Jobs, pay and daily life in Bay City, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Bay City is a city in Michigan with 32,320 residents. The median household earns $49,420 a year and the median rent is $766 a month, which is 18.6% of the median household income. It is part of the Bay City, MI metropolitan area, where BLS counts 33,810 jobs.
How Bay City compares. Among the 100 largest places in Michigan, Bay City is #34 by population, #3 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #86 for household income (#1 = highest), #81 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Bay County, is #30 of 83 counties for average pay ($54,617).
Bay City has 32,320 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Michigan. It covers 10 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 3,179 people per square mile. The median age is 40.7, about the same as the state median (40.7 against 40.2).
The median gross rent is $766 a month (rent plus utilities), 32% below the state median ($766 against $1,129). Over a year that is 18.6% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $97,600, which is 2.0 times the median household income ($49,420); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 70.1% of households own their home, 4% below the state average (70.1% against 73.2%).
The Bay City, MI metropolitan area has 33,810 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $45,620 a year, 11% below the national median ($45,620 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (3,660 jobs, median $43,030); food preparation and serving related (3,630 jobs, median $29,070); sales and related (2,970 jobs, median $35,010). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Bay County was 4.8%. 59.4% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Bay County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 79.0% drive alone, 0.4% use public transit, 3.0% walk, 8.4% work from home. 9.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 30% below the state average (9.0% against 12.9%).
18.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 42% below the state share (18.8% against 32.5%). 2.3% of residents were born outside the United States, 68% below the state share (2.3% against 7.2%). The poverty rate is 19.1%, 45% above the state rate (19.1% against 13.2%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 71°F (21.7°C), and the coolest is Jan at 22°F (-5.4°C). About 861 mm (34 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (97 mm) and Jan the driest (50 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Saginaw (12 miles, rent 20% higher); Midland (17 miles, rent 37% higher); Flint (40 miles, rent 19% higher); Burton (43 miles, rent 32% higher). Rent differences are against Bay City; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Michigan (335) →State guide: MichiganCountry guideBay CountyMichigan rankings
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There are 335 federal postings open in Michigan (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Michigan →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 650 | 0.85 | $81,450 | $45,690 | $176,650 | -23% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 510 | 1.13 | $57,320 | $43,570 | $69,880 | -2% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 570 | 1.15 | $40,500 | $25,960 | $62,220 | +15% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 500 | 0.77 | $38,610 | $30,000 | $44,430 | -4% |
| Office Clerks, General | 770 | 1.43 | $38,100 | $26,790 | $59,270 | -15% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,040 | 1.11 | $34,100 | $27,040 | $40,830 | -5% |
| Retail Salespersons | 920 | 1.09 | $33,320 | $26,920 | $50,120 | -6% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 740 | 1.20 | $33,320 | $28,620 | $46,150 | -11% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 700 | 1.45 | $30,160 | $25,960 | $45,140 | -18% |
| Cashiers | 910 | 1.36 | $29,150 | $25,960 | $35,840 | -11% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,380 | 1.65 | $28,060 | $26,290 | $32,760 | -10% |
These figures are for the whole Bay City, MI metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $45,620 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.8% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 29.0% |
| Retail trade | 15.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 11.7% |
| Manufacturing | 11.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.6% |
| Other services | 5.3% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.1% |
| Construction | 3.7% |
| Public administration | 3.3% |
| Information | 1.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.9% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Bay City lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay County | 103,008 | $4,724 million | $45,861 | 34,112 | 2,117 | $54,617 | +0.5% | 4.8% | 45,597 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 6,019 | 22.5% | $51,257 | 1.23 |
| Retail trade | 4,591 | 17.1% | $36,695 | 1.35 |
| Manufacturing | 4,440 | 16.6% | $83,178 | 1.58 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,975 | 14.8% | $20,798 | 1.28 |
| Construction | 1,520 | 5.7% | $65,198 | 0.85 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,411 | 5.3% | $103,374 | 0.59 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,340 | 5.0% | $69,393 | 1.00 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,020 | 3.8% | $34,838 | 0.99 |
| Finance and insurance | 587 | 2.2% | $70,210 | 0.42 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 559 | 2.1% | $20,612 | 0.97 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 432 | 1.6% | $37,436 | 1.56 |
| Real estate and rental | 407 | 1.5% | $51,097 | 0.77 |
| Information | 297 | 1.1% | $92,177 | 0.46 |
| Educational services | 172 | 0.6% | $32,337 | 0.24 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 15 | 0.1% | $62,744 | 0.12 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 79.0% |
| Public transit | 0.4% |
| Walk | 3.0% |
| Work from home | 8.4% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 9.0% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $49,420 |
| Income per person | $29,853 |
| Median gross rent per month | $766 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 18.6% |
| Median home value | $97,600 |
| Homeowners | 70.1% |
| Poverty rate | 19.1% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 91.9 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $45,620 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 4.25%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 40.7 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 88.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 18.8% |
| Born abroad | 2.3% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 59.4% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -5.4 | 22 | 50 |
| Feb | -4.8 | 23 | 50 |
| Mar | 0.4 | 33 | 51 |
| Apr | 6.6 | 44 | 88 |
| May | 13.2 | 56 | 97 |
| Jun | 18.6 | 65 | 87 |
| Jul | 21.7 | 71 | 79 |
| Aug | 21.0 | 70 | 85 |
| Sep | 17.4 | 63 | 74 |
| Oct | 10.3 | 51 | 86 |
| Nov | 3.7 | 39 | 59 |
| Dec | -2.0 | 28 | 55 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saginaw | MI | 12 mi | 43,536 | $38,579 | $922 |
| Midland | MI | 17 mi | 42,724 | $73,325 | $1,048 |
| Flint | MI | 40 mi | 80,175 | $37,646 | $915 |
| Burton | MI | 43 mi | 29,500 | $60,052 | $1,009 |
| Owosso | MI | 44 mi | 14,632 | $54,229 | $784 |
| Mount Pleasant | MI | 44 mi | 21,236 | $44,706 | $922 |
| Fenton | MI | 55 mi | 11,906 | $80,000 | $1,275 |
| Haslett | MI | 63 mi | 18,559 | $74,031 | $1,125 |
| East Lansing | MI | 65 mi | 45,758 | $45,687 | $1,171 |
| Okemos | MI | 66 mi | 26,396 | $102,612 | $1,298 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
32,320 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$766 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 18.6% of the median household income.
$49,420 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.8% (BLS county, Bay County (latest month 2026M09)).
Michigan. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.