The Town FilesBear Lake, Michigan
Township in Kalkaska County · population 668 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $188,700
- Household income
- $68,889
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 117 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 52.0
Bear Lake is a township of 668 people in Kalkaska County, Michigan. The median home is worth $188,700, close to the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks quieter than 99% of Michigan towns, better for a vacation home than 84% of Michigan towns.
How Bear Lake ranks
Percentile among Michigan towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Michigan towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bear Lake is worth $188,700, close to the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $68,889, which is more affordable than 61% of Michigan towns. 96.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bear Lake | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $188,700 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | — | $955 |
| Median household income | $68,889 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 96.7% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 62.9% | — |
Who lives in Bear Lake
| People | Bear Lake | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.0 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 33.4% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 11.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.9% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.3% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 10.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 8.3% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 25.0 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.6% | 88.8% |
Weather in Bear Lake
July highs average 76.6°F and January lows 9.8°F. About 36.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 117.3 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 188 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bear Lake since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 19, 1975 about 9.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 1, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 8, 2016.
Severe weather in Kalkaska County since 1996
Kalkaska County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Flood | DR-4925: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 22, 2025 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4880: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3455: Covid-19 |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Kalkaska County
Kalkaska County had 4,860 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,400 a year. Unemployment was 5.6% in 2023; in Bear Lake itself the ACS puts it at 10.3%.
Towns near Bear Lake
- Excelsior, MI7.0 mi · 991 people · home $212,300
- Frederic, MI7.7 mi · 1,161 people · home $174,700
- Grayling, MI9.6 mi · 1,867 people · home $160,800
- Garfield, MI10.6 mi · 984 people · home $182,800
- Coldsprings, MI11.1 mi · 1,551 people · home $188,500
- Orange, MI12.0 mi · 1,250 people · home $200,800
- Beaver Creek, MI12.1 mi · 1,515 people · home $154,200
- Grayling, MI12.9 mi · 5,642 people · home $163,400
Bear Lake questions
Is Bear Lake, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bear Lake scores better for retirees than 36% of Michigan towns and quieter than 99%. 33.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.0).
How much does a house cost in Bear Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Bear Lake is valued at $188,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,889, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Bear Lake?
July highs average 76.6°F and January lows 9.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.5 inches of precipitation a year and 117.3 inches of snow.
Does Bear Lake get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bear Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 19, 1975. The typical Michigan town has had 10.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)