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CITY · 2020 ACS

Houghton Lake

Michigan · 5,294 residents · 10.75 sq mi
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The short version

Houghton Lake has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $38,150. Population has grown 41% since 2000. 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 33%. Median home value has risen by half since 2000, reaching $110,500. With a median age of 54.1, the population is older than the US median of 38.8. Households here earn about 36% less than the Michigan median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 54.1
US median: 38.8
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
5,294
+41%since 2000
from 3,749 in 2000
1990 – 2024
Median age
54.1
+22%since 2000
from 44.2 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
2K3K4K5K6K1990201020202024Houghton Lake
20246K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 53.5%(187)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.8%(252)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 144.6%(244)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 194.5%(237)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 243.8%(201)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 349.7%(511)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 449.1%(482)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5411.2%(592)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6418.8%(994)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7417.1%(905)
US avg: 10%
75 to 849.1%(482)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over3.9%(207)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$38,150
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $27,443 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$24,514
+45%since 2000
from $16,862 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
14.5%
+3.5 ptssince 2009
from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
21.1%
+5.1 ptssince 2000
from 16.0% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information25.4%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade9.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Retail trade8.4%
US avg: 10%
Other services6.7%
US avg: 6.6%
Finance & insurance5.2%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical5.1%
US avg: 4.7%
Public administration4.2%
US avg: 4.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.3%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction2.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Transportation & warehousing0.9%
US avg: 2.5%
Education & health services0.1%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
Arts, entertainment, food0%
US avg: 2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$110,500
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $68,400 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$646
+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $412 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
74.0%
−3.1 ptssince 2000
from 77.0% in 2000
26.0% rent
Afford Score
2.9
−15%since 2009
from 3.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Houghton Lake on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic97.3%(3,647)
Black0.3%(13)
Hispanic / Latino0.9%(34)
Asian0.2%(7)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic93%(4,923)
Black0.3%(15)
Hispanic / Latino1.9%(98)
Asian0.6%(30)
Other2.1%(110)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.3%(73)
Puerto Rican0.8%(45)
Cuban0.1%(7)
Asian origin
Korean0%(1)
Ancestry
German27.1%(1,517)
English12.6%(705)
Polish11.2%(629)
French8.1%(456)
Irish7.2%(402)
Scottish4.5%(250)
American4.1%(232)
Dutch4%(222)
Swedish2%(111)
Hungarian1.6%(87)
Finnish1%(57)
+ 17 more ancestry groups with data
Italian0.9%(49)
Ukrainian0.8%(42)
Lithuanian0.7%(37)
Scotch-Irish0.6%(32)
British0.5%(28)
Norwegian0.4%(22)
Russian0.4%(20)
Danish0.3%(19)
Austrian0.3%(15)
Lebanese0.2%(11)
Belgian0.2%(11)
Slovak0.2%(10)
Greek0.2%(9)
Canadian0.1%(8)
Romanian0.1%(8)
Welsh0.1%(7)
Czech0.1%(6)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Polish population · Largest French population · Largest Irish population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
15.1%
+7.4 ptssince 2000
from 7.7% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
87.5%
+10.7 ptssince 2000
from 76.8% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
10.1%
+6.8 ptssince 2000
from 3.3% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
25.3 min
+75%since 2000
from 14.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
65.1%
−13.5 ptssince 2009
from 78.7% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
13.1%
+9.1 ptssince 2009
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
7.9%
−11.2 ptssince 2011
from 19.1% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
43.7%
+0.9 ptssince 2011
from 42.8% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Management & professional
22.1%
−41.4 ptssince 2009
from 63.5% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.6%
+3.1 ptssince 2009
from 47.5% in 2009
Female
49.4%
−3.1 ptssince 2009
from 52.5% in 2009
Foreign born
0.8%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
6.6%
−77.7 ptssince 2013
from 84.3% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married25.1%(643)
Married51.4%(1,316)
Widowed5.4%(138)
Divorced18.1%(465)
Women 15+
Never married20.1%(489)
Married51.7%(1,258)
Widowed11.9%(289)
Divorced16.3%(397)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Houghton Lake, Michigan?

Houghton Lake, Michigan has about 5,294 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Houghton Lake, Michigan?

The typical household in Houghton Lake, Michigan earns about $38,150 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Houghton Lake, Michigan expensive?

In Houghton Lake, Michigan, the median home is worth about $110,500, and the typical rent is about $646 a month.

How educated are people in Houghton Lake, Michigan?

About 15.1% of adults age 25 and over in Houghton Lake, Michigan hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Houghton Lake, Michigan?

About 21.1% of people in Houghton Lake, Michigan live below the federal poverty line.

Has Houghton Lake, Michigan grown since 1990?

Yes, Houghton Lake, Michigan has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,941 residents, a change of about 58 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →