Coldwater, Michigan

Population

Growing. Up 6.0% since 2020.

14,216

people, the 69th-largest of Michigan's cities and towns.

Census Population Estimates, 2025. Rank among Michigan's cities and towns computed by the Almanac. Sources: Census Population Estimates

The workday

8 in 10 jobs here go to people who live somewhere else.

79.4%

of 9,328 jobs located in Coldwater are filled by in-commuters.

Census LEHD LODES, 2021. Sources: Census LEHD LODES

Rent

Median rent is up 62% since the 2005–2009 survey, before inflation.

$943

a month. Michigan's median is $1,129.

Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024 (latest), with earlier 5-year windows. Sources: Census ACS 5-year

The seam

Cross one tract line and median rent jumps $528.

A $528 gap between neighbors, the sharpest rent edge between adjacent tracts in Branch County.

• $706 Tract 9501
• $1,234 Tract 9513.01

Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024, adjacent tracts compared by the Almanac. Tract estimates carry wide margins of error. Sources: Census ACS 5-year

Room to build

The median rent sits inside what local wages can carry.

$930–$1,395

is the monthly rent range local workforce wages support.

• $943 median

Supportable rent computed by the Almanac from 2021 source wage data. Median rent: Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024. Sources: Computed by the Almanac, Census ACS 5-year

Building

Most of the housing here is older than 2000.

• 340 homes permitted, 2022–2025
• 93% of those were in multifamily buildings
• 88% of all homes were built before 2000

Census Building Permits Survey, 2022–2025; Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024. Sources: Census Building Permits Survey, Census ACS 5-year

Units needed

Closing the gap would add 0.4–1.9% to the 4,934 homes here.

21–93

is the estimated number of missing housing units, from the lowest to the highest of three estimates.

Range computed by the Almanac from 2021 jobs and household data, using three demand models: 1% of jobs located here, 1% of renter households, and a rate by town size applied to renters. The low end is the lowest of the three and the high end the highest. It is an estimate, not a count. Sources: Computed by the Almanac

Home value

A median home costs 41% less than Michigan's.

$137,500

median home value in Coldwater.

• $137,500 Coldwater
• $231,600 Michigan
• $332,700 U.S.

Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024. Sources: Census ACS 5-year