The Town FilesSt. Helen, Michigan
Community in Roscommon County · population 2,735 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $95,600
- Household income
- $44,871
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 63 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 52.9
St. Helen is a community of 2,735 people in Roscommon County, Michigan. The median home is worth $95,600, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for cycling than 96% of Michigan towns, better for first-time buyers than 83% of Michigan towns, better for a vacation home than 83% of Michigan towns.
How St. Helen 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 St. Helen is worth $95,600, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $44,871, which is more affordable than 92% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $741 a month. 84.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | St. Helen | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $95,600 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $741 | $955 |
| Median household income | $44,871 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 84.8% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 40.3% | — |
Who lives in St. Helen
| People | St. Helen | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.9 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 31.2% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 17.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.8% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 32.8% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 9.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 5.8% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 29.6 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.4% | 88.8% |
Weather in St. Helen
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 10.4°F. About 33.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 62.7 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 177 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. Helen since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 2, 1997 about 9.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 2, 1997.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on August 2, 2015.
Severe weather in Roscommon County since 1996
Roscommon County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Flood | DR-4925: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3455: Covid-19 |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| January 27, 1978 | Snowstorm | EM-3057: Blizzards & Snowstorms |
Jobs and pay in Roscommon County
Roscommon County had 6,429 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $39,799 a year. Unemployment was 7.2% in 2023; in St. Helen itself the ACS puts it at 10.5%.
Public schools in St. Helen
1 public school with 752 students, about 10.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlton Heston Academy (charter) | PK-12 | 752 | 10.6 |
Towns near St. Helen
- Richfield, MI2.3 mi · 3,545 people · home $110,200
- West Branch, MI12.6 mi · 2,567 people · home $171,600
- Denton, MI13.9 mi · 5,293 people · home $163,200
- Gerrish, MI14.9 mi · 2,796 people · home $232,100
- Houghton Lake, MI17.2 mi · 5,294 people · home $126,200
- Big Creek, MI18.6 mi · 2,604 people · home $111,700
- Roscommon, MI19.0 mi · 4,397 people · home $137,700
- Mills, MI20.3 mi · 3,973 people · home $81,800
St. Helen questions
Is St. Helen, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, St. Helen scores better for retirees than 77% of Michigan towns and quieter than 78%. 31.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.9).
How much does a house cost in St. Helen?
The median owner-occupied home in St. Helen is valued at $95,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $44,871, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $741 a month.
What is the weather like in St. Helen?
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 10.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.6 inches of precipitation a year and 62.7 inches of snow.
Does St. Helen get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. Helen since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 2, 1997. 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)