Is St. James, MI a Good Place to Live?
St. James is a small town of 226 in Michigan, with a median household income of $62,750 and a 21.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 98 (US average = 100), which is 2% below the national average.
Strengths: St. James stands out for solid school ratings (A+), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether St. James is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All St. James 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: 97.7St. James's overall cost of living index is 97.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in St. James costs roughly 2% less than the average American city.
| Metric | St. James, MI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $265,000 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,000 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 87.9% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $62,750 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeSt. James's violent crime rate is 145.4 per 100,000 residents — 62% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
St. James is served primarily by Beaver Island Community School. The student-to-teacher ratio is 5.8:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | St. James, MI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Beaver Island Community School | — |
| Elementary Schools | N/A | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 5.8:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.0% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 95.7% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
St. James sees average highs of 26.7°F in January and 76.1°F in July, with 33.2 inches of annual precipitation and 79.5 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | St. James, MI |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 26.7°F |
| Average High — July | 76.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 79.5" |
Demographics
| Metric | St. James, MI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 226 | — |
| Median Age | 59.3 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 21.1% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 7.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 94.2% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.9% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 27.0% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 38.5% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in St. James
St. James, MI is covered by 1 ZIP code: