Town guide

Monitor, Michigan

Monitor is a charter township in Bay County, Michigan, home to about 10,638 people across 37 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 48611, 48631 and 48706.

Homes sold for a median of $158 per square foot across 3 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and all of them were seller’s markets.

Population10,638289 per sq mi
Median home value$207,300Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$158Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking44%Median of 3 ZIP codes

ZIP codes in Monitor

3 ZIP codes, 3 shared with neighboring towns

Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Monitor. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology

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We’re writing up Monitor’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.

  • History
  • What it’s like to live there
  • Getting around
  • Things to do

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Around Monitor

Distances

Nearest major airportGerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR)93 miles away
Closer regional airportMBS International Airport (MBS)8 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Detroit, MI95 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Chicago, IL225 miles away

Straight-line distances from the center of Monitor; driving is longer.

Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Who represents Monitor

Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.

Population over time

Monitor had 10,687 residents in the 2020 census, up 6% since 2000.

It’s the 186th largest of 1,531 towns in Michigan by population.

Bay County grew from 62,378 residents in 1900 to 103,856 in 2020.

Monitor population by census2000: 10,037, 2010: 10,735, 2020: 10,68710,037200010,735201010,6872020

Bay County, 1900–2020

Bay County population, 1900 to 20201900: 62,378, 1910: 68,238, 1920: 69,548, 1930: 69,474, 1940: 74,981, 1950: 88,461, 1960: 107,042, 1970: 117,339, 1980: 119,881, 1990: 111,723, 2000: 110,157, 2010: 107,771, 2020: 103,85662K’00’1070K’20’3075K’40’50107K’60’70120K’80’90110K’00’10104K’20

Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).

Weather by month

Average highs peak around 82°F in summer, and winter lows average 16°F. About 33.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near MonitorJan: high 30°F, low 16°F, 1.7 in; Feb: high 32°F, low 17°F, 1.7 in; Mar: high 42°F, low 24°F, 1.9 in; Apr: high 55°F, low 35°F, 3.6 in; May: high 68°F, low 48°F, 3.4 in; Jun: high 78°F, low 58°F, 3.6 in; Jul: high 82°F, low 62°F, 2.9 in; Aug: high 80°F, low 60°F, 3.8 in; Sep: high 74°F, low 52°F, 3.2 in; Oct: high 60°F, low 41°F, 3 in; Nov: high 47°F, low 31°F, 2.4 in; Dec: high 35°F, low 23°F, 2.1 in30°16°Jan1.732°17°Feb1.742°24°Mar1.955°35°Apr3.668°48°May3.478°58°Jun3.682°62°Jul2.980°60°Aug3.874°52°Sep3.260°41°Oct3.047°31°Nov2.435°23°Dec2.1Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Essexville, MI weather station (6 miles away).

Jobs in Bay County

29,377 jobs at 2,044 businesses in Bay County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Bay CountyHealth care and social assistance: 6,928 jobs; Retail trade: 5,060 jobs; Manufacturing: 3,999 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 3,543 jobs; Other services: 1,424 jobs; Wholesale trade: 1,373 jobs; Construction: 1,307 jobs; Administrative and support: 1,174 jobsHealth care and social assistance 24% Retail trade 17% Manufacturing 14% Hotels and restaurants 12% Other services 5% Wholesale trade 5% Construction 4% Administrative and support 4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).

Health care

441 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Monitor’s ZIP codes.

Nearest hospitals

  • Mclaren Bay RegionGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 1 of 5 · Bay City4.8 miles
  • Healthsource SaginawGeneral hospital · emergency room · Saginaw11.8 miles
  • Covenant Medical CenterGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 2 of 5 · Saginaw12.9 miles

Providers with an office here

Primary care doctors49
Specialist doctors51
Dentists47
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants83
Mental health providers95
Physical and occupational therapists86
Optometrists10
Chiropractors20
Pharmacies18

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.

Places in and around Monitor

Parks (20 nearby)

  • Veterans Memorial Park · 50 acres3.4 mi
  • Defoe Park · 25 acres3.5 mi
  • Frankenlust Township Nature Park · 25 acres3.5 mi
  • Michigan Sugar Trails · 24 acres3.9 mi
  • Monitor Township Park · 18 acres0.7 mi
  • Valley Center Park · 11 acres2.4 mi

Grocery stores (6 nearby)

  • Meijer1.4 mi
  • Kroger2.2 mi
  • ALDI2.4 mi
  • Gordon Food Service2.8 mi

Pharmacies (2 nearby)

  • CVS Pharmacy2.4 mi
  • Walgreens2.5 mi

Libraries (2 nearby)

  • Sage Branch Library2.9 mi
  • Alice and Jack Wirt Public Library3.9 mi

Museums (2 nearby)

  • Bay County Historical Society3.8 mi
  • Antique Toy and Firehouse Museum Pump Station No. 33.9 mi

Theaters and performance venues (1 nearby)

  • World Friendship Shell3.6 mi

Counts are within about 4 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.

Schools in Monitor

Public schools here are run by Bangor Township Schools, Bay-Arenac ISD, Bay City School District and others. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.

Public schools (16)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
Bangor Central SchoolBay CityPre-K–5332Public3.7 mi
Bangor Lincoln SchoolBay CityPre-K–5344Public4.0 mi
ISDLocal ProgramsBay CityPre-K–1292Special Education1.4 mi
Kolb Elementary SchoolBay CityPre-K–5451Public3.1 mi
Mackensen Elementary SchoolBay CityPre-K–5265Public2.8 mi
McAlearSawden Elem SchoolBay CityPre-K–5378Public0.9 mi
State Street AcademyBay CityPre-K–11286Charter3.3 mi
Auburn Elementary SchoolAuburnK–5474Public5.3 mi
Bangor Township Virtual SchoolBay CityK–12182Alternative Education2.4 mi
Bangor West Central SchoolBay CityK–5361Public1.9 mi
Christa McAuliffe Middle SchoolBay City6–8608Public1.9 mi
Handy Middle SchoolBay City6–8598Public2.5 mi
Western Middle SchoolAuburn6–8681Public5.9 mi
Bay City Adult EducationCTPBay City9–1265Alternative Education1.0 mi
Bay City Western High SchoolAuburn9–121,009Public5.9 mi
John Glenn High SchoolBay City9–12864Public1.7 mi
Private schools (7)
SchoolGradesStudentsAffiliationDistance
Auburn Area Catholic SchoolAuburnPre-K–592Roman Catholic5.5 mi
Faith Lutheran SchoolBay CityPre-K–8149Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod1.7 mi
St Johns Lutheran SchoolBay CityPre-K–863Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod2.6 mi
St Paul Lutheran SchoolBay CityPre-K–888Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod3.6 mi
Trinity Lutheran School, MonitorBay CityPre-K–8100Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod5.0 mi
Zion Lutheran SchoolAuburnPre-K–883Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod8.8 mi
Zion Lutheran SchoolBay CityPre-K–8103Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod3.3 mi

Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.

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Towns near Monitor

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Shares ZIP codes with Bangor, Bay City, Williams, Kawkawlin, Frankenlust, Auburn and Beaver.

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.