Watersmeet’s story
Watersmeet in pictures
1 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →WatersmeetMI
A town of 1,041. Nearly 74.7% of it is conserved land.
Population
1,041
+2.8% since 2010
Typical home
$299K
+4% in a year
Household income
$73K
median
Median age
61.2
years
Jobs based here
606
A job hub
What makes Watersmeet stand out
The 3 things Watersmeet does most differently from other towns.
Outdoors
74.7% conserved land
254 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
74.7% of the town is conserved land.
606jobs here
Work
606 jobs
based in Watersmeet, a regional job hub
27% of working residents work in town.
C−School Grade
Schools
Better than 16%
of MI districts
School Grade C−.
Small town
1,041 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Land O'LakesMareniscoPhelpsHaightStambaughInteriorWatersmeet
Watersmeet’s report card
Now in Watersmeet
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Residents weigh in
Live in Watersmeet? Is a C− for its schools right?
Your answer becomes a post in Watersmeet’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Watersmeet. Another town gets a different order.
Outdoors
Nearly a third of Watersmeet is conserved land
254 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves.
74.7%conserved
74.7%
conserved · 131,958 of 176,555 acres
254 mi
of trails · 0.9 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ottawa National Forest - Watersmeet Ranger District | 163.8 mi | 131,762 |
| 2. Sylvania Wilderness | 30.1 mi | 18,293 |
| 3. Ontonagon Wild And Scenic River | 22.4 mi | 9,612 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Work & commute
About one in four working residents works right in Watersmeet
About one in 4 of Watersmeet’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Ironwood (8%), Wakefield (7%) and Bessemer (7%). Half commute less than 39 miles.
27%work in town
Where working residents work
In Watersmeet27%
Ironwood8%
Wakefield7%
Bessemer7%
Hurley3%
39 mi
median commute distance
606
jobs based in Watersmeet
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2021 · ACSCommute map →
Schools
Watersmeet’s public schools outperform 16% of Michigan districts
The public schools Watersmeet’s kids attend trail 84% of Michigan’s districts on state tests. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.
C−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watersmeet Township School | K–12 | 130 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state testsAll 1 schools →
Natural hazards
Very low risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 12% of U.S. communities.
12risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesLightning
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Watersmeet has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 3°, and about 126 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
126″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter6–24°
Spring26–51°
Summer51–75°
Fall33–52°
Sep 19
typical first frost
May 31
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
Watersmeet beats the Michigan average on 9 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8.
C+Health Grade
32 measures vs. Michigan
9 better15 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Watersmeet | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.6% | 10.2% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9.4% | 11.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 13.5% | 8.9% |
Aspirus Eagle River Hospital
22.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
53rd
percentile among MI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Safety
Crime reported in Watersmeet
Watersmeet's reported crime rate is well below Michigan's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. No violent crimes were reported in 2022.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Watersmeet0
Michigan4.7
U.S.4
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Watersmeet0.7
Michigan15.9
U.S.20
0
violent crimes reported in 2022
1
property crimes reported in 2022
FBI crime data, 2022 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Housing
A typical Watersmeet home is worth about $299K
The typical Watersmeet home is worth about $299,000, up 4% in a year, 12% above the Michigan typical home.
$299KZillow home value
Typical home value
Watersmeet$299K
Michigan$266K
+4%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
A job hub
Every workday, about 505 people come to Watersmeet for work
Where Watersmeet’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
606jobs based in Watersmeet
27%of working residents work in town
39 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2021
About Watersmeet
Census-designated place & unincorporated community in Michigan, United States
Watersmeet is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Watersmeet Township, Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the CDP had a population of 408, out of a total population in the township of 1,456. The community was platted in 1884, designated as a station of the Milwaukee Lake Shore and Western Railroad.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 408
- Area
- 9.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,604 ft
- ZIP code
- 49969