The Town FilesPleasant Ridge, Michigan
City in Oakland County · population 2,627 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $448,700
- Household income
- $171,125
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 33 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 43.1
Pleasant Ridge is a city of 2,627 people in Oakland County, Michigan. The median home is worth $448,700, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks more walkable than 100% of Michigan towns, hipper than 100% of Michigan towns, more upscale than 100% of Michigan towns.
- #2 in The 25 Most Walkable Historic Small Towns in Michigan
- #3 in 25 Small Towns in Michigan With the Most Remote Workers
- #4 in The 25 Most Walkable Small Towns in Michigan
- #4 in The 25 Most Walkable Small Towns in Michigan With Little Snow
- #5 in The 25 Best Affordable Small Towns for Remote Workers in Michigan
- #5 in The 25 Hippest Small Towns in Michigan
How Pleasant Ridge 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 Pleasant Ridge is worth $448,700, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $171,125, which is more affordable than 68% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,720 a month. 95.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pleasant Ridge | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $448,700 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $1,720 | $955 |
| Median household income | $171,125 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 95.6% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Pleasant Ridge
| People | Pleasant Ridge | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.1 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.2% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 79.3% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.5% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 3.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.7% | — |
| Work from home | 30.9% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 24.7 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.7% | 88.8% |
Weather in Pleasant Ridge
July highs average 83.5°F and January lows 19.8°F. About 29.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 33.0 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 112 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pleasant Ridge since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on July 4, 1957 about 3.3 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 110 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 2, 1997.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 65 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on November 13, 1955.
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 Pleasant Ridge itself the ACS puts it at 5.7%.
Towns near Pleasant Ridge
- Ferndale, MI1.1 mi · 19,190 people · home $247,700
- Huntington Woods, MI1.4 mi · 6,388 people · home $473,900
- Oak Park, MI2.0 mi · 29,560 people · home $212,300
- Hazel Park, MI2.5 mi · 14,983 people · home $158,600
- Royal Oak, MI2.6 mi · 58,211 people · home $328,700
- Berkley, MI2.8 mi · 15,194 people · home $316,700
- Madison Heights, MI3.2 mi · 28,468 people · home $199,100
- Lathrup Village, MI4.5 mi · 4,088 people · home $310,600
Pleasant Ridge questions
Is Pleasant Ridge, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pleasant Ridge scores better for retirees than 58% of Michigan towns and quieter than 18%. 16.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.1).
How much does a house cost in Pleasant Ridge?
The median owner-occupied home in Pleasant Ridge is valued at $448,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $171,125, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $1,720 a month.
What is the weather like in Pleasant Ridge?
July highs average 83.5°F and January lows 19.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.9 inches of precipitation a year and 33.0 inches of snow.
Does Pleasant Ridge get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pleasant Ridge since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on July 4, 1957. 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)