The Town FilesBelknap, Michigan
Township in Presque Isle County · population 686 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $154,500
- Household income
- $52,457
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 85 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 57.1
Belknap is a township of 686 people in Presque Isle County, Michigan. The median home is worth $154,500, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks quieter than 97% of Michigan towns, better for first-time buyers than 95% of Michigan towns, better for cycling than 93% of Michigan towns.
How Belknap 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 Belknap is worth $154,500, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $52,457, which is more affordable than 48% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,125 a month. 96.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Belknap | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $154,500 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $1,125 | $955 |
| Median household income | $52,457 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 96.7% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 7.7% | — |
Who lives in Belknap
| People | Belknap | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 57.1 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.9% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 14.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.4% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.9% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 11.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 26.8 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.2% | 88.8% |
Weather in Belknap
July highs average 79.7°F and January lows 14.2°F. About 31.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 84.8 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 162 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Belknap since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 8, 1964 about 0.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 15, 2001.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 20, 2022.
Severe weather in Presque Isle County since 1996
Presque Isle 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 Presque Isle County
Presque Isle County had 2,595 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,344 a year. Unemployment was 7.7% in 2023; in Belknap itself the ACS puts it at 4.4%.
Towns near Belknap
- Rogers City, MI7.1 mi · 2,850 people · home $110,200
- Posen, MI8.5 mi · 808 people · home $121,900
- Rogers, MI8.7 mi · 964 people · home $161,000
- Krakow, MI11.8 mi · 666 people · home $237,200
- Case, MI11.8 mi · 819 people · home $149,300
- Ocqueoc, MI12.8 mi · 544 people · home $221,000
- Long Rapids, MI13.6 mi · 977 people · home $134,100
- Presque Isle Harbor, MI16.9 mi · 643 people · home $252,500
Belknap questions
Is Belknap, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Belknap scores better for retirees than 82% of Michigan towns and quieter than 97%. 27.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 57.1).
How much does a house cost in Belknap?
The median owner-occupied home in Belknap is valued at $154,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,457, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $1,125 a month.
What is the weather like in Belknap?
July highs average 79.7°F and January lows 14.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.7 inches of precipitation a year and 84.8 inches of snow.
Does Belknap get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Belknap since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 8, 1964. 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)