Imlay City, Michigan
Imlay City is a city of 3,721 people in Lapeer County, Michigan, founded in 1850.
Why visit Imlay City
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 8 parks and trails, 20 places to eat and 4 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Charles Palmer House, James F. Fairweather–Jacob C. Lamb House, Lion's Park and Old School Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 15°F, and about 34 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Imlay City
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Imlay City
Imlay City is a city in Lapeer County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,707 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Imlay City, Michigan (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks3
Charles Palmer House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
House in Imlay City, United States of America
James F. Fairweather–Jacob C. Lamb House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
House in Imlay City, United States of America
Parks, trails and playgrounds8
Restaurants and cafes20
Silver Grill Family Dining
Restaurant · American, Burger, Coffee Shop, Sandwich, Ice Cream, Regional, Breakfast, Tea, Hot Dog, Pancake, Diner, Dessert, Fries, Local, Greek · 1.1 mi
535 North Cedar Street
05:00-15:00
Tim Hortons
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.6 mi
1952 South Cedar Street, Imlay City
Mo-We 06:00-22:00; Fr-Su 06:00-22:00
8 more on the map.
Where to stay4
History
In 1836, Connecticut businessman William H. Imlay began purchasing areas of the forest here, and when the township was organized in 1850, it was named after him. In 1870, the Port Huron & Lake Michigan Railroad began building rail lines through the area, and chief engineer Charles Palmer purchased land in order to build a market and hotel. A post office began operating here on December 12, 1870 with Edward Palmer serving as the first postmaster. The community grew quickly to include 15 stores, a grain elevator, and several mills. In 1871, the community incorporated as a village named Imlay City.
In 1914, the city started building streetcar lines—a form of public transportation that was usually reserved for large cities. In April 1970, Imlay City celebrated its 100th birthday, and the residents voted to change Imlay City from a village to a home rule city by a two to one margin. The construction of Interstate 69 in the 1980s connected Imlay City with Flint, Port Huron, and Canada, leading to significant economic growth to serve the interstate travelers.
From the History section of Imlay City, Michigan on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship3
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries9
Lapeer Co Education And Technology Center
School · 5.1 mi
690 N Lake Pleasant Rd, Attica
Healthcare2
Map of Imlay City
56 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°F | 15°F | 2.2 in | 10.8 in |
| Feb | 33°F | 15°F | 1.9 in | 8.2 in |
| Mar | 43°F | 23°F | 1.9 in | 4.8 in |
| Apr | 56°F | 34°F | 3.1 in | 1.0 in |
| May | 69°F | 45°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 55°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 59°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 58°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 50°F | 2.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 61°F | 40°F | 2.9 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 47°F | 30°F | 2.4 in | 1.9 in |
| Dec | 36°F | 22°F | 1.9 in | 7.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Lapeer Wwtp (12 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Lapeer County has had 5 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-03-27: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2003-09-23: Power Outage (Other)
- 2001-01-10: Snow (Snowstorm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
St. Clair County International Airport (PHN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 29 miles away.
- Dryden 5 mi southwest, about 9 min by car
- Almont 7 mi south, about 11 min by car
- Capac 8 mi east, about 13 min by car
- Armada 16 mi southeast, about 25 min by car
- Rochester 23 mi south, about 37 min by car
- Goodrich 23 mi west, about 37 min by car
- Rochester Hills 25 mi south, about 40 min by car
- Auburn Hills 25 mi south, about 40 min by car
- Pontiac 27 mi southwest, about 44 min by car
- Burton 27 mi west, about 44 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Charles Palmer House, Notorious4life at English Wikipedia, Public domain
- Fairweather Lamb House, Notorious4life at English Wikipedia, Public domain
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.