The Town FilesCarp Lake, Michigan
Township in Emmet County · population 748 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $195,200
- Household income
- $45,833
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 87 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 41.0
Carp Lake is a township of 748 people in Emmet County, Michigan. The median home is worth $195,200, close to the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for retirees than 92% of Michigan towns, better for a vacation home than 92% of Michigan towns, quieter than 91% of Michigan towns.
How Carp 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 Carp Lake is worth $195,200, close to the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $45,833, which is more affordable than 5% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $570 a month. 75.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Carp Lake | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $195,200 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $570 | $955 |
| Median household income | $45,833 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 75.4% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 52.4% | — |
Who lives in Carp Lake
| People | Carp Lake | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.0 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.1% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 25.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.8% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 30.3% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 12.2% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 24.2 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.9% | 88.8% |
Weather in Carp Lake
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 8.9°F. About 30.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 86.5 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 180 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Carp Lake since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on September 30, 2019.
Severe weather in Emmet County since 1996
Emmet 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 Emmet County
Emmet County had 17,742 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,435 a year. Unemployment was 5.7% in 2023; in Carp Lake itself the ACS puts it at 5.8%.
Towns near Carp Lake
- Wawatam, MI3.4 mi · 711 people · home $226,900
- Bliss, MI5.8 mi · 568 people · home $185,400
- McKinley, MI6.9 mi · 1,294 people · home $117,300
- Mackinaw City, MI7.0 mi · 846 people · home $224,300
- Center, MI8.6 mi · 525 people · home $219,500
- Munro, MI9.0 mi · 592 people · home $302,100
- Pellston, MI9.4 mi · 774 people · home $121,000
- Beaugrand, MI11.8 mi · 1,092 people · home $206,300
Carp Lake questions
Is Carp Lake, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Carp Lake scores better for retirees than 92% of Michigan towns and quieter than 91%. 21.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.0).
How much does a house cost in Carp Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Carp Lake is valued at $195,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $45,833, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $570 a month.
What is the weather like in Carp Lake?
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 8.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.0 inches of precipitation a year and 86.5 inches of snow.
Does Carp Lake get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Carp Lake in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)