The Town Files

Morton, Michigan

Township in Mecosta County · population 4,426 (2020 Census)

Map: where Morton is in MichiganMorton
Median home
$252,300
Household income
$72,877
Jan low / Jul high
13° / 81°
Snow a year
62 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
9
Median age
58.5

Morton is a township of 4,426 people in Mecosta County, Michigan. The median home is worth $252,300, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for retirees than 96% of Michigan towns, quieter than 92% of Michigan towns, better for a vacation home than 88% of Michigan towns.

Morton in our rankings:

How Morton 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.

Morton lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement96th pctFamilies38th pctQuiet92nd pctWalkability13th pctFirst-time buyers83rd pctYoung professionals12th pctVibrancy34th pctHip & trendy77th pctCollege town34th pctUpscale42nd pctVacation homes88th pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit61st pctDriving22nd 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 Morton is worth $252,300, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $72,877, which is more affordable than 19% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $921 a month. 86.4% of households own their home.

Morton vs Mecosta County vs typical Michigan townMortonMecosta CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$252,300$178,900$193,900Household income$72,877$60,951$69,792Monthly rent$921$934$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingMortonTypical Michigan town
Median home value$252,300$193,900
Median rent$921$955
Median household income$72,877$69,792
Home value ÷ income3.5×2.8×
Homeownership86.4%86.8%
Median year built19851975
Seasonal / vacation homes28.9%—

Who lives in Morton

PeopleMortonTypical Michigan town
Median age58.543.7
Age 65 and over38.3%20.7%
Under 1813.4%—
Bachelor's degree or higher30.7%21.5%
Below the poverty line17.4%10.4%
Veterans9.5%—
Born outside the U.S.5.0%—
Work from home14.5%9.1%
Average commute26.7 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband90.9%88.8%

Weather in Morton

July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 12.7°F. About 37.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 62.3 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 168 nights at or below freezing.

Morton monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing28°13°Jan31°12°Feb42°20°Mar55°31°Apr68°43°May77°53°Jun81°57°Jul79°55°Aug72°47°Sep58°36°Oct44°28°Nov33°19°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.417.72.014.72.67.44.02.03.83.43.54.23.03.80.43.04.82.315.3
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Big Rapids Wtp station (13.4 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 2 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Morton since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 23, 1968 about 0.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 26, 2021.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Morton by decade01950s11960s21970s21980s01990s02000s32010s12020s
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 11 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 4, 2012.

Severe weather in Mecosta County since 1996

Storm events in Mecosta County since 1996 by typeHail31Flood8Tornado4Blizzard2High Wind7Ice Storm5Heavy Snow18Flash Flood7
NOAA Storm Events Database, Mecosta County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996).

Mecosta County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
June 30, 2026FloodDR-4925: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
September 7, 2005HurricaneEM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation
June 30, 2004Severe StormDR-1527: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding

Jobs and pay in Mecosta County

Mecosta County had 12,746 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,193 a year. Unemployment was 5.3% in 2023; in Morton itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.

Largest industries in Mecosta CountyRetail2,362 jobs · $36,178Health care & social assistan…1,597 jobs · $40,526Manufacturing1,226 jobs · $64,573Hotels & restaurants1,094 jobs · $19,790Other services514 jobs · $41,428Administrative & support498 jobs · $37,390
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Mecosta County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%2000200420082012201620202023Mecosta 5.3%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Morton

Morton questions

Is Morton, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Morton scores better for retirees than 96% of Michigan towns and quieter than 92%. 38.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 58.5).

How much does a house cost in Morton?

The median owner-occupied home in Morton is valued at $252,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $72,877, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $921 a month.

What is the weather like in Morton?

July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 12.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.9 inches of precipitation a year and 62.3 inches of snow.

Does Morton get tornadoes?

9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Morton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 23, 1968. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Morton's Census boundary (GEOID 2610755600). 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.