of 3,392 people in Marquette County, Michigan. The median home is worth $206,400, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks more of a college town than 97% of Michigan towns, more upscale than 81% of Michigan towns, more walkable than 79% of Michigan towns.

Ishpeming in our rankings:

How Ishpeming 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.

Ishpeming lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement73rd pctFamilies64th pctQuiet19th pctWalkability79th pctFirst-time buyers47th pctYoung professionals66th pctVibrancy57th pctHip & trendy55th pctCollege town97th pctUpscale81st pctVacation homes58th pctSeaside characterbottomCycling61st pctTransit77th pctDriving53rd 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 Ishpeming is worth $206,400, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $94,271, which is more affordable than 89% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $797 a month. 90.8% of households own their home.

Ishpeming vs Marquette County vs typical Michigan townIshpemingMarquette CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$206,400$216,500$193,900Household income$94,271$65,429$69,792Monthly rent$797$949$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingIshpemingTypical Michigan town
Median home value$206,400$193,900
Median rent$797$955
Median household income$94,271$69,792
Home value ÷ income2.2×2.8×
Homeownership90.8%86.8%
Median year built19731975
Seasonal / vacation homes13.7%—

Who lives in Ishpeming

PeopleIshpemingTypical Michigan town
Median age41.743.7
Age 65 and over19.1%20.7%
Under 1820.3%—
Bachelor's degree or higher34.4%21.5%
Below the poverty line4.3%10.4%
Veterans9.5%—
Born outside the U.S.2.8%—
Work from home6.8%9.1%
Average commute21.3 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband93.9%88.8%

Weather in Ishpeming

July highs average 77.6°F and January lows 6.1°F. About 30.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 150.2 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 191 nights at or below freezing.

Ishpeming monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing22°6°Jan25°6°Feb36°12°Mar47°25°Apr62°38°May72°49°Jun78°53°Jul76°51°Aug68°44°Sep53°33°Oct38°23°Nov27°12°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue1.633.31.329.61.220.02.414.63.01.03.13.92.43.63.63.32.218.72.029.7
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Ishpeming Wwtp station (9.4 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Ishpeming since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on August 11, 2011 about 3.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 11, 2011.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Ishpeming by decade01950s01960s01970s01980s01990s02000s12010s02020s
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 25 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 9, 2022.

Severe weather in Marquette County since 1996

Storm events in Marquette County since 1996 by typeHail205Flood20Blizzard19High Wind36Heavy Rain20Heavy Snow47Flash Flood17Winter Storm112
NOAA Storm Events Database, Marquette County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 17 deaths recorded.

Marquette County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
June 30, 2026FloodDR-4925: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
June 18, 2013FloodDR-4121: Flooding
September 7, 2005HurricaneEM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

Jobs and pay in Marquette County

Marquette County had 26,385 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,658 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in Ishpeming itself the ACS puts it at 7%.

Largest industries in Marquette CountyHealth care & social assistan…4,928 jobs · $59,756Retail3,613 jobs · $34,013Hotels & restaurants3,108 jobs · $22,902Construction1,461 jobs · $61,653Mining, oil & gas1,185 jobs · $115,681Manufacturing1,185 jobs · $59,701
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Marquette County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Marquette 4.6%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Ishpeming

Ishpeming questions

Is Ishpeming, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ishpeming scores better for retirees than 73% of Michigan towns and quieter than 19%. 19.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.7).

How much does a house cost in Ishpeming?

The median owner-occupied home in Ishpeming is valued at $206,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $94,271, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $797 a month.

What is the weather like in Ishpeming?

July highs average 77.6°F and January lows 6.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.2 inches of precipitation a year and 150.2 inches of snow.

Does Ishpeming get tornadoes?

1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Ishpeming since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on August 11, 2011. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Ishpeming's Census boundary (GEOID 2610341240). 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.