CountyScore

St. Joseph County

Michigan · MI

#57 in Michigan
67
County Score

County Report Card

About St. Joseph County, Michigan

St. Joseph ranks well above national median

St. Joseph County's composite score of 69.9 sits comfortably above the national median of 50.0, reaching the 87th percentile among all U.S. counties. The county delivers strong livability performance that exceeds three-quarters of American communities.

Slightly above Michigan's county average

At 69.9, St. Joseph exceeds Michigan's average of 68.7 by 1.2 points, placing it just above the state's midline. The county ranks among Michigan's better performers without reaching the very top tier.

Strong balance of affordability and income

St. Joseph combines a cost score of 80.3 with a respectable income score of 25.6 and median household income of $64,707. Rent averages $825/month and homes cost $167,600, offering genuine affordability without sacrificing local earning potential.

Tax burden sits in the middle range

The tax score of 70.9 and effective rate of 1.114% are solid but not exceptional, placing St. Joseph in the moderate tier for tax burden. Safety, health, and school data remain unavailable, which prospective families will want to research independently.

Great fit for balanced-approach families

St. Joseph suits families wanting reasonable housing costs, moderate taxes, and decent local income without extreme trade-offs in any dimension. The county offers true livability balance—not rock-bottom costs, but not premium-priced either.

Score breakdown

5 dimensions have live data. 3 more coming as vertical sites launch.

Tax70.9Cost80.3SafetyComing SoonHealth67.9SchoolsComing SoonIncome25.6Risk41.4WaterComing Soon
🏛70.9
Property Tax
Effective property tax rate vs national benchmarks
TaxByCounty →
🏠80.3
Cost of Living
Median rent, home values, and housing affordability
CostByCounty →
💼25.6
Income & Jobs
Median household income and per capita earnings
IncomeByCounty →
🛡Coming Soon
Safety
Violent and property crime rates per 100K residents
❤67.9
Health
Life expectancy, uninsured rates, and health access
HealthByCounty →
🎓Coming Soon
Schools
Graduation rates, per-pupil spending, and attainment
⚡41.4
Disaster Risk
FEMA National Risk Index — flood, fire, tornado, and more
RiskByCounty →
💧Coming Soon
Water Quality
EPA drinking water health violations and safety grades

Explore this county

Property Taxtaxbycounty.comCost of Livingcostbycounty.comIncomeincomebycounty.com
Compare St. Joseph County with another county →

Counties with similar scores

Plumas County
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Median income: $64,946
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Idaho
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Median income: $77,034
Schuyler County
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67
Median income: $66,059
Johnson County
Indiana
67
Median income: $87,227
Kearny County
Kansas
67
Median income: $74,135

Deep Dives

St. Joseph County across the ByCounty Network

Detailed analysis from 5 data dimensions — each powered by a dedicated ByCounty site.

Property Tax in St. Joseph County

via TaxByCounty

St. Joseph taxes below national median

St. Joseph County's effective tax rate of 1.114% is slightly above the national median of 1.0%, placing it at the 45th percentile of U.S. counties. The median property tax bill of $1,867 is $823 below the national median of $2,690 due to lower home values. St. Joseph homeowners pay a near-average percentage of home value in taxes relative to most American communities.

Below-average Michigan tax burden

At 1.114%, St. Joseph County's effective rate falls slightly below Michigan's state average of 1.166%, placing it in the lower-middle tier of Michigan counties by tax burden. The median property tax of $1,867 is $235 less than the state median of $2,102. St. Joseph residents enjoy somewhat lighter property tax pressure than typical Michigan homeowners.

Most affordable in the region

St. Joseph's 1.114% effective rate is lower than Saginaw County (1.571%), Shiawassee County (1.345%), Tuscola County (1.280%), and St. Clair County (1.165%), and comparable to Schoolcraft County (1.091%) and Sanilac County (0.917%). Among the eight-county region, St. Joseph ranks in the bottom three for tax burden. Homebuyers here gain a tax advantage over most surrounding communities.

Median home taxes: $1,867 annually

A typical $167,600 home in St. Joseph County generates roughly $1,867 in annual property taxes at the current effective rate. With mortgage, taxes rise to $1,909; without mortgage, they fall to $1,806. This amounts to approximately $156 per month in property taxes for a median-valued home.

Many homeowners can appeal assessments

Across Michigan, thousands of homeowners discover their properties are overassessed, leading to inflated tax bills. St. Joseph County residents should review their assessment notices and consider filing an appeal if values seem high relative to recent comparable sales. A successful challenge can reduce your tax burden significantly.

Full property tax analysis on TaxByCounty

Cost of Living in St. Joseph County

via CostByCounty

St. Joseph delivers solid national affordability

St. Joseph County's rent-to-income ratio of 15.3% sits comfortably below the national average, and its median household income of $64,707 comes within $10,048 of the U.S. median. At $825 monthly rent, the county offers favorable housing access compared to national patterns.

Above Michigan's affordability baseline

St. Joseph County ranks better than Michigan's state average on housing affordability, with a 15.3% rent-to-income ratio well below the state's 16.3% and rents matching the state's $873 median closely. The county delivers stronger affordability than Saginaw and St. Clair without sacrificing community resources.

Competitive rents with strong income balance

St. Joseph's $825 rent ranks among the lowest in the region, beating Shiawassee ($876) and St. Clair ($999) while matching Sanilac closely ($814). Its 15.3% rent-to-income ratio beats all but Schoolcraft (13.6%), reflecting solid affordability for a more developed county.

Renters and owners share reasonable burdens

St. Joseph renters spend 15.3% of a $64,707 income on $825 monthly rent, while homeowners allocate 16.2% to $875 monthly mortgages on homes valued at $167,600. Both ratios suggest manageable housing costs with meaningful budget flexibility.

St. Joseph balances affordability and community

Relocating to St. Joseph County puts you in a sweet spot: a 15.3% rent ratio beats most peers, rents stay under $825, and median income of $64,707 provides stability. If you seek affordability without sacrificing developed infrastructure, St. Joseph delivers strong value.

Full cost of living analysis on CostByCounty

Income & Jobs in St. Joseph County

via IncomeByCounty

St. Joseph trails but nears national average

St. Joseph County's median household income of $64,707 is 13% below the national median of $74,755, positioning it better than several peers nationally. The gap, while present, is narrower than most counties in this analysis.

St. Joseph slightly exceeds Michigan average

At $64,707, St. Joseph's median household income edges above Michigan's county average of $64,304, placing it in the state's middle tier. The county matches Shiawassee's position among Michigan's 83 counties.

St. Joseph holds competitive income position

St. Joseph ($64,707) trails Van Buren ($66,902) and St. Clair ($69,349), but surpasses Saginaw ($58,347), Sanilac ($59,074), and Schoolcraft ($57,708). It ranks at the middle of this regional income ladder.

Housing is very affordable in St. Joseph

With a rent-to-income ratio of 15.3%, St. Joseph offers excellent housing affordability, well below the 30% threshold. The median home value of $167,600 is accessible on a $64,707 income, supporting stable homeownership.

St. Joseph households can build lasting wealth

At $64,707, St. Joseph families have breathing room to save 10–20% of income for long-term wealth building. Combining employer benefits with personal investing in target-date funds creates compounding growth that can reach $500,000+ by retirement.

Full income & jobs analysis on IncomeByCounty

Health in St. Joseph County

via HealthByCounty

St. Joseph County Faces Significant Health Gaps

At 74.9 years, St. Joseph County residents live about 4.1 years less than the U.S. average of 79 years. The 21.2% poor/fair health rate is the highest in this dataset and well above the national average of 15%, indicating widespread health challenges. St. Joseph emerges as one of Michigan's most health-stressed counties.

St. Joseph Among Michigan's Poorest Health Outcomes

St. Joseph's life expectancy of 74.9 years is 1.4 years below Michigan's state average of 76.3 years, and its 21.2% poor/fair health rate is significantly higher than the state norm. The county ranks in the bottom tier of Michigan health rankings. Urgent action is needed to address root causes of poor health.

St. Joseph Severely Limited in Provider Access

With just 28 primary care providers per 100K, St. Joseph has the lowest primary care density in this group—even below Sanilac (32) and Tuscola (30). Mental health providers at 207 per 100K are also below regional averages. This scarcity compounds barriers for a population already facing significant health challenges.

Highest Uninsured Rate, Fewest Providers

St. Joseph's 7.7% uninsured rate is the highest among these eight counties and 1.3 percentage points above Michigan's average of 6.4%. With only 28 primary care providers and 207 mental health providers per 100K, the uninsured face near-total care barriers. This combination—high uninsurance plus severe provider shortage—creates a health crisis.

St. Joseph: Coverage Is the First Step

If you're among St. Joseph's 7.7% uninsured, getting covered is urgent and affordable through Medicaid or ACA plans with subsidies. Call 1-800-867-9272 or visit Michigan.gov/HealthInsurance today. Once insured, connect with the county's limited providers early and explore telemedicine options to bridge the rural access gap.

Full health analysis on HealthByCounty

Disaster Risk in St. Joseph County

via RiskByCounty

St. Joseph sits near state-average risk

St. Joseph County scores 58.59 on the composite risk scale, placing it slightly above Michigan's state average of 49.56 and in the "Relatively Low" risk category. This moderate exposure reflects meaningful hazard presence without approaching the state's highest-risk areas. The county's risk profile is manageable through thoughtful preparedness without requiring extreme protective measures.

Below-average risk for Michigan overall

St. Joseph County ranks in the lower-to-middle tier of Michigan counties for disaster risk, with a composite score about 18% above the state average. This positioning reflects balanced rather than concentrated hazard exposure. Residents face somewhat above-average risk but avoid the serious exposure concentrated in a handful of higher-risk Michigan counties.

Safest county in its regional group

St. Joseph's score of 58.59 is the lowest in its region, falling below Van Buren County (60.46) and well below Shiawassee County (62.18). This makes St. Joseph one of the relatively safer areas in its part of Michigan, though not exceptionally low-risk compared to the state's safest counties. The three-county cluster shows modest but consistent variation in disaster exposure.

Moderate tornado and flood exposure

St. Joseph County faces tornado risk (63.52) and flood risk (68.07) as its primary hazards, both moderate and above state average but not extreme. Earthquake exposure is notable at 60.81—the county's third-highest risk—while wildfire (16.98) and hurricane (38.01) risks remain comparatively low. Residents should prioritize tornado preparedness and flood awareness without extraordinary measures for other hazards.

Flood insurance recommended for some areas

Residents in flood-prone areas of St. Joseph County should seriously consider separate flood insurance, given the 68.07 flood risk score, even if not in high-risk zones. Verify that homeowners insurance includes adequate wind and hail coverage for the county's moderate tornado exposure. A professional home assessment identifying waterproofing and roof vulnerabilities provides cost-effective protection.

Full disaster risk analysis on RiskByCounty

ByCounty Network

🏛Property Tax🏠Cost of Living💼Income & Jobs🛡Safety❤Health🎓Schools⚡Disaster Risk💧Water Quality

Data from U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS — informational only.