Bad Axe, MI: Local News, Events & Neighbors

Bad Axe is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Huron County in the Thumb region of the Lower Peninsula. The population was 3,021 at the 2020 census, making it the largest community in Huron County and second largest in the Upper Thumb, after Caro.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Bad Axe ranks

All →

#27Closest to a top hospital in MI #53Most affordable in MI #54Cheapest rent in MI All MI rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code48413

Area code989

Living in Bad Axe

Housing in Bad Axe

$178K▲ 2.4% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Bad Axe home is worth about $178,000, up 2.4% in a year, 33% below the Michigan typical home.

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Bad Axe

B⁻

Safety Grade B-

Bad Axe reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 51% report less.

Violent crime per 1,000

Bad Axe 1.4

Michigan 4.3

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Bad Axe 8.8

Michigan 13

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Health in Bad Axe

D

Health Grade D

Healthier than 11% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 39% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with Michigan

13worse than MI

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 19 are too close to call.

Conditions 8▼ 4 close Habits 2▼ 2 close Care 1▼ 6 close Mind 2▼ 3 close Everyday needs all close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

19.6%More older adults who have lost all their teethMI 10.2% · worse 12%More adults with COPDMI 8.1% · worse 9.4%More adults with heart diseaseMI 7% · worse

Care nearby

Mclaren Thumb RegionBad Axe · 1.7 mi · ER · rural critical access

Great Lakes Bay Health Centers Thumb AreaBad Axe · 0.8 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalShortage · county-wide

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Bad Axe · CMS · HRSAHealth in Bad Axe →

Schools in Bad Axe

All Bad Axe schools →

B⁻

School Grade B-

The public schools Bad Axe’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 52% of Michigan’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.

See how Bad Axe’s schools compare in MI →

DistrictBad Axe Public SchoolsSchools4

Bad Axe Middle School B-Elementary · Grades 3–6 · 227 students Bad Axe Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades K–2 · 191 students Bad Axe High School BHigh · Grades 7–12 · 336 students Ascent High School DHigh · Grades 9–12 · 37 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within MI. Ratings are from neighbors.