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Yale, MI Area Guide

Avg Rent

$963

Population

2,024

Renter Mix

34% Rent

Welcome to the Bologna Capital of the World

Community • Entertainment • Great Schools

Yale, Michigan has carved out a genuinely one-of-a-kind identity as the self-proclaimed Bologna Capital of the World -- a title it celebrates every year with the Yale Bologna Festival, a tradition dating back to 1989 that draws visitors from across the Thumb region. With a compact footprint of less than two square miles in St. Clair County, Yale offers a walkable Main Street lined with local shops and eateries, plus easy access to Lake Huron and the wider eastern Michigan outdoors.

Renters will find a range of affordable options here, from small apartment communities that are only a story or two tall to single-story ranch rental homes on streets that reflect the town's neighborhood-centered character. The housing stock is predominantly low-rise residential, giving the city a settled, unhurried feel. Yale Airport sits just south of town on Brockway Road, and Port Huron is about 40 minutes away for shopping, dining, and additional services.

Demographics

Median Household Income

$46,372

Average: $53,736

Education

146

Residents Have a Degree

Job Market

811

Workers Employed

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

Median Age

40 Years

Largest Age Group

15-24 Years

Approximately 14% of Residents

Under 20

25%

Over 65

20%

Housing Distribution

Yale has more homeowners than renters.

Renters
34%
Non-Renters
66%

Education Distribution

Review this city's overall education levels.

Bachelor's or Higher
6%
Other Education
94%

Rent Trends

As of September 2026, the average apartment rent in Yale, MI is $963 for one bedroom. Apartment rent in Yale has increased by 0.3% in the past year.

Property Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Apartment
$963/month
980 Sq Ft
See Rental Market Trends in Yale, MI

Learn More About Yale

Getting Around

Explore how walkable, bikeable, drivable, and transit-friendly Yale, MI is for everyday living.

Fairly Walkable

Walkability

40 / 100

Very Drivable

Drivability

80 / 100

Somewhat Bikeable

Bikeability

20 / 100
Scores provided by

Schools

Yale Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-5

344 Students

9/10

Yale Junior High School

Public

Grades 6-8

424 Students

6/10

Yale Senior High School

Public

Grades 9-12

492 Students

7/10
School data provided by http://www.greatschools.org 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. View GreatSchools Rating Methodology Data provided by GreatSchools.org © 2026. All rights reserved.

Points of Interest

Top Apartments in Yale

420 North St

420 North St

420 North St,
Yale, MI 48097

$1,100

1 Bed

420 North St

420 North St

420 North St,
Yale, MI 48097

$1,200

2 Beds

420 North St

420 North St

420 North St,
Yale, MI 48097

$1,200

2 Beds

Hickory Square Apartments

Hickory Square Apartments

1939 Shagbark Ln,
Imlay City, MI 48444

$865 - $1,275

1-3 Beds

Miles Apartments

Miles Apartments

2300 Krafft Rd,
Fort Gratiot Township, MI 48059

$1,048 - $1,474

1-2 Beds

Westmoore Apartments

Westmoore Apartments

3108 Keewahdin Rd,
Fort Gratiot Township, MI 48059

$850 - $1,015

Studio - 1 Bed

Silver Pines Apartments

Silver Pines Apartments

2849 15th Ave,
Port Huron, MI 48060

$1,050 - $1,215

1-2 Beds

Legacy at Golfview

Legacy at Golfview

4117 Gratiot Ave,
Fort Gratiot, MI 48059

$895 - $1,050

2 Beds

Glenview Gardens Apartments

Glenview Gardens Apartments

2851 Glenview Ct,
Port Huron, MI 48060

$1,060 - $1,510

1-3 Beds

Living in Yale

History

-

The community now known as Yale got its start in 1865 when Brockway Township opened a post office under the name Brockway Centre. The post office was renamed Yale in 1889, and the settlement grew steadily enough to incorporate as a village in 1895 and then as a full city in 1905, separating formally from Brockway Township.

One of the most tangible links to that earlier era is the James McColl House, a local landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Bologna Festival, launched in 1989, has since become its own kind of institution -- layering a lighthearted modern tradition onto the city's longer story of small-town resilience in Michigan's Thumb.

Transportation

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Getting around Yale and the surrounding area means relying on a personal vehicle. There is no local bus or rail service within the city, making a car a practical necessity for daily errands and commutes. For intercity rail, the nearest Amtrak station is in Port Huron, about 29 miles and 40 minutes away, with a second station in Lapeer roughly 55 minutes out. Yale Airport, located just south of town on Brockway Road, serves general aviation needs.

Cost

-

Rental rates in Yale run notably below the Michigan statewide average, with one-bedroom apartments averaging around $960 per month compared to the state's average of $1,172. The median household income is $46,372.

Highlights

-

Yale stands out for its affordable rents well below the Michigan state average, its James McColl House on the National Register of Historic Places, and the annual Bologna Festival that has drawn visitors to this small St. Clair County city since 1989 -- all within an easy drive of Lake Huron.

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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 September 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.