The Town FilesOrleans, Michigan
Township in Ionia County · population 2,664 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $175,700
- Household income
- $62,978
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 54 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 44.8
Orleans is a township of 2,664 people in Ionia County, Michigan. The median home is worth $175,700, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks easier by car than 95% of Michigan towns, better for first-time buyers than 85% of Michigan towns, quieter than 77% of Michigan towns.
How Orleans 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 Orleans is worth $175,700, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $62,978, which is more affordable than 55% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $821 a month. 74.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Orleans | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $175,700 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $821 | $955 |
| Median household income | $62,978 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 74.8% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 7.8% | — |
Who lives in Orleans
| People | Orleans | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.8 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.9% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.8% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.0% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 11.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.0% | — |
| Work from home | 3.5% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 28.0 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.2% | 88.8% |
Weather in Orleans
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 15.6°F. About 35.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 54.2 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 148 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Orleans 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 3.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 30, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 8 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 11, 1968.
Severe weather in Ionia County since 1996
Ionia County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 |
| June 18, 2013 | Flood | DR-4121: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Ionia County
Ionia County had 18,530 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,605 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Orleans itself the ACS puts it at 1.3%.
Towns near Orleans
- Belding, MI5.2 mi · 5,938 people · home $163,800
- Easton, MI5.8 mi · 3,058 people · home $192,000
- Ionia, MI7.5 mi · 13,378 people · home $164,800
- Eureka, MI8.3 mi · 4,211 people · home $236,200
- Ionia, MI8.5 mi · 3,961 people · home $158,600
- Greenville, MI9.3 mi · 8,816 people · home $184,200
- Grattan, MI11.5 mi · 3,809 people · home $355,800
- Sidney, MI11.7 mi · 2,538 people · home $188,300
Orleans questions
Is Orleans, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Orleans scores better for retirees than 36% of Michigan towns and quieter than 77%. 19.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.8).
How much does a house cost in Orleans?
The median owner-occupied home in Orleans is valued at $175,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,978, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $821 a month.
What is the weather like in Orleans?
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 15.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.9 inches of precipitation a year and 54.2 inches of snow.
Does Orleans get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Orleans since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 23, 1968. 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)