Bay City

Sunset at Tobico Marsh & Frank N. Andersen Nature Trail
The historic State Theatre building
Bay City is the city seat for Bay County

Bay City, MI Area Guide

Avg Rent

$770

Population

33,042

Renter Mix

34% Rent

Experience the vibrant culture of one Michigan’s most historic communities

Suburb Commuter Lake River Historic Affordable College

Bay City is a historic port city at the mouth of the Saginaw River as it flows into the community’s namesake Saginaw Bay. Spanning both banks of the river, Bay City’s thriving Downtown area is packed with vintage buildings like the beautiful Mayan-revival State Theatre on the east bank and the Sage Library on the west bank, countless specialty shops, restaurants, taverns, and other storefront businesses occupying the historic building on both sides of Veterans Memorial Bridge. The west bank Saginaw Valley State University and Delta College are located nearby, with Delta College operating a planetarium in the heart of Downtown. The local rental market features a huge selection of apartments, condos, and single family homes, with options to suit any lifestyle or budget.

Explore the City

Bay City is the city seat for Bay County

Demographics

Median Household Income

$45,433

Average: $58,049

Education

6,065

Residents Have a Degree

Job Market

15,558

Workers Employed

Age Distribution
Get a sense of this area's population profile.

Median Age

40 Years

Largest Age Group

30-39 Years

Approximately 14% of Residents

Under 20

23%

Over 65

18%

Housing Distribution

Bay City has more homeowners than renters.

Renters
34%
Non-Renters
66%

Education Distribution

Review this city's overall education levels.

Bachelor's or Higher
12%
Other Education
88%

Rent Trends

As of April 2026, the average apartment rent in Bay City, MI is $731 for a studio, $770 for one bedroom, $950 for two bedrooms, and $1,342 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Bay City has increased by 6.4% in the past year.

Property Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Apartment
$770/month
649 Sq Ft
See Rental Market Trends in Bay City, MI

Getting Around

Moderately Walkable

Walkability

60 / 100

Moderately Drivable

Drivability

70 / 100

Fairly Bikeable

Bikeability

50 / 100

Schools

Bangor Lincoln School

Public

Grades K-5

317 Students

Bangor Central School

Public

Grades PK-5

327 Students

Kolb Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-5

477 Students

Hampton Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-5

405 Students

Washington Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-5

395 Students

Christa McAuliffe Middle School

Public

Grades 6-8

657 Students

State Street Academy

Public

Grades PK-8

258 Students

Bangor Township Virtual School

Public

Grades K-12

140 Students

Handy Middle School

Public

Grades 6-8

685 Students

Isd-Local Programs

Public

Grades PK-12

86 Students

John Glenn High School

Public

Grades 9-12

849 Students

Bay City Central High School

Public

Grades 9-12

1,033 Students

Bangor Township Virtual School

Public

Grades K-12

140 Students

Bay City Eastern High School

Public

Grades 9-12

116 Students

Isd-Local Programs

Public

Grades PK-12

86 Students

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

  • Delta College Planetarium & Learning Center
  • Veterans Memorial Park
  • Bay City Recreation Area
  • William H. Haithco Recreation Area

Airports

  • MBS International

Top Apartments in Bay City

Houses for Rent in Bay City

Search Nearby Rentals

Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2026.

Demographic information comes from Neustar and combines detailed address data with U.S. Census and American Community Survey statistics to produce reliable local estimates.