Bay is a township in Charlevoix County, Michigan, home to about 1,198 people across 16 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 49712.
Homes sold for a median of $318 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Boyne City; part is in Bay
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Bay. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Bay’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR)162 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Pellston Regional Airport of Emmet County Airport (PLN)27 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Milwaukee, WI208 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL268 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Bay; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Bay had 1,142 residents in the 2020 census, up 7% since 2000.
It’s the 1101st largest of 1,531 towns in Michigan by population.
Charlevoix County grew from 13,956 residents in 1900 to 26,054 in 2020.
Charlevoix County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 84°F in summer, and winter lows average 13°F. About 36.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 112 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Boyne Falls, MI weather station (6 miles away).
9,264 jobs at 891 businesses in Charlevoix County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
51 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Bay.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 9 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 1 |
| Dentists | 6 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 3 |
| Mental health providers | 19 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 7 |
| Optometrists | 2 |
| Chiropractors | 4 |
| Pharmacies | 2 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (11 nearby)
Grocery stores (3 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues
Counts are within about 2.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Boyne City Public Schools, Concord Academy - Boyne. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boyne City Elementary SchoolBoyne City | K–4 | 425 | Public | 1.1 mi |
| Concord Academy BoyneBoyne City | K–12 | 188 | Charter | 2.6 mi |
| Boyne City Middle SchoolBoyne City | 5–8 | 378 | Public | 0.9 mi |
| Boyne City High SchoolBoyne City | 8–12 | 383 | Public | 1.0 mi |
| MorganShaw SchoolBoyne City | 9–12 | 32 | Alternative Education | 0.5 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Boyne City, Wilson Township (Charlevoix County), Evangeline, Melrose, Boyne Valley and Warner.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.