Clare Congregational Church · National Register of Historic Places
Clare’s story
156 years in pictures
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1870Clare is settled
ClareMI
A town of 3,324, settled in 1870. A typical home worth about $228K.
Population
3,324
+4.4% since 2010
Typical home
$228K
+11.6% in a year
Household income
$41K
median
Median age
43.9
years
Jobs based here
1,931
A job hub
What makes Clare stand out
The 3 things Clare does most differently from other towns.
$228Ktypical home
Housing
$228K typical home
14% below the MI typical home
Up 11.6% in a year.
1,931jobs here
Work
1,931 jobs
based in Clare, a regional job hub
17% of working residents work in town.
Outdoors
#217 most walkable in MI
1.2 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
2.6% of the town is conserved land.
A job hub
Every workday, about 1,744 people come to Clare for work
Where Clare’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,931jobs based in Clare
17%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2021
Clare’s report card
Housing$228K14% below the MI typical homeCommute16 miHalf of commuters travel lessOutdoors1 miof trails · 2.6% conservedHealthDHealthier than 13% of U.S. townsHazards14/100Very low risk of storm & flood damageClimate82°/14°Summer high · winter low · 49″ snowSafetyBLess crime than 58% of U.S. townsSchoolsB−Beats 54% of MI districts
Now in Clare
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Clare is #703 of 719 in MI for “Highest income”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Clare’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →48°
Fog/Mist
H 76° · L 46°
Local news
All →- Shepherd vs Clare - Boys Varsity Football 10/02/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 25
- Ovid-Elsie vs Clare - Boys Varsity Soccer 09/21/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 21
- Clare vs Pinconning - Girls Junior Varsity Volleyball 10/19/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 20
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Clare. Another town gets a different order.
Housing
A typical Clare home is worth about $228K
The typical Clare home is worth about $228,000, up 11.6% in a year, 14% below the Michigan typical home.
$228KZillow home value
Typical home value
Clare$228K
Michigan$266K
+11.6%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Work & commute
About one in six working residents works right in Clare
Most working residents leave Clare for work: only 17% work in town. The top destinations are Mount Pleasant (10%), Grant (7%) and Midland (6%). Half commute less than 16 miles.
17%work in town
Where working residents work
In Clare17%
Mount Pleasant10%
Grant7%
Midland6%
Chippewa4%
16 mi
median commute distance
1,931
jobs based in Clare
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2021 · ACSCommute map →
Outdoors
2.6% of Clare is conserved land
1.2 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves.
2.6%conserved
2.6%
conserved · 64 of 2,456 acres
1.2 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
#217
most walkable in MI
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Emerald Isle Recreation Complex | 0.6 mi | 24 |
| 2. Stamina Stadium Park | 0.3 mi | 16 |
| 3. Brookwood Park | — | 33 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Health
Healthier than 13% of U.S. towns
Clare beats the Michigan average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 15.
DHealth Grade
32 measures vs. Michigan
0 better17 too close to call15 worse
| What stands out | Clare | MI |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 15.1% | 10.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 11.6% | 8.1% |
| More smokers | 19.2% | 14.6% |
Mclaren Central Michigan
15.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
7th
percentile among MI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Natural hazards
Very low risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 14% of U.S. communities.
14risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingStrong windCold waves
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Clare has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 14°, and about 49 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
49″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–32°
Spring33–56°
Summer56–80°
Fall39–59°
Oct 4
typical first frost
May 9
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 58% of U.S. towns
Clare reports less crime per resident than 58% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
BSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Clare1.5
Michigan4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Clare10.9
Michigan13
U.S.15.5
58th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
56th
percentile among MI towns
5
violent crimes reported in 2025
36
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Schools
Clare’s public schools outperform 54% of Michigan districts
The public schools Clare’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 54% of Michigan’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
B−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clare Primary School | PK–4 | 557 | C |
| Clare Middle School | 5–8 | 474 | B |
| Clare High School | 9–12 | 478 | A− |
| Clare Pioneer High School | 9–12 | 45 | C |
| Great Lakes Mennonite School Private | 1–9 | 37 |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduationAll 5 schools →
Landmarks
2 places in Clare on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Clare
City in Michigan, United States
Clare is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located near the center of Michigan's Lower Peninsula, the city is located mostly in Clare County, while a small portion extends south into Isabella County. The city had a population of 3,254 at the 2020 census. Clare was settled as early as 1870 and contains two listings on the National Register of Historic Places: the Clare Downtown Historic District and the Clare Congregational Church. The city is located along the junction of U.S. Route 10 and U.S. Route 127, and each highway has a business route (Bus. 10 and Bus. US 127) through the downtown area. M-115 also runs through the city. The convergence of these highways as well as the historic j…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1870
- Population
- 3,254
- Area
- 3.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 837 ft
- ZIP code
- 48617
- Area code
- 989
Clare’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Clare.