The Town Files

Sullivan, Michigan

Township in Muskegon County · population 2,541 (2020 Census)

Map: where Sullivan is in MichiganSullivan
Median home
$215,700
Household income
$65,156
Jan low / Jul high
21° / 82°
Snow a year
87 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
9
Median age
45.8

Sullivan is a township of 2,541 people in Muskegon County, Michigan. The median home is worth $215,700, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks easier by car than 96% of Michigan towns, more of a college town than 80% of Michigan towns, better for families than 77% of Michigan towns.

Sullivan in our rankings:

How Sullivan 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.

Sullivan lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement20th pctFamilies77th pctQuiet36th pctWalkability45th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals28th pctVibrancy65th pctHip & trendy56th pctCollege town80th pctUpscale42nd pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving96th 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 Sullivan is worth $215,700, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $65,156, which is more affordable than 26% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,575 a month. 95.6% of households own their home.

Sullivan vs Muskegon County vs typical Michigan townSullivanMuskegon CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$215,700$198,300$193,900Household income$65,156$65,024$69,792Monthly rent$1,575$1,028$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingSullivanTypical Michigan town
Median home value$215,700$193,900
Median rent$1,575$955
Median household income$65,156$69,792
Home value ÷ income3.3×2.8×
Homeownership95.6%86.8%
Median year built19681975
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Sullivan

PeopleSullivanTypical Michigan town
Median age45.843.7
Age 65 and over20.4%20.7%
Under 1822.1%—
Bachelor's degree or higher16.0%21.5%
Below the poverty line8.0%10.4%
Veterans6.6%—
Born outside the U.S.1.1%—
Work from home2.9%9.1%
Average commute25.0 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband87.2%88.8%

Weather in Sullivan

July highs average 81.6°F and January lows 20.7°F. About 35.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 87.2 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 130 nights at or below freezing.

Sullivan monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing33°21°Jan35°21°Feb44°27°Mar57°37°Apr68°48°May78°57°Jun82°62°Jul80°61°Aug73°54°Sep61°43°Oct48°34°Nov37°26°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.429.12.120.02.47.53.51.83.43.02.83.13.33.82.96.52.422.3
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Muskegon Co Ap station (7.8 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sullivan since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 12, 1966 about 9.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 11, 2001.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Sullivan by decade11950s31960s11970s01980s21990s22000s02010s02020s
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 21 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on May 13, 1956.

Severe weather in Muskegon County since 1996

Storm events in Muskegon County since 1996 by typeHail49Flood5Tornado3Blizzard8High Wind19Ice Storm3Heavy Snow36Flash Flood9
NOAA Storm Events Database, Muskegon County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 1 deaths recorded.

Muskegon County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
June 30, 2026FloodDR-4925: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
June 18, 2013FloodDR-4121: Flooding
September 7, 2005HurricaneEM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

Jobs and pay in Muskegon County

Muskegon County had 63,475 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,204 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Sullivan itself the ACS puts it at 4.6%.

Largest industries in Muskegon CountyManufacturing13,093 jobs · $73,625Retail11,104 jobs · $34,215Health care & social assistan…10,424 jobs · $57,635Hotels & restaurants6,838 jobs · $22,338Construction2,424 jobs · $77,963Professional & technical serv…1,848 jobs · $61,559
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Muskegon County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%16%2000200420082012201620202023Muskegon 4.4%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Sullivan

Sullivan questions

Is Sullivan, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sullivan scores better for retirees than 20% of Michigan towns and quieter than 36%. 20.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.8).

How much does a house cost in Sullivan?

The median owner-occupied home in Sullivan is valued at $215,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,156, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $1,575 a month.

What is the weather like in Sullivan?

July highs average 81.6°F and January lows 20.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.1 inches of precipitation a year and 87.2 inches of snow.

Does Sullivan get tornadoes?

9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sullivan since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 12, 1966. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Sullivan's Census boundary (GEOID 2612177100). 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 2026-11-12.