Housing decision brief
Lake County, MI Housing Market
Lake County screens as a below-state purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a higher tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
7th lowest home value out of 83 Michigan counties with data | 44th lowest rent out of 83
Median home value
$122,900
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$863/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$729/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.5x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
32.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$134/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$122,900 median home value is 27% below Michigan county median
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $134/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 78.0 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$49,680 median income is 20% below Michigan county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.15% effective property-tax rate is 1% above Michigan county median
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Lake County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $122,900 | $167,600 | $281,900 | 27% favorable27% below Michigan county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $863 | $845 | $1,163 | Near state median2% above Michigan county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $729 | $868 | $1,672 | 16% favorable16% below Michigan county median |
Median household income | $49,680 | $61,868 | $74,755 | 20% pressure20% below Michigan county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.15% | 1.13% | 1.02% | Near state median1% above Michigan county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 32.00% | 28.00% | N/A | 14% pressure32.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$15,160
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$18,437
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Lake County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $863/month representing approximately 20.8% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 32.0%.
Rent vs own
Renters in Lake County pay $863/month on average, compared to $729/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 16%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $34,520/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $31,243/year. With a median household income of $49,680, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 32.0% of renter households in Lake County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Michigan, Lake County is more affordable than Montmorency County by roughly 6% ($863/mo vs $811/mo).
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clare County, MI | $117,400 | $743/mo | Same-state comparison near $117,400 home value and $743/mo rent. |
| Ogemaw County, MI | $138,600 | $828/mo | Same-state comparison near $138,600 home value and $828/mo rent. |
| Montmorency County, MI | $142,000 | $811/mo | Same-state comparison near $142,000 home value and $811/mo rent. |
| Luce County, MI | $110,400 | $799/mo | Same-state comparison near $110,400 home value and $799/mo rent. |
| Oscoda County, MI | $126,000 | $675/mo | Same-state comparison near $126,000 home value and $675/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Lake County
Is Lake County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Lake County?
How much income do you need for housing in Lake County?
What should I double-check before moving to Lake County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.