The Town FilesLee, Michigan
Township in Midland County · population 3,985 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $166,500
- Household income
- $54,144
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 44 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 44.4
Lee is a township of 3,985 people in Midland County, Michigan. The median home is worth $166,500, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks easier by car than 96% of Michigan towns, quieter than 70% of Michigan towns.
How Lee 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 Lee is worth $166,500, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $54,144, which is more affordable than 37% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $978 a month. 84.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lee | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $166,500 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $978 | $955 |
| Median household income | $54,144 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 84.2% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1990 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Lee
| People | Lee | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.4 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.7% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.8% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 28.1% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 7.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 11.9% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 25.7 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.7% | 88.8% |
Weather in Lee
July highs average 82.1°F and January lows 16.6°F. About 33.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 44.3 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 136 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lee since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. The strongest, an F1, struck on April 15, 1976 about 5.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 24, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 7, 2020.
Severe weather in Midland County since 1996
Midland County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 9, 2020 | Dam/Levee Break | DR-4547: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| May 21, 2020 | Dam/Levee Break | EM-3525: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3455: Covid-19 |
| August 2, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4326: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Midland County
Midland County had 38,288 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $72,021 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Lee itself the ACS puts it at 3.9%.
Towns near Lee
- Homer, MI4.6 mi · 3,993 people · home $190,600
- Jerome, MI5.9 mi · 4,625 people · home $192,000
- Midland, MI9.9 mi · 42,547 people · home $203,900
- Ingersoll, MI11.0 mi · 2,775 people · home $190,000
- Chippewa, MI11.6 mi · 4,446 people · home $156,800
- Wheeler, MI12.1 mi · 2,612 people · home $115,400
- Coe, MI12.9 mi · 3,032 people · home $161,000
- Larkin, MI13.2 mi · 5,331 people · home $382,500
Lee questions
Is Lee, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lee scores better for retirees than 11% of Michigan towns and quieter than 70%. 16.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.4).
How much does a house cost in Lee?
The median owner-occupied home in Lee is valued at $166,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,144, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $978 a month.
What is the weather like in Lee?
July highs average 82.1°F and January lows 16.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.4 inches of precipitation a year and 44.3 inches of snow.
Does Lee get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lee since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on April 15, 1976. 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)