Best counties to raise a family in Michigan

- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (C+), cost of living (B+), weather (D), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 75,681
- Median household income: $66,902
- Median home value: $189,900
- Top places to live: Mattawan (B+), South Haven (B), Almena Township (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (B), cost of living (B), weather (C), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 109,000
- Median household income: $78,025
- Median home value: $206,700
- Top places to live: Waverly (A-), Grand Ledge (A-), Dimondale (B+)

- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (B), cost of living (B), weather (C), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 404,087
- Median household income: $60,673
- Median home value: $172,900
- Top places to live: Grand Blanc Charter Township (A), Grand Blanc (A-), Fenton (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (B), cost of living (B+), weather (C), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 189,210
- Median household income: $58,347
- Median home value: $139,400
- Top places to live: Frankenmuth (A), Saginaw Charter Township (A-), Freeland (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (B-), cost of living (B), weather (C-), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 175,378
- Median household income: $63,495
- Median home value: $180,900
- Top places to live: North Muskegon (A), Norton Shores (A-), Whitehall (B+)

- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (B-), cost of living (B), weather (D+), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 120,913
- Median household income: $80,255
- Median home value: $247,000
- Top places to live: Holland (A), Douglas (A), Laketown Township (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (B), cost of living (B), weather (C-), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 66,430
- Median household income: $64,675
- Median home value: $202,000
- Top places to live: Marquette (A), Harvey (A), Negaunee (A)

- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (A-), cost of living (B), weather (C), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 18,177
- Median household income: $72,603
- Median home value: $254,400
- Top places to live: Elberta (A-), Gilmore Township (A-), Lake Township (B+)

- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (A-), cost of living (B-), weather (C+), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 877,624
- Median household income: $76,399
- Median home value: $231,400
- Top places to live: Shelby Charter Township (A-), Sterling Heights (A-), Utica (B+)

- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (A), cost of living (A-), weather (C-), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 25,940
- Median household income: $61,882
- Median home value: $130,300
- Top places to live: Iron Mountain (A), Norway Township (A-), Kingsford (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (B+), cost of living (B), weather (C-), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 26,143
- Median household income: $76,495
- Median home value: $242,800
- Top places to live: Boyne City (A-), Marion Township (A-), Charlevoix Township (B+)

- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (B+), cost of living (B), weather (C), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 79,419
- Median household income: $85,928
- Median home value: $243,700
- Top places to live: DeWitt (A), DeWitt Charter Township (A-), St. Johns (B+)

- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (B+), cost of living (B-), weather (C), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 22,607
- Median household income: $91,943
- Median home value: $406,900
- Top places to live: Bingham Township (B+), Greilickville (B+), Suttons Bay (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (B+), cost of living (B-), weather (C), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 195,143
- Median household income: $101,315
- Median home value: $331,100
- Top places to live: Brighton Township (A), Brighton (A), Green Oak Township (A)

- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (B), cost of living (B), weather (C-), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 153,411
- Median household income: $63,152
- Median home value: $211,400
- Top places to live: St. Joseph (A), Berrien Springs (A), Royalton Township (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (B+), cost of living (B), weather (C-), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 34,159
- Median household income: $73,724
- Median home value: $275,300
- Top places to live: Petoskey (A), Resort Township (A), Little Traverse Township (A)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (B+), cost of living (B+), weather (C+), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 83,641
- Median household income: $77,538
- Median home value: $184,300
- Top places to live: Larkin Charter Township (A+), Midland (A+), Homer Township (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A), cost of living (B-), weather (C-), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 95,757
- Median household income: $79,486
- Median home value: $296,200
- Top places to live: Traverse City (A), Acme Township (A-), East Bay Township (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A-), cost of living (B-), weather (C), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 282,015
- Median household income: $64,354
- Median home value: $187,500
- Top places to live: Okemos (A+), Haslett (A+), East Lansing (A)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A-), cost of living (B+), weather (C-), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 37,428
- Median household income: $56,573
- Median home value: $140,300
- Top places to live: Houghton (A), Portage Charter Township (A), Hancock (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (B+), cost of living (B-), weather (C-), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 261,437
- Median household income: $70,525
- Median home value: $227,500
- Top places to live: Portage (A), Texas Charter Township (A), Richland (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (A+), public schools (A), cost of living (B-), weather (D+), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 298,614
- Median household income: $87,144
- Median home value: $291,200
- Top places to live: Zeeland Charter Township (A), Jamestown Charter Township (A), Grand Haven Charter Township (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (A+), public schools (A), cost of living (B-), weather (D+), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 658,844
- Median household income: $80,390
- Median home value: $265,700
- Top places to live: East Grand Rapids (A+), Eastown (A+), Forest Hills (A+)

- Niche grades: good for families (A+), public schools (A+), cost of living (C), weather (C-), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 368,394
- Median household income: $87,156
- Median home value: $353,000
- Top places to live: Ann Arbor (A+), Pittsfield Charter Township (A+), Lodi Township (A)

- Niche grades: good for families (A+), public schools (A), cost of living (B-), weather (C+), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 1,272,294
- Median household income: $95,296
- Median home value: $320,400
- Top places to live: Troy (A+), Rochester (A+), Beverly Hills (A+)