Essexville offers suburban living next to Bay City
Essexville locals live between the countryside of Hampton Township and the vibrant riverfront community of Bay City. “People will choose to live in Essexville over Bay City because of the lower taxes, and it’s more of a small town,” says Margaret Walther, a real estate agent with Century 21 who grew up in Essexville. While the small city of about 3,300 is also on the river, the Essexville waterfront is mostly occupied by an abandoned cement factory with deep roots in the community. “I come from a family of 12 — and that’s not uncommon. There are a lot of large families here. Many moved here years ago to work at the cement plant. My dad, uncle and cousins all worked there,” Walther says.
A competitive housing market with quick sales
The median home sale price in Essexville is $300,000 compared to $270,000 in Bay City. Many of the bungalows, Cape Cods and ranch-style homes were built on small lots between the early and mid-1900s. Homes sit on straight, tree-lined streets, often with sidewalks. There are a few developments with modern builds, including large New Traditional houses, but they rarely hit the market. “It’s very competitive here,” Walther says. “When homes go up, they sell fast. I put in an offer recently for $16,000 over the asking price and lost.”
Stores and restaurants on Center Avenue, more options in Bay City
Center Avenue is the main commercial strip in town, featuring a mix of national fast-food chains and local restaurants. Mandarin House Chinese Restaurant is known for its buffet, while Stars Chinese Gourmet Restaurant is drive-thru only. Excited Goat Coffee Co. is another local favorite, known for its specialty coffees and sandwiches. For groceries, residents can shop locally at Jack’s Fruit & Meat Market. Or, there are several national retailers, including Kroger, Family Dollar and Dollar General. Bay City is also nearby with many more businesses. “We’re very connected to Bay City,” Walther says. “You cross the street and you’re there. They have a downtown by the bay with all your local restaurants, a river cruise with live bands and food, and the Friendship Shell, where they have live music by the bay.”
STEM program looking bright at Garber High School
Public school students attend kindergarten and first grade at W.R. Bush Elementary School, which receives a B grade from Niche. They’ll go on to C-plus-graded Verellen Elementary School. Cramer Junior High School receives a B-minus, and it’s right next to Garber High School, which receives a B. The high school focuses heavily on STEM education. In 2025, the robotics team placed in the top 10 in the state championship and traveled to Houston to compete in the global FIRST Championship. In 2024, the school received a $1 million grant for a new regional STEM center. There have been no reports of a start or end date for the project.
A small waterfront park and an open green space
Smith Park is right along the river next to the former cement plant. The small waterfront park has a playground and a boat launch. “Fishing is a big deal in this region,” Walther says. “We have professional fishing tournaments in the bay. In the winter, when it reaches single digits, people will drive their trucks on the bay and go ice fishing.” Ransom Essex Park features a large grassy field with a looped walkway and a stone memorial commemorating the city’s founder, with benches surrounding it.
Locals visit Bay City for Fourth of July fireworks and other events
While Essexville isn’t known for hosting community events, locals will head to the festivities in Bay City. They include a massive Fourth of July fireworks show, the Hell’s Half-Mile Film & Music Festival in September and Wednesdays in the Park Summer Concert Series at Wenonah Park’s Friendship Shell by the river.
I-75 to MBS International Airport and Detroit
Locals have easy access to state routes 15 and 25. Interstate 75 is also about 6 miles away. It takes about 30 minutes to drive 17 miles to MBS International Airport, which offers flights to Detroit and Chicago. Detroit is about 120 miles away, a 2-hour drive.
Written By
Nicolas Stuart
