Population 7,207 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Houghton Lake
Household size in Houghton Lake
| Period | Houghton Lake | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.28 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.00 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.17 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.09 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.19 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Houghton Lake are small: just 2.09 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.28, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only 12 of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Houghton Lake
| Period | Houghton Lake | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 49.9 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 54.1 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 53.1 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 54.3 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.4 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 54.3, Houghton Lake is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 49.9, in line with the national trend. Only four of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people are older.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Houghton Lake
| Period | Houghton Lake | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.1% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.8% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.0% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.3% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −5.7 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Houghton Lake: 6.3% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 5.7 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Houghton Lake has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five Michigan cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Houghton Lake
Renters in Houghton Lake
| Period | Houghton Lake | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.0% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.9% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.4% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 15.9% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 15.9% of households in Houghton Lake rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 53.6% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the south. The renter share is up 1.9 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Houghton Lake
| Period | Houghton Lake | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.2% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 39.4% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 41.9% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 37.6% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.6 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Houghton Lake: 37.6% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 4.6 points, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Houghton Lake
| Period | Houghton Lake | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1978 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1978 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1979 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1979 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +3 | +6 |
Homes in Houghton Lake are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1979, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in Michigan as a whole, where the median home dates to 1972. The newest homes are mostly in the south, the oldest in the center.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Houghton Lake
| Period | Houghton Lake | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $526 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $703 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $696 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $842 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$316 | +$395 | +$606 |
The median renter in Houghton Lake pays $842 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $316 a month since 2006–10, up 60%, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 30.7% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Houghton Lake
Bachelor's degrees in Houghton Lake
| Period | Houghton Lake | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.6% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 12.3% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.4% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Houghton Lake: 16.4% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 4.9 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the center.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Houghton Lake
| Period | Houghton Lake | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.4% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.8% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.6% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.1 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Houghton Lake is a bit above the national rate: 91.6% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Michigan as a whole looks much the same. The share with a diploma is up 9.1 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Houghton Lake
| Period | Houghton Lake | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.4% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 17.2% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.6% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.1% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −15.3 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Houghton Lake has been strong: just 3.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 15.3 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Houghton Lake compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houghton Lake | 2.09 | 54.3 | 6.3% | 15.9% | 37.6% | 1979 | $842 | 16.4% | 91.6% | 3.1% |
| Houghton Lake Heights | 2.07 | 48.5 | 11.1% | 22.9% | 57.3% | 1975 | $796 | 11.6% | 85.7% | 3.1% |
| Prudenville | 2.05 | 52.4 | 11.9% | 23.0% | 42.4% | 1976 | $795 | 18.5% | 93.1% | 4.8% |
| Houghton Point | 1.98 | 61.6 | 4.5% | 19.8% | 61.4% | 1977 | $857 | 20.1% | 90.0% | 3.1% |
| Meads Landing | 2.17 | 54.3 | 6.2% | 10.7% | 47.0% | 1983 | $1,047 | 20.3% | 92.4% | 6.8% |
| Merritt | 2.49 | 45.3 | 9.2% | 13.8% | 39.1% | 1980 | $1,000 | 13.0% | 91.1% | 6.8% |
| Higgins Lake | 1.88 | 55.9 | 6.3% | 5.0% | 54.2% | 1978 | $843 | 25.5% | 92.6% | 6.5% |
| Roscommon | 2.04 | 55.4 | 5.9% | 9.6% | 43.6% | 1977 | $809 | 28.3% | 93.7% | 4.3% |
| Prosper | 2.23 | 49.7 | 6.3% | 10.4% | 39.1% | 1978 | $963 | 13.0% | 91.5% | 5.6% |
| Falmouth | 2.37 | 45.9 | 4.9% | 10.5% | 35.4% | 1978 | $976 | 13.4% | 88.2% | 5.9% |
| St. Helen | 2.19 | 54.8 | 7.4% | 13.0% | 47.4% | 1974 | $790 | 11.3% | 86.6% | 9.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Smiths, AL · Shelbyville, IL · Sheldon, IA · Shepherd, TX · Silver Creek, GA · Silverthorne, CO · Simsbury, CT · Sisters, OR · Skaneateles, NY · Skillman, NJ
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Houghton Lake. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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