City · Osceola County, Michigan

Reed City, Michigan

Reed City is a city in Osceola County, Michigan. It has 2,517 residents. Reed City, Michigan has a quality-of-life score of 32 out of 100 (low), ranking #10,692 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Michigan it ranks #301 of 444 cities and towns. It ranks best on time spent in the emergency room (low), homicide rate (low) and social associations (high). It ranks worst on job growth (low), dentists (low) and mental health care shortage (high).

32Low

Quality-of-life score: #10,692 of 15,651 cities and towns
Michigan: #301 of 444 in MI
Population: 2,517 (2020-2024)
Land area: 2 mi²
Density: 1,197.3 /mi²
FIPS code: 2667820

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 72 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.

Safety54#7,261/15,637
Economy11#13,837/15,631
Housing95#776/14,977
Health32#10,565/15,609
Healthcare7#14,522/15,650
Environment67#5,032/15,453
Education10#14,026/15,649
Infrastructure21#12,430/15,650
Community67#5,206/15,651
Leisure & amenities31#10,745/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Reed City, Michigan ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Osceola 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

Time spent in the emergency room · low107 min
94/100Michigan 163 minUnited States 170 minOct 2024–Sep 2025Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesOsceola County value
Homicide rate · low0.0 /100k
94/100Michigan 4.7 /100kUnited States 4.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataOsceola County value
Social associations · high15.9 /10k
93/100Michigan 9.6 /10kUnited States 9.1 /10k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteOsceola County value
Public libraries · high2.1 /10k
92/100Michigan 0.7 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesOsceola County value
Rent as share of income · low24.4%
89/100Michigan 30.2%United States 30.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25071
Home price to income ratio · low2.2×
88/100Michigan 3.2×United States 4.1×2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25077

Weaknesses

Job growth · low-12.5%
0/100Michigan 0.3%United States 0.1%2026 Q1U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsProvisional dataOsceola County value
Dentists · low17 /100k
3/100Michigan 82 /100kUnited States 75 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteOsceola County value
Mental health care shortage · high19.0
4/100Michigan 9.3United States 9.9Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationOsceola County value
Gyms and fitness centers · low0.0 /10k
4/100Michigan 1.0 /10kUnited States 1.3 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsOsceola County value
Depression · high30.5%
5/100Michigan 26.5%United States 20.7%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate
Dental care shortage · high18.0
6/100Michigan 6.3United States 5.7Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationOsceola County value

Trends

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

Child poverty rateImproving
39.5% (2015-2019) → 13.3% (2020-2024)
−26 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
71.3% (2015-2019) → 88.0% (2020-2024)
+17 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Rent-burdened householdsImproving
39.4% (2015-2019) → 28.7% (2020-2024)
−11 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Median household incomeImproving
$35,658 (2015-2019) → $52,304 (2020-2024)
+47%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Poverty rateImproving
25.5% (2015-2019) → 19.9% (2020-2024)
−5.5 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%
Average commute timeImproving
26.2 min (2015-2019) → 21.4 min (2020-2024)
−18%5 yearsCensus table B08013US 26.9 min → 26.4 min

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, Reed City, Michigan improved on 5 of 12 measures with a comparison and declined on 0. 7 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.

Improved5

Property tax−0.7 points1.81% → 1.15%
Inequality−0.0840.459 → 0.375
Broadband+17 points71.3% → 88.0%
Household income+47%$35,658 → $52,304
Rent / income−3.4 points27.8% → 24.4%

Declined0

No measure declined by more than its margin of error.

All 12 measures

Change of every measure of Reed City, Michigan between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	26.2 min2015-2019	21.4 min2020-2024	−4.8 min	Within the margin of error	89%
Bachelor's degree or higher	17.4%2015-2019	14.0%2020-2024	−3.4 points	Within the margin of error	11%
Broadband subscriptions	71.3%2015-2019	88.0%2020-2024	+17 points	Improved	84%
Effective property tax rate	1.81%2015-2019	1.15%2020-2024	−0.7 points	Improved	96%
High school diploma or higher	88.2%2015-2019	84.5%2020-2024	−3.7 points	Within the margin of error	9%
Home price to income ratio	2.0×2015-2019	2.2×2020-2024	+0.2×	Within the margin of error	67%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4592015-2019	0.3752020-2024	−0.084	Improved	93%
Median household income	$35,6582015-2019	$52,3042020-2024	+47%	Improved	82%
Poverty rate	25.5%2015-2019	19.9%2020-2024	−5.5 points	Within the margin of error	83%
Rent as share of income	27.8%2015-2019	24.4%2020-2024	−3.4 points	Improved	76%
Rent-burdened households	39.4%2015-2019	28.7%2020-2024	−11 points	Within the margin of error	83%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	14.2%2015-2019	14.2%2020-2024	+0 points	Within the margin of error	46%

“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 Reed City, Michigan five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Reed City, 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, Reed City, Michigan itself moved +12.6 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

2,517 residents (±31)

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

1,069 households (±94)

Reed City, Michigan
Michigan share

Under $25k22%†235
$25k–50k21%†223
$50k–75k

Homes

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

Owners and renters

1,069 households (±94)

Reed City, Michigan
Michigan share

Own59%631
Rent41%438

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

985 workers (±120)

Reed City, Michigan
Michigan share

Drive alone70%691
Carpool13%†126
Public transit0.0%0

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 Osceola County, the county holding most of Reed City's residents.

Osceola County has 441 employer establishments, 189 for every 10,000 residents (0.76× the US rate of 248; 0.83× Michigan's), with 6,886 paid employees at an average annual pay of $45,426. The Census Bureau also counts 1,450 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 441; 1,450 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 189; US 248 · Michigan 228
Paid employees: 6,886
Average annual pay: $45,426; US $68,342

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

Specialty trade contractors	29	12.4	0.80×About typical	121	$57,628	208
Restaurants and other eating places	28	12	0.65×Fewer than typical	384	$17,852	4
Religious organizations	27	11.6	2.09×More than typical	92	$18,065	—
Ambulatory health care services	23	9.9	0.47×Fewer than typical	143	$49,336	39
Automotive repair and maintenance	19	8.1	1.62×More than typical	149	$35,819	17
Full-service restaurants	16	6.9	0.89×About typical	128	$15,344	—
Services to buildings and dwellings	15	6.4	0.95×About typical	74	$35,716	101
Construction of buildings	13	5.6	0.74×Fewer than typical	83	$56,711	105
Limited-service restaurants	12	5.1	0.64×Fewer than typical	256	$19,105	—
Gasoline stations	11	4.7	1.45×More than typical	137	$27,438	—
Landscaping services	11	4.7	1.35×More than typical	63	$33,698	18
Lessors of real estate	11	4.7	0.38×Fewer than typical	21	$19,333	112

Rank places for an industry Open Osceola County

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

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 23,326 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 $27K of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Reed City, Michigan: $10.72 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $27K; −88% vs FY2025
Per resident: $10.72; US $1,994
Sole-source: 0.0%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.0%; 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

Defense Logistics Agency$27K100%

Top recipients

UUSI, LLC$27K100%

Spending by fiscal year

94.7KFY2017
123.7KFY2018
112.1KFY2019
115.5KFY2020
83KFY2021
92.6KFY2022
94.6KFY2023
75.2K

Top industries (NAICS)

Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing · 3345$17.8K66%
Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing · 3344$6,78425%
Electrical equipment manufacturing · 3353$1,8887.0%
Electric lighting equipment manufacturing · 3351$5282.0%

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 Reed City, Michigan, so they do not add up across cities.

Reed City, Michigan's figures are part of those of Osceola County, MI ($1.1M in FY2026), never added to them: 2.5% of that total.

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

See federal money in Osceola 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.

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

House

John R. MoolenaarR-MI-2 · 100% of residentsWith party 98%Missed 0.3%

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.

Osceola County36100% of residents

Other cities and towns in Osceola 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
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/2667820

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends