Jobs, pay and daily life in Sturgis, 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.
Sturgis is a city in Michigan with 11,054 residents. The median household earns $62,710 a year and the median rent is $826 a month, which is 15.8% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Sturgis compares. Among the 100 largest places in Michigan, Sturgis is #94 by population, #96 for remote work (#1 = most), #6 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #89 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Saint Joseph County, is #33 of 83 counties for average pay ($53,550).
Sturgis has 11,054 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.1% of the population of Michigan. It covers 7 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,590 people per square mile. The median age is 34.1, 15% younger than the state median (34.1 against 40.2).
The median gross rent is $826 a month (rent plus utilities), 27% below the state median ($826 against $1,129). Over a year that is 15.8% 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 $152,600, which is 2.4 times the median household income ($62,710); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 61.6% of households own their home, 16% below the state average (61.6% against 73.2%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Saint Joseph County was 4.4%. 67.7% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Saint Joseph County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 66.2% drive alone, 0.1% use public transit, 0.2% walk, 5.5% work from home. 7.6% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 41% below the state average (7.6% against 12.9%).
15.7% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 51% below the state share (15.7% against 32.5%). 13.0% of residents were born outside the United States, 80% above the state share (13.0% against 7.2%). The poverty rate is 13.4%, about the same as the state rate (13.4% against 13.2%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 73°F (22.9°C), and the coolest is Jan at 24°F (-4.5°C). About 954 mm (38 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (110 mm) and Feb the driest (55 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: Coldwater (24 miles, rent 14% higher); Goshen (26 miles, rent 32% higher); Portage (29 miles, rent 37% higher); Elkhart (29 miles, rent 21% higher). Rent differences are against Sturgis; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Michigan (335) →State guide: MichiganCountry guideSaint Joseph CountyMichigan rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
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.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 33.8% |
| Retail trade | 14.7% |
| Education and health care | 14.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 7.4% |
| Construction | 5.1% |
| Public administration | 4.4% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 4.4% |
| Other services | 4.2% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.1% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 2.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.4% |
| Information | 0.6% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Sturgis 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Joseph County | 60,969 | $2,875 million | $47,161 | 21,098 | 2,282 | $53,550 | -1.4% | 4.4% | 26,311 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 7,477 | 41.3% | $71,284 | 4.31 |
| Retail trade | 2,453 | 13.5% | $34,717 | 1.16 |
| Health care and social assistance | 2,247 | 12.4% | $37,715 | 0.74 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,596 | 8.8% | $19,700 | 0.83 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 859 | 4.7% | $53,454 | 5.03 |
| Construction | 741 | 4.1% | $75,206 | 0.67 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 641 | 3.5% | $35,153 | 1.01 |
| Professional and technical services | 583 | 3.2% | $54,235 | 0.40 |
| Finance and insurance | 445 | 2.5% | $70,825 | 0.52 |
| Wholesale trade | 380 | 2.1% | $64,063 | 0.46 |
| Administrative and waste services | 334 | 1.8% | $45,638 | 0.27 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 128 | 0.7% | $21,351 | 0.36 |
| Management of companies | 79 | 0.4% | $60,824 | 0.22 |
| Real estate and rental | 73 | 0.4% | $38,092 | 0.22 |
| Educational services | 49 | 0.3% | $32,093 | 0.11 |
| Information | 40 | 0.2% | $71,038 | 0.10 |
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 | 66.2% |
| Public transit | 0.1% |
| Walk | 0.2% |
| Work from home | 5.5% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 7.6% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $62,710 |
| Income per person | $30,297 |
| Median gross rent per month | $826 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 15.8% |
| Median home value | $152,600 |
| Homeowners | 61.6% |
| Poverty rate | 13.4% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
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 | 34.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 83.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 15.7% |
| Born abroad | 13.0% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 67.7% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -4.5 | 24 | 60 |
| Feb | -3.5 | 26 | 55 |
| Mar | 2.0 | 36 | 59 |
| Apr | 8.5 | 47 | 85 |
| May | 14.8 | 59 | 110 |
| Jun | 20.2 | 68 | 94 |
| Jul | 22.9 | 73 | 87 |
| Aug | 22.2 | 72 | 97 |
| Sep | 18.2 | 65 | 80 |
| Oct | 10.7 | 51 | 99 |
| Nov | 4.0 | 39 | 68 |
| Dec | -1.6 | 29 | 60 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coldwater | MI | 24 mi | 13,671 | $50,781 | $943 |
| Goshen | IN | 26 mi | 34,420 | $59,184 | $1,093 |
| Portage | MI | 29 mi | 49,259 | $83,212 | $1,133 |
| Elkhart | IN | 29 mi | 53,733 | $51,028 | $998 |
| Kalamazoo | MI | 34 mi | 73,076 | $52,272 | $1,078 |
| Auburn | IN | 35 mi | 13,565 | $68,750 | $865 |
| Battle Creek | MI | 36 mi | 52,374 | $55,693 | $957 |
| Granger | IN | 37 mi | 30,321 | $123,318 | $1,656 |
| Mishawaka | IN | 39 mi | 51,021 | $54,291 | $1,070 |
| Huntertown | IN | 42 mi | 11,379 | $109,432 | $1,550 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
11,054 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$826 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 15.8% of the median household income.
$62,710 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.4% (BLS county, Saint Joseph County (latest month 2026M09)).
Michigan. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.