City · Lenawee County, Michigan

Morenci, Michigan

Morenci is a city in Lenawee County, Michigan, part of the Adrian, MI metro area. It has 2,137 residents. Morenci, Michigan has a quality-of-life score of 36 out of 100 (low), ranking #10,054 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Michigan it ranks #272 of 444 cities and towns. It ranks best on income inequality (Gini index) (low), home price to income ratio (low) and homicide rate (low). It ranks worst on bachelor's degree or higher (low), depression (high) and primary care physicians (low).

36Low

Quality-of-life score: #10,054 of 15,651 cities and towns
Michigan: #272 of 444 in MI
Population: 2,137 (2020-2024)
Land area: 2 mi²
Density: 1,008.2 /mi²
FIPS code: 2655500

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 76 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety69#4,795/15,637
Economy38#9,727/15,631
Housing82#2,727/14,977
Health32#10,682/15,609
Healthcare25#11,761/15,650
Environment29#11,019/15,453
Education11#13,964/15,649
Infrastructure52#7,521/15,650
Community60#6,336/15,651
Leisure & amenities20#12,585/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Morenci, Michigan ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Lenawee County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Income inequality (Gini index) · low0.334
96/100Michigan 0.465United States 0.4832020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19083
Home price to income ratio · low1.8×
96/100Michigan 3.2×United States 4.1×2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25077
Homicide rate · low0.0 /100k
94/100Michigan 4.7 /100kUnited States 4.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataLenawee County value
Child care cost burden · low21.2%
91/100Michigan 25.4%United States 27.9%2023 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteLenawee County value
Rent-burdened households · low21.4%
90/100Michigan 50.4%United States 51.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25070
Rent as share of income · low25.8%
87/100Michigan 30.2%United States 30.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25071

Weaknesses

Bachelor's degree or higher · low7.2%
3/100Michigan 32.5%United States 35.7%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B15003
Depression · high30.8%
4/100Michigan 26.5%United States 20.7%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate
Primary care physicians · low21 /100k
6/100Michigan 81 /100kUnited States 76 /100k2022University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteLenawee County value
Frequent mental distress · high21.5%
8/100Michigan 20.0%United States 18.6%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Grocery stores · low0.9 /10k
10/100Michigan 1.5 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsLenawee County value
High school diploma or higher · low83.7%
12/100Michigan 92.1%United States 89.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B15003

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationFalling
2,298 (2015-2019) → 2,137 (2020-2024)
−7%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Rent-burdened householdsImproving
61.1% (2015-2019) → 21.4% (2020-2024)
−40 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Child poverty rateImproving
47.9% (2015-2019) → 20.5% (2020-2024)
−27 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
New homes permittedWorsening
0.5 /1k (2021) → 0.0 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
−100%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Poverty rateImproving
26.6% (2015-2019) → 13.2% (2020-2024)
−13 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%
Median household incomeImproving
$39,250 (2015-2019) → $59,643 (2020-2024)
+52%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Morenci, Michigan improved on 6 of 13 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 6 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved6

Rent burden−40 points61.1% → 21.4%
Unemployment−6.8 points9.4% → 2.6%
Poverty−13 points26.6% → 13.2%
Rent / income−7.8 points33.6% → 25.8%
Household income+52%$39,250 → $59,643

Declined1

Bachelor's+−5.3 points12.6% → 7.2%

All 13 measures

Change of every measure of Morenci, Michigan between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	27.4 min2015-2019	22.5 min2020-2024	−4.9 min	Within the margin of error	89%
Bachelor's degree or higher	12.6%2015-2019	7.2%2020-2024	−5.3 points	Declined	6%
Broadband subscriptions	82.1%2015-2019	92.5%2020-2024	+10 points	Improved	61%
Effective property tax rate	2.11%2015-2019	1.59%2020-2024	−0.5 points	Within the margin of error	92%
High school diploma or higher	86.5%2015-2019	83.7%2020-2024	−2.8 points	Within the margin of error	12%
Home price to income ratio	1.9×2015-2019	1.7×2020-2024	−0.1×	Within the margin of error	85%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.3802015-2019	0.3342020-2024	−0.047	Within the margin of error	83%
Median household income	$39,2502015-2019	$59,6432020-2024	+52%	Improved	86%
Poverty rate	26.6%2015-2019	13.2%2020-2024	−13 points	Improved	96%
Rent as share of income	33.6%2015-2019	25.8%2020-2024	−7.8 points	Improved	90%
Rent-burdened households	61.1%2015-2019	21.4%2020-2024	−40 points	Improved	99%
Unemployment rate	9.4%2015-2019	2.6%2020-2024	−6.8 points	Improved	98%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	10.5%2015-2019	15.7%2020-2024	+5.3 points	Within the margin of error	10%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Morenci, Michigan five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Morenci, Michigan in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Morenci, Michigan itself moved +18.8 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

2,137 residents (±290)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

826 households (±117)

Morenci, Michigan
Michigan share

Under $25k10%†84
$25k–50k27%†224
$50k–75k25%†

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

826 households (±117)

Morenci, Michigan
Michigan share

Own73%600
Rent27%226

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

1,135 workers (±187)

Morenci, Michigan
Michigan share

Drive alone85%967
Carpool9.2%†104
Public transit0.0%0

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Adrian, MI

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Lenawee County, the county holding most of Morenci's residents.

Lenawee County has 1,808 employer establishments, 185 for every 10,000 residents (0.75× the US rate of 248; 0.81× Michigan's), with 23,238 paid employees at an average annual pay of $45,318. The Census Bureau also counts 6,216 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 1,808; 6,216 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 185; US 248 · Michigan 228
Paid employees: 23,238
Average annual pay: $45,318; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Lenawee County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	157	16.1	0.77×Fewer than typical	1,310	$60,418	235
Restaurants and other eating places	147	15	0.82×About typical	2,552	$18,501	20
Specialty trade contractors	107	11	0.71×Fewer than typical	480	$66,973	493
Construction of buildings	82	8.4	1.11×About typical	280	$55,014	310
Religious organizations	79	8.1	1.46×More than typical	711	$34,069	—
Full-service restaurants	71	7.3	0.95×About typical	972	$20,240	11
Limited-service restaurants	64	6.5	0.82×About typical	1,500	$17,190	8
Services to buildings and dwellings	61	6.2	0.93×About typical	287	$35,418	464
Lessors of real estate	59	6	0.49×Fewer than typical	171	$53,860	571
Offices of other health practitioners	56	5.7	0.94×About typical	272	$43,658	143
Automotive repair and maintenance	51	5.2	1.04×About typical	179	$49,615	97
Insurance agencies and brokerages	45	4.6	1.05×About typical	223	$100,233	103

Rank places for an industry Open Lenawee County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 97,710 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $0 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Morenci, Michigan: $0 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $0
Per resident: $0; US $1,994
Sole-source: —; US 30%
Single offer: —; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

1.7KFY2017
1.5KFY2018
343.3FY2020
0FY2021

What was bought

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Morenci, Michigan, so they do not add up across cities.

Morenci, Michigan's figures are part of those of Lenawee County, MI ($22.5M in FY2026), never added to them: 0.0% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Morenci is mostly in Lenawee County.

See federal money in Lenawee County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Morenci, Michigan is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Tim WalbergR-MI-5 · 100% of residentsWith party 98%Missed 0.9%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Lenawee County55100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Adrian, MI52

Other cities and towns in Lenawee County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/2655500

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends