The Town Files

Lima, Michigan

Township in Washtenaw County · population 4,024 (2020 Census)

Map: where Lima is in MichiganLima
Median home
$404,700
Household income
$119,236
Jan low / Jul high
16° / 82°
Snow a year
33 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
15
Median age
42.1

Lima is a township of 4,024 people in Washtenaw County, Michigan. The median home is worth $404,700, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for families than 100% of Michigan towns, more upscale than 97% of Michigan towns, better for cycling than 89% of Michigan towns.

Lima in our rankings:

How Lima 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.

Lima lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement85th pctFamilies100th pctQuiet43rd pctWalkability58th pctFirst-time buyers83rd pctYoung professionals87th pctVibrancy19th pctHip & trendy78th pctCollege town66th pctUpscale97th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling89th pctTransit84th pctDriving7th 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 Lima is worth $404,700, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $119,236, which is more affordable than 22% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,869 a month. 86.6% of households own their home.

Lima vs Washtenaw County vs typical Michigan townLimaWashtenaw CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$404,700$374,100$193,900Household income$119,236$89,180$69,792Monthly rent$1,869$1,463$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingLimaTypical Michigan town
Median home value$404,700$193,900
Median rent$1,869$955
Median household income$119,236$69,792
Home value ÷ income3.4×2.8×
Homeownership86.6%86.8%
Median year built19921975
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Lima

PeopleLimaTypical Michigan town
Median age42.143.7
Age 65 and over15.7%20.7%
Under 1826.2%—
Bachelor's degree or higher51.0%21.5%
Below the poverty line1.5%10.4%
Veterans3.9%—
Born outside the U.S.3.0%—
Work from home23.2%9.1%
Average commute22.8 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband96.6%88.8%

Weather in Lima

July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 16.4°F. About 34.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 32.9 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 141 nights at or below freezing.

Lima monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing31°16°Jan34°17°Feb44°25°Mar58°37°Apr70°48°May79°57°Jun82°61°Jul80°59°Aug74°51°Sep61°40°Oct47°31°Nov36°23°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.410.92.08.62.24.73.00.93.83.63.53.62.73.12.61.82.16.0
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Chelsea station (4.2 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lima since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on March 15, 2012 about 4.6 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 5 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 15, 2026.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Lima by decade21950s11960s31970s41980s11990s12000s22010s12020s
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 51 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on March 15, 2012.

Severe weather in Washtenaw County since 1996

Storm events in Washtenaw County since 1996 by typeHail224Heat14Flood21Tornado7High Wind39Lightning21Heavy Snow35Flash Flood17
NOAA Storm Events Database, Washtenaw County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 6 deaths recorded.

Washtenaw County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, tornado.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
June 30, 2026FloodDR-4925: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
July 15, 2021Severe StormDR-4607: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
September 7, 2005HurricaneEM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

Jobs and pay in Washtenaw County

Washtenaw County had 217,948 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $74,298 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Lima itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.

Largest industries in Washtenaw CountyHealth care & social assistan…28,273 jobs · $68,948Professional & technical serv…17,908 jobs · $117,607Retail15,024 jobs · $40,670Hotels & restaurants13,791 jobs · $27,829Manufacturing11,602 jobs · $83,431Administrative & support7,195 jobs · $50,748
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Washtenaw County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Washtenaw 3.3%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Lima

Lima questions

Is Lima, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lima scores better for retirees than 85% of Michigan towns and quieter than 43%. 15.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.1).

How much does a house cost in Lima?

The median owner-occupied home in Lima is valued at $404,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $119,236, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $1,869 a month.

What is the weather like in Lima?

July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 16.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.7 inches of precipitation a year and 32.9 inches of snow.

Does Lima get tornadoes?

15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lima since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on March 15, 2012. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Lima's Census boundary (GEOID 2616147460). 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 2026-11-12.