Gwinn Model Town Historic District · National Register of Historic Places
Forsyth’s story
Forsyth in pictures
1 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives, and 1 places on the National Register.
Explore the history →ForsythMI
A town of 6,249. Nearly 1.3% of it is conserved land.
Population
6,249
+0.5% since 2010
Median home value
$169K
Census ACS
Household income
$62K
median
Median age
47.5
years
Jobs based here
1,611
Balanced
What makes Forsyth stand out
The 3 things Forsyth does most differently from other towns.
Outdoors
#148 most trails in MI
186 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
1.3% of the town is conserved land.
100 U.S. towns● Forsyth
Safety
Safer than 75%
of U.S. towns we grade
Safety Grade A−. FBI data, crimes reported to police.
CSchool Grade
Schools
Better than 34%
of MI districts
School Grade C.
Forsyth’s report card
Now in Forsyth
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Forsyth is #4 of 712 in MI for “Snowiest”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Forsyth’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Forsyth. Another town gets a different order.
Outdoors
1.3% of Forsyth is conserved land
186 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves.
#148for trails in MI
1.3%
conserved · 1,479 of 116,225 acres
186 mi
of trails · 1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Escanaba River State Forest - Gwinn Unit (South) | 85.3 mi | 60,289 |
| 2. Little Trout Lake Park | 2.1 mi | 253 |
| 3. Farquar-Metsa Tourist Park | 0.1 mi | 18 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Work & commute
About one in four working residents works right in Forsyth
About one in 4 of Forsyth’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Marquette (26%), Ishpeming (5%) and Escanaba (4%). Half commute less than 18 miles.
25%work in town
Where working residents work
In Forsyth25%
Marquette26%
Ishpeming5%
Escanaba4%
Marquette3%
18 mi
median commute distance
1,611
jobs based in Forsyth
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2021 · ACSCommute map →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 75% of U.S. towns
Forsyth reports less crime per resident than 75% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
A−Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Forsyth1.7
Michigan4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Forsyth2.5
Michigan13
U.S.15.5
75th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
76th
percentile among MI towns
11
violent crimes reported in 2025
16
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Natural hazards
Low risk, with cold waves at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 30% of U.S. communities.
30risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland floodingHail
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Schools
Forsyth’s public schools outperform 34% of Michigan districts
The public schools Forsyth’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 66% of Michigan’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.
CSchool Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| George D Gilbert Elementary School | 3–5 | 208 | C− |
| KI Sawyer Elementary School | PK–4 | 207 | C− |
| Gwinn MiddleHigh School | 6–12 | 477 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduationAll 3 schools →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Forsyth has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, a January night drops to 6°, and about 197 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
197″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter9–27°
Spring27–51°
Summer51–77°
Fall35–54°
Oct 2
typical first frost
May 13
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Health
Healthier than 41% of U.S. towns
Forsyth beats the Michigan average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1.
C+Health Grade
32 measures vs. Michigan
0 better31 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Forsyth | MI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.1% | 8.9% |
Uphs Marquette Dlp Hospital
21.6 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
54th
percentile among MI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
About Forsyth
Civil township in Michigan, United States
Forsyth Township is a civil township of Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 6,194 at the 2020 census. The township was named for O. F. Forsyth, general agent for a mining firm in the area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 6,194
- Area
- 179 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,161 ft
Forsyth’s neighbors
9 towns share a border with Forsyth.
SandsRichmondSkandiaWest BranchTildenWellsWest BranchTurinEwingForsyth