Ramsdell Theatre · National Register of Historic Places
Manistee’s story
185 years in pictures
10 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1841Manistee is settled
ManisteeMI
A town of 6,275, settled in 1841. Nearly 6.7% of it is conserved land.
4 bordering townsMap →
Photo: TCP04 · CC BY 4.0
Population
6,275
+0.5% since 2010
Median home value
$164K
Census ACS
Household income
$61K
median
Median age
45.0
years
Jobs based here
1,389
A commuter town
What makes Manistee stand out
The 3 things Manistee does most differently from other towns.
Outdoors
#75 most walkable in MI
1.2 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves
6.7% of the town is conserved land.
100 U.S. towns● Manistee
Health
59% of U.S. towns are healthier
on CDC estimates
Better than MI on 1 measures, worse on 2.
Ramsdell TheatreHistory
Settled in 1841
10 places on the National Register
Archive photos and papers going back 185 years.
Manistee’s report card
Now in Manistee
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Manistee is #28 of 719 in MI for “Shortest commute”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Manistee’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →61°
Cloudy
H 0° · L 49°
Local news
All →- Hesperia vs Manistee - Girls Varsity Volleyball 10/13/2026 | Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Oct 1
- Benzie Central vs Away - Boys Junior Varsity Basketball 12/12/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 30
- Manistee vs Holton - Girls Varsity Softball 05/04/2027 | Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 29
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Manistee. Another town gets a different order.
Work & commute
About one in five working residents works right in Manistee
About one in 5 of Manistee’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Manistee (22%), Filer (5%) and Stronach (4%). Half commute less than 5 miles.
21%work in town
Where working residents work
In Manistee21%
Manistee22%
Filer5%
Stronach4%
Ludington4%
5 mi
median commute distance
1,389
jobs based in Manistee
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2021 · ACSCommute map →
Outdoors
6.7% of Manistee is conserved land
1.2 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves.
6.7%conserved
6.7%
conserved · 191 of 2,877 acres
1.2 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
#234
most conserved land in MI
#75
most walkable in MI
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Douglas Park | 0.5 mi | 26 |
| 2. Lighthouse Park | 0.2 mi | 20 |
| 3. Rietz Park | — | 8 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Health
Healthier than 41% of U.S. towns
Manistee beats the Michigan average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2.
C+Health Grade
32 measures vs. Michigan
1 better29 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Manistee | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 7.5% | 8.7% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.5% | 8.9% |
Munson Healthcare Manistee Hospital
3.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
54th
percentile among MI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 31% of U.S. towns
Manistee reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 69% report less.
CSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Manistee3.9
Michigan4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Manistee13.6
Michigan13
U.S.15.5
31st
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
28th
percentile among MI towns
24
violent crimes reported in 2025
85
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Manistee has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 92 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
92″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–31°
Spring34–52°
Summer57–76°
Fall41–57°
Oct 12
typical first frost
May 14
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Natural hazards
High risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 67% of U.S. communities.
67risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
2
paid flood claims since 1981
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Schools
Manistee’s public schools outperform 52% of Michigan districts
The public schools Manistee’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 52% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Jefferson Elem School | K–2 | 292 | Not graded |
| Trinity Lutheran School Private | PK–5 | 27 | |
| Manistee Middle High School | 6–12 | 685 | B− |
| Casman Alternative Academy | 7–12 | 65 | C |
| Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy | PK–12 | 3,934 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduationAll 5 schools →
Landmarks
10 places in Manistee on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Manistee
City in Michigan, United States
Manistee ( man-iss-TEE) is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located in southwestern Manistee County, it is part of the northwestern Lower Peninsula. Manistee is the county seat of Manistee County, and its population was 6,259 at the 2020 census. This makes Manistee the fifth-largest city in Northern Michigan. Manistee is located on an isthmus between Manistee Lake and Lake Michigan, with the Manistee River bisecting the city as it flows west to the latter. Manistee is located along US 31, one of the major trunkline highways of the state.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1841
- Population
- 6,259
- Area
- 4.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 663 ft
- ZIP code
- 49660
- Area code
- 231
Manistee’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with Manistee.
More about Manistee
Still missing for Manistee:archive photosupcoming events