2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Ionia, MI vs Bay City, MI

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Highlights
Are people in Bay City older or younger than people in Ionia?
- The Median Age in Bay City is 1.6 years older than in Ionia.

Are housing costs cheaper in Bay City or Ionia?
- Bay City housing costs are 49.5% less expensive than Ionia housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Bay City or Ionia?
- The average commute for residents of Bay City is 7.5 minutes shorter than it is for residents of Ionia.

Things to do in Ionia?
Ionia, MI is an inviting city southwest of Grand Rapids providing numerous delightful attractions such as Ionia Free Fairgrounds displaying its distinctive environment or Saranac Trail perfect for outdoor activities; locals gather yearly at their spectacular Ionia County Fair highlighting culture through foods, music and art each August.

Things to do in Bay City?
Bay City MI rests near Saginaw Valley known mostly for its historic riverfront district packed with shops & restaurants alongside several Victorian style houses giving visitors an authentic glimpse into Michigan’s past.

 Ionia, MIBay City, MIUnited States
 Population  Unlock32,824329,725,481
 Median Income$54,840  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock3938.4
 Avg. Home Price$183,200  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock8.2%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time27.34  Unlock26.38
Reviews for Ionia    1 Reviews

Over 15 years ago

Ionia is booming! South of town towards I-96 many chain stores have popped up in the last 5 or 6 years.(Wal-mart, Lowes, Menards, several banks, .....etc). With this  More

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Reviews for Bay City    7 Reviews

Bay City offers low prices for homes due to lower population (Current lower demand). Years ago, the population was more than 3x as big due to big lumber industry, etc.  More

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But everything else is going to  More

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There are many pros to Bay City, it is incredibly cheap to live in and most everything is very affordable. The problem is that the economy is terrible and there aren't  More

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