The Town FilesOrion, Michigan
Charter township in Oakland County · population 38,206 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $369,900
- Household income
- $118,801
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 36 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 41.9
Orion is a charter township of 38,206 people in Oakland County, Michigan. The median home is worth $369,900, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks more upscale than 96% of Michigan towns, better for young professionals than 93% of Michigan towns, more vibrant than 87% of Michigan towns.
How Orion 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 Orion is worth $369,900, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $118,801, which is more affordable than 37% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,327 a month. 82.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Orion | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $369,900 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $1,327 | $955 |
| Median household income | $118,801 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 82.5% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.0% | — |
Who lives in Orion
| People | Orion | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.9 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.7% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 54.1% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.6% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 4.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.1% | — |
| Work from home | 20.5% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 25.7 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.8% | 88.8% |
Weather in Orion
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 17.1°F. About 33.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 36.0 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 135 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Orion since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 10, 1986 about 9.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 21, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 25, 2009.
Severe weather in Oakland County since 1996
Oakland County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 8, 2024 | Flood | DR-4757: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 15, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4607: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3455: Covid-19 |
| September 25, 2014 | Flood | DR-4195: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Oakland County
Oakland County had 723,862 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $77,917 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Orion itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.
Towns near Orion
- Lake Orion, MI2.1 mi · 2,876 people · home $376,600
- Oxford, MI4.5 mi · 3,492 people · home $347,800
- Oakland, MI5.5 mi · 20,067 people · home $588,900
- Auburn Hills, MI5.8 mi · 24,360 people · home $245,000
- Oxford, MI6.3 mi · 22,419 people · home $369,700
- Independence, MI6.6 mi · 36,686 people · home $381,700
- Pontiac, MI7.5 mi · 61,606 people · home $121,700
- Addison, MI8.0 mi · 6,256 people · home $416,700
Orion questions
Is Orion, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Orion scores better for retirees than 64% of Michigan towns and quieter than 16%. 16.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.9).
How much does a house cost in Orion?
The median owner-occupied home in Orion is valued at $369,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $118,801, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $1,327 a month.
What is the weather like in Orion?
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 17.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.9 inches of precipitation a year and 36.0 inches of snow.
Does Orion get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Orion since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 10, 1986. 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)