New Era is a small town of 441 in Michigan, with a median household income of $79,688
and a 1.7% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is
7% below the national average.
Strengths:
New Era stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether New Era is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All New Era city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 93.2
New Era's overall cost of living index is 93.2,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in New Era costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.
Metric
New Era, MI
National Avg
Median Home Value
$162,000
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$775
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
92.7%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$79,688
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
New Era's violent crime rate is 215.4 per 100,000 residents
— 43% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
215.4 /100k
Property Crime
1167.5 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
New Era, MI
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
34.0%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
95.1%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
New Era sees average highs of 30.2°F in January
and 79.3°F in July,
with 35.2 inches of annual precipitation
and 68.9 inches of snow per year.
New Era's cost of living index is 93, where 100 is the national average.
That makes New Era roughly 7% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $162,000 and median rent is $775/month.
New Era's violent crime rate is 215.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1167.5 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
New Era, MI has a population of 441, a median household income of $79,688, and an unemployment rate of 1.7%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
New Era averages 30.2°F in January and 79.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 35.2 inches
with about 68.9 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
New Era, MI is covered by 1 ZIP code: 49446.
The population of New Era, Michigan is 441 with a median age of 53.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in New Era: cost of living index 93 (100 = US average), median home $162,000, median household income $79,688, crime index 56 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare New Era side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.