Escanaba ( ES-kə-NAH-bə), commonly shortened to Esky, is a port city in and the county seat of Delta County in the U.S. state of Michigan, located on Little Bay de Noc in the state's Upper Peninsula. The population was 12,450 at the 2020 census, making it the third-largest city in the Upper Peninsula after Marquette and Sault Ste. Marie. There is also Escanaba Township, which is north of the city and is not adjacent to it, although a portion of the urban area around the city extends into the township. Both are named for the Escanaba River, which flows into the Little Bay de Noc of Lake Michigan just north of the city. The names are derived from the Ojibwa language.

Official town website ↗

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

How Escanaba ranks

All →

#2Shortest commute in MI #12Closest to a top hospital in MI #17Cheapest rent in MI All MI rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code49829

Area code906

Living in Escanaba

Housing in Escanaba

$155K Median sale price · Redfin, May 2026

The median sale price was $155,000 in May 2026.

A seller's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market52

Sale-to-list103.2%

Sold in May8

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Escanaba

C⁻

Safety Grade C-

Escanaba reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 76% report less.

Violent crime per 1,000

Escanaba 2.9

Michigan 4.3

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Escanaba 14.7

Michigan 13

U.S. 15.5

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

Health in Escanaba

Health Grade D

Healthier than 10% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 35% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with Michigan

18worse than MI

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 14 are too close to call.

Conditions 8▼ 4 close Habits 2▼ 2 close Care 2▼ 5 close Mind 3▼ 2 close Everyday needs 3▼ 1 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

16%More older adults who have lost all their teethMI 10.2% · worse 12.1%More adults with COPDMI 8.1% · worse 9.4%More adults with heart diseaseMI 7% · worse

Care nearby

Osf St. Francis Hospital and Medical GroupEscanaba · 0.8 mi · ER · rural critical access

Gwinn Family Health CenterGwinn · 40 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 Escanaba · CMS · HRSAHealth in Escanaba →

Natural hazards in Escanaba

Low

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 30% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🥶 Cold waves🧊 Hail

3Does Escanaba flood?paid flood claims since 1986 NoneDisasters that paid out hereof 4 declared for Delta County MapEscanaba vs. its neighborsnearby towns shaded by rating

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Escanaba →

Schools in Escanaba

All Escanaba schools →

B⁺

School Grade B+

The public schools Escanaba’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 69% of Michigan’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

See how Escanaba’s schools compare in MI →

DistrictEscanaba Area Public SchoolsSchools8

Escanaba Upper Elementary BElementary · Grades 3–5 · 426 students Lemmer Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades 1–2 · 296 students Webster Kindergarten CenterElementary · Grades K · 215 students Escanaba JuniorSenior High School BHigh · Grades 6–12 · 1,089 students Escanaba Student Success Center CHigh · Grades 8–12 · 104 students Bay Pines Center D-High · Grades 6–12 · 29 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.