Median Age
40 Years
Largest Age Group
30-39 Years
Approximately 14% of Residents
Under 20
23%
Over 65
18%
Avg Rent
$770
Population
33,042
Renter Mix
34% Rent
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.
Bay City is the city seat for Bay County
Median Household Income
$45,433
Average: $58,049
Education
6,065
Residents Have a Degree
Job Market
15,558
Workers Employed
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.
Education Distribution
Review this city's overall education levels.
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.
Explore how walkable, bikeable, drivable, and transit-friendly Bay City, MI is for everyday living.
Moderately Walkable
Walkability
Moderately Drivable
Drivability
Fairly Bikeable
Bikeability
Public
Grades K-5
317 Students
Public
Grades PK-5
327 Students
Public
Grades PK-5
477 Students
Public
Grades PK-5
405 Students
Public
Grades PK-5
395 Students
Christa McAuliffe Middle School
Public
Grades 6-8
657 Students
Public
Grades PK-8
258 Students
Bangor Township Virtual School
Public
Grades K-12
140 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
685 Students
Public
Grades PK-12
86 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
849 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
1,033 Students
Bangor Township Virtual School
Public
Grades K-12
140 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
116 Students
Public
Grades PK-12
86 Students
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
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© 2026. All rights reserved.
† 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.