Population 473 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Sister Lakes
Household size in Sister Lakes
| Period | Sister Lakes | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.50 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.39 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.28 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.22 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Sister Lakes are small: just 2.28 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 2.50, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Sister Lakes
| Period | Sister Lakes | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.2 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.8 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.7 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.1 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.9 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 46.1, Sister Lakes is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees.
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 Sister Lakes
| Period | Sister Lakes | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.2% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.7% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.6% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.2 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 4.0% of households in Sister Lakes, well below the national share of 11.6%.
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 Sister Lakes
Renters in Sister Lakes
| Period | Sister Lakes | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.6% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.5% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.1% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 11.9% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 11.9% of households in Sister Lakes rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 36.5% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%.
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 Sister Lakes
| Period | Sister Lakes | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.7% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.1% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 24.6% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 29.1% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Sister Lakes: 29.1% 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.
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 Sister Lakes
| Period | Sister Lakes | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1971 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1975 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1967 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1967 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | −4 | +3 | +6 |
Sister Lakes is a place of older homes: half were built before 1967, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating.
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 Sister Lakes
| Period | Sister Lakes | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $615 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $693 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $683 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $767 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$151 | +$395 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Sister Lakes costs $767 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 30.5% of household income on rent, 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 Sister Lakes
Bachelor's degrees in Sister Lakes
| Period | Sister Lakes | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.3% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.9% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.0% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.3% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.0 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Sister Lakes: 22.3% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
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 Sister Lakes
| Period | Sister Lakes | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.6% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.2% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.5% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.8% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.2 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Sister Lakes have finished high school (90.8%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of Michigan.
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 Sister Lakes
| Period | Sister Lakes | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.1% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.0% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.0% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.1 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Sister Lakes has been strong: just 3.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Sister Lakes 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sister Lakes | 2.28 | 46.1 | 4.0% | 11.9% | 29.1% | 1967 | $767 | 22.3% | 90.8% | 3.0% |
| Naomi | 2.68 | 41.3 | 9.2% | 16.0% | 16.0% | 1965 | $703 | 17.0% | 93.0% | 3.2% |
| Keeler | 2.91 | 41.8 | 5.7% | 6.3% | 27.6% | 1973 | $724 | 21.5% | 84.1% | 8.9% |
| Indian Lake | 2.30 | 48.3 | 8.8% | 21.8% | 19.0% | 1956 | $751 | 21.3% | 93.1% | 4.1% |
| Pokagon | 2.15 | 45.8 | 9.6% | 23.7% | 13.3% | 1964 | $862 | 19.0% | 89.6% | 6.3% |
| Eau Claire | 2.42 | 48.3 | 6.7% | 13.4% | 14.8% | 1964 | $792 | 20.5% | 91.8% | 3.5% |
| Spinks Corners | 2.05 | 57.1 | 4.4% | 3.9% | 8.6% | 1957 | $806 | 23.2% | 74.9% | 7.2% |
| Dowagiac | 2.29 | 43.8 | 12.4% | 25.2% | 19.3% | 1960 | $867 | 19.0% | 89.1% | 8.5% |
| Shanghai Corners | 2.34 | 53.8 | 2.4% | 4.6% | 7.9% | 1960 | $879 | 19.6% | 92.5% | 1.5% |
| Glenwood | 2.43 | 46.1 | 8.5% | 10.6% | 18.6% | 1975 | $939 | 15.6% | 84.8% | 7.0% |
| Watervliet | 2.58 | 40.4 | 13.3% | 26.0% | 21.3% | 1968 | $952 | 18.7% | 85.7% | 3.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Philadelphus, NC · O'Farrell, TX · Oak Grove, AL · Oak Hill, MO · Oakland, OH · Oakpark, VA · Oceola, OH · Ojo Caliente, NM · Onia, AR · Peter, UT
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 Sister Lakes. 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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