The Town FilesFife Lake, Michigan
Township in Grand Traverse County · population 1,526 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $248,000
- Household income
- $83,194
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 112 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 54.7
Fife Lake is a township of 1,526 people in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. The median home is worth $248,000, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for a vacation home than 97% of Michigan towns, better for families than 92% of Michigan towns, better for retirees than 70% of Michigan towns.
How Fife 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 Fife Lake is worth $248,000, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $83,194, which is more affordable than 43% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,500 a month. 90.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fife Lake | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $248,000 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $1,500 | $955 |
| Median household income | $83,194 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 90.9% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 27.8% | — |
Who lives in Fife Lake
| People | Fife Lake | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.7 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.5% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 13.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.4% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.2% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 13.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 6.7% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 37.1 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.1% | 88.8% |
Weather in Fife Lake
July highs average 79.0°F and January lows 10.0°F. About 35.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 111.5 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 184 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fife Lake since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 23, 1976 about 7.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 23, 1976.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 17, 2006.
Severe weather in Grand Traverse County since 1996
Grand Traverse County has been included in 6 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 |
| 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 |
| January 27, 1978 | Snowstorm | EM-3057: Blizzards & Snowstorms |
Jobs and pay in Grand Traverse County
Grand Traverse County had 51,962 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,257 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Fife Lake itself the ACS puts it at 3.8%.
Towns near Fife Lake
- Springfield, MI5.3 mi · 1,562 people · home $159,600
- Paradise, MI5.4 mi · 4,952 people · home $265,800
- Liberty, MI6.0 mi · 936 people · home $168,500
- Kingsley, MI6.8 mi · 1,431 people · home $268,800
- South Boardman, MI7.7 mi · 509 people · home $193,300
- Greenwood, MI8.4 mi · 633 people · home $182,100
- Bloomfield, MI8.4 mi · 574 people · home $193,100
- Boardman, MI9.0 mi · 1,479 people · home $177,800
Fife Lake questions
Is Fife Lake, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fife Lake scores better for retirees than 70% of Michigan towns and quieter than 57%. 27.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 54.7).
How much does a house cost in Fife Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Fife Lake is valued at $248,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $83,194, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $1,500 a month.
What is the weather like in Fife Lake?
July highs average 79.0°F and January lows 10.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.3 inches of precipitation a year and 111.5 inches of snow.
Does Fife Lake get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fife Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 23, 1976. 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)