The Town Files

Potterville, Michigan

City in Eaton County · population 3,055 (2020 Census)

Map: where Potterville is in MichiganPotterville
Median home
$154,500
Household income
$64,693
Jan low / Jul high
15° / 82°
Snow a year
38 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
22
Median age
32.0

Potterville is a city of 3,055 people in Eaton County, Michigan. The median home is worth $154,500, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for young professionals than 89% of Michigan towns, more vibrant than 75% of Michigan towns, more walkable than 72% of Michigan towns.

How Potterville 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.

Potterville lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement15th pctFamilies7th pctQuiet15th pctWalkability72nd pctFirst-time buyers58th pctYoung professionals89th pctVibrancy75th pctHip & trendy58th pctCollege town31st pctUpscale52nd pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving58th 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 Potterville is worth $154,500, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $64,693, which is more affordable than 80% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,152 a month. 58.9% of households own their home.

Potterville vs Eaton County vs typical Michigan townPottervilleEaton CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$154,500$216,900$193,900Household income$64,693$79,597$69,792Monthly rent$1,152$1,092$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingPottervilleTypical Michigan town
Median home value$154,500$193,900
Median rent$1,152$955
Median household income$64,693$69,792
Home value ÷ income2.4×2.8×
Homeownership58.9%86.8%
Median year built19941975
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Potterville

PeoplePottervilleTypical Michigan town
Median age32.043.7
Age 65 and over10.3%20.7%
Under 1829.3%—
Bachelor's degree or higher19.5%21.5%
Below the poverty line11.4%10.4%
Veterans8.7%—
Born outside the U.S.2.3%—
Work from home7.4%9.1%
Average commute19.7 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband97.7%88.8%

Weather in Potterville

July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 15.1°F. About 35.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.1 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 149 nights at or below freezing.

Potterville monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing30°15°Jan33°16°Feb43°24°Mar57°35°Apr68°46°May78°56°Jun82°60°Jul79°58°Aug73°50°Sep60°40°Oct46°30°Nov35°22°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.314.91.74.42.35.83.41.04.03.83.03.63.23.50.32.72.12.29.6
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Charlotte station (6.8 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Potterville since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 2, 1977 about 7.0 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 55 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 9, 2026.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Potterville by decade31950s31960s61970s21980s11990s52000s02010s22020s
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 25 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 23, 2004.

Severe weather in Eaton County since 1996

Storm events in Eaton County since 1996 by typeHail50Flood4Tornado10High Wind9Ice Storm5Heavy Snow14Flash Flood8Funnel Cloud3
NOAA Storm Events Database, Eaton County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 1 deaths recorded.

Eaton County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, tornado.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
June 30, 2026FloodDR-4925: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
February 8, 2024FloodDR-4757: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
July 14, 2008Severe StormDR-1777: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding

Jobs and pay in Eaton County

Eaton County had 44,501 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,862 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Potterville itself the ACS puts it at 3%.

Largest industries in Eaton CountyManufacturing7,983 jobs · $77,674Retail5,476 jobs · $35,495Finance & insurance4,836 jobs · $82,593Transportation & warehousing3,996 jobs · $50,699Hotels & restaurants3,624 jobs · $23,000Health care & social assistan…2,514 jobs · $56,887
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Eaton County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Eaton 3.6%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Potterville

3 public schools with 705 students, about 16.0 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Potterville Elementary SchoolPK-430818.1
Potterville High School9-1220214.4
Potterville Middle School5-819515.0

Towns near Potterville

Potterville questions

Is Potterville, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Potterville scores better for retirees than 15% of Michigan towns and quieter than 15%. 10.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.0).

How much does a house cost in Potterville?

The median owner-occupied home in Potterville is valued at $154,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $64,693, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $1,152 a month.

What is the weather like in Potterville?

July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 15.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.8 inches of precipitation a year and 38.1 inches of snow.

Does Potterville get tornadoes?

22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Potterville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 2, 1977. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Potterville's Census boundary (GEOID 2666100). 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 2026-11-13.