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Grayling

A city of 1,671 people in Michigan
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Around town

The places and views that make it Grayling

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Outdoors in Grayling

Parks & trails →
Conserved land11%140 of 1,324 acres
Trails1.9 mi0.9 mi per sq mi
Parks & preserves184 conserved acres per 1,000 residents

Know a trail or park that’s missing? Anyone can add it to OpenStreetMap, and it shows up here on the next refresh.

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

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Know Grayling

The town at a glance, and the guide to how things work

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About Grayling

City in Michigan, United States
1,867Population
2 sq miArea
1,138 ftElevation

Grayling ( GRAY-ling) is a city in and the county seat of Crawford County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the only incorporated community in Crawford County. As of the 2020 census, Grayling had a population of 1,867. The city is surrounded by Grayling Charter Township, but the two are administered autonomously. The city is located in the middle of the Northern Michigan region at the junctions of Interstate 75, U.S. Route 127, M-72, and M-93. Grayling is well known for hosting the Au Sable River Canoe Marathon in July of every year since 1947. The city is named after the grayling species of fish once abundant in the Au Sable River, although the species has been extirpated in Michigan si…

Official town website ↗

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

Town numbers

ZIP code49738, 49739
Area code989
Living in Grayling

Safety in Grayling

C+

Safety Grade C+

Grayling reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 63% report less.

Violent crime per 1,000
Grayling 4.6
Michigan 4.3
U.S. 3.3
Property crime per 1,000
Grayling 17.2
Michigan 13
U.S. 15.5
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Grayling

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About one in 4 of Grayling’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Grayling (14%), Traverse City (6%) and Beaver Creek (3%). Half commute less than 23 miles.

Grayling
14%
Traverse City
6%
Beaver Creek
3%
Gaylord
3%
Census LEHD 2021 · ACSWork & commute in Grayling →

Health in Grayling

C

Health Grade C

Healthier than 28% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 90% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with Michigan

7worse than MI

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 25 are too close to call.

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

Care nearby

Munson Healthcare Grayling HospitalGrayling · 0.8 mi · ER
Midmichigan Medical Offices - RoscommonRoscommon · 10.9 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 Grayling · CMS · HRSAHealth in Grayling →

Natural hazards in Grayling

40
Moderate

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 40% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🥶 Cold waves⚡ Lightning
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Grayling →

Climate in Grayling

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Grayling has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 12°, and about 88 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

29° / 14°Winter
54° / 30°Spring
78° / 53°Summer
57° / 37°Fall
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Grayling →

Schools in Grayling

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B+

School Grade B+

The public schools Grayling’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 73% of Michigan’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

DistrictCrawford AuSable SchoolsSchools2

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.

Grayling’s library

Library details →
Crawford County Library201 Plum Street · part of Crawford County Library
Fine-freeE-books44 hrs a week
IMLS Public Libraries Survey · FY2024Crawford County Library →
Famous people from GraylingWriters, athletes, leaders and more who were born in Grayling.Meet them →

How things work in Grayling

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The porch light’s on

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01