Population 2,519 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Sylvan Lake
Household size in Sylvan Lake
| Period | Sylvan Lake | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.16 | 2.63 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.07 | 2.63 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.10 | 2.58 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.98 | 2.57 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.19 | −0.07 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Sylvan Lake are small: just 1.98 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 2.16, 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 Sylvan Lake
| Period | Sylvan Lake | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.3 | 39.0 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.7 | 40.1 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.4 | 40.9 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 49.1 | 41.0 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +6.8 | +2.1 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 49.1, Sylvan Lake 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 Sylvan Lake
| Period | Sylvan Lake | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.8% | 12.1% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 12.3% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.3% | 11.3% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.3% | 11.2% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Sylvan Lake than nationally: 9.3%, against 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 Sylvan Lake
Renters in Sylvan Lake
| Period | Sylvan Lake | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.3% | 26.7% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.9% | 30.2% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.2% | 31.0% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 23.8% | 28.8% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 23.8% of households in Sylvan Lake rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 31.1% 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 Sylvan Lake
| Period | Sylvan Lake | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.3% | 11.3% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 11.2% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.4% | 10.0% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.6% | 8.3% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −3.1 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Sylvan Lake: 7.6% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The Detroit area as a whole looks much the same.
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 Sylvan Lake
| Period | Sylvan Lake | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1955 | 1968 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1960 | 1969 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1959 | 1969 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1961 | 1970 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +2 | +3 | +6 |
The housing in Sylvan Lake is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1961, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates.
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 Sylvan Lake
| Period | Sylvan Lake | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $926 | $952 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $907 | $1,005 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,517 | $1,123 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,320 | $1,373 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$394 | +$421 | +$395 | +$606 |
Rent in Sylvan Lake runs $1,320 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. That is in line with the rest of the Detroit area. Rent takes 28.0% of the typical renter's income, just under 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 Sylvan Lake
Bachelor's degrees in Sylvan Lake
| Period | Sylvan Lake | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 55.2% | 27.8% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 52.3% | 28.8% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 50.7% | 31.1% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 47.7% | 34.5% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | −7.5 pts | +6.7 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Sylvan Lake: 47.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby.
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 Sylvan Lake
| Period | Sylvan Lake | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.1% | 87.7% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.4% | 88.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.3% | 89.8% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 99.4% | 90.9% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Sylvan Lake: 99.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
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 Sylvan Lake
| Period | Sylvan Lake | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.3% | 12.7% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 12.8% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 6.8% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 6.7% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.5 pts | −5.9 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Sylvan Lake runs below the national rate: 3.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% 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).
Sylvan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sylvan Lake | 1.98 | 49.1 | 9.3% | 23.8% | 7.6% | 1961 | $1,320 | 47.7% | 99.4% | 3.8% |
| Keego Harbor | 2.10 | 44.3 | 15.6% | 39.1% | 11.8% | 1977 | $1,263 | 44.5% | 96.7% | 5.2% |
| Orchard Lake Village | 2.88 | 49.4 | 5.7% | 2.7% | 6.3% | 1981 | $1,025 | 65.9% | 93.4% | 3.8% |
| Pontiac | 2.52 | 37.6 | 20.6% | 53.3% | 11.5% | 1961 | $1,091 | 16.4% | 82.5% | 11.7% |
| Waterford | 2.35 | 43.6 | 7.4% | 24.5% | 5.6% | 1971 | $1,221 | 29.4% | 93.5% | 4.6% |
| Bloomfield Hills | 2.62 | 47.4 | 4.9% | 13.2% | 6.5% | 1970 | $2,238 | 77.7% | 98.4% | 3.4% |
| West Bloomfield | 2.68 | 46.8 | 6.0% | 16.5% | 5.4% | 1980 | $2,037 | 59.9% | 95.0% | 5.5% |
| Lake Angelus | 2.07 | 57.2 | 5.1% | 3.6% | 2.9% | 1965 | $1,130 | 48.1% | 99.6% | 2.0% |
| Auburn Hills | 2.17 | 38.1 | 9.1% | 48.4% | 7.9% | 1987 | $1,599 | 51.0% | 93.1% | 5.6% |
| Franklin | 2.47 | 48.9 | 2.6% | 2.6% | 7.9% | 1959 | $3,216 | 79.5% | 97.3% | 1.7% |
| Bingham Farms | 3.51 | 65.1 | 5.2% | 3.5% | 5.5% | 1983 | $3,368 | 69.3% | 93.9% | 1.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Sturgeon, MO · Gibbsboro, NJ · Gueydan, LA · Hamer, SC · Huntsville, UT · Iola, TX · Wagner, SD · Utley, TX · Taylor Springs, IL · Big Prairie, OH
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 Sylvan 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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