The Town Files

Lake Linden, Michigan

Village in Houghton County · population 1,014 (2020 Census)

Map: where Lake Linden is in MichiganLake Linden
Median home
$97,000
Household income
$43,472
Jan low / Jul high
9° / 77°
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
2
Median age
45.7

Lake Linden is a village of 1,014 people in Houghton County, Michigan. The median home is worth $97,000, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 92% of Michigan towns, hipper than 91% of Michigan towns, better for retirees than 86% of Michigan towns.

How Lake Linden 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.

Lake Linden lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement86th pctFamilies40th pctQuiet51st pctWalkability84th pctFirst-time buyers92nd pctYoung professionals67th pctVibrancy52nd pctHip & trendy91st pctCollege town72nd pctUpscale26th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving29th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Lake Linden is worth $97,000, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $43,472, which is more affordable than 89% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $543 a month. 59.5% of households own their home.

Lake Linden vs Houghton County vs typical Michigan townLake LindenHoughton CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$97,000$159,900$193,900Household income$43,472$58,899$69,792Monthly rent$543$840$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingLake LindenTypical Michigan town
Median home value$97,000$193,900
Median rent$543$955
Median household income$43,472$69,792
Home value ÷ income2.2×2.8×
Homeownership59.5%86.8%
Median year built19421975
Seasonal / vacation homes8.3%—

Who lives in Lake Linden

PeopleLake LindenTypical Michigan town
Median age45.743.7
Age 65 and over26.7%20.7%
Under 1812.5%—
Bachelor's degree or higher25.9%21.5%
Below the poverty line13.8%10.4%
Veterans11.9%—
Born outside the U.S.3.3%—
Work from home6.2%9.1%
Average commute16.4 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband83.9%88.8%

Weather in Lake Linden

July highs average 76.7°F and January lows 9.1°F. About 31.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 194 nights at or below freezing.

Lake Linden monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing24°9°Jan25°9°Feb34°13°Mar46°27°Apr60°36°May70°45°Jun77°51°Jul75°50°Aug67°44°Sep53°35°Oct40°25°Nov29°16°DecPrecipitation (in)2.01.41.52.93.43.33.22.83.53.02.42.4
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Jacobsville station (13.0 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Linden since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. The strongest, an F0, struck on July 11, 1987 about 4.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 11, 1987.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Lake Linden by decade01950s01960s01970s21980s01990s02000s02010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 14 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 16, 2006.

Severe weather in Houghton County since 1996

Storm events in Houghton County since 1996 by typeHail67Flood19Blizzard35High Wind63Heavy Rain18Heavy Snow51Frost/Freeze16Winter Storm175
NOAA Storm Events Database, Houghton County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 5 deaths recorded.

Houghton County has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, freezing.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
August 2, 2018FloodDR-4381: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
June 18, 2013FloodDR-4121: Flooding
September 7, 2005HurricaneEM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

Jobs and pay in Houghton County

Houghton County had 12,124 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,867 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in Lake Linden itself the ACS puts it at 9.2%.

Largest industries in Houghton CountyHealth care & social assistan…1,792 jobs · $61,236Retail1,563 jobs · $31,676Hotels & restaurants1,396 jobs · $18,297Manufacturing939 jobs · $55,484Construction788 jobs · $58,748Professional & technical serv…671 jobs · $79,155
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Houghton County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Houghton 4.6%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Lake Linden

1 public school with 355 students, about 13.7 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Lake LindenHubbell SchoolsPK-1235513.7

Towns near Lake Linden

Lake Linden questions

Is Lake Linden, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake Linden scores better for retirees than 86% of Michigan towns and quieter than 51%. 26.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.7).

How much does a house cost in Lake Linden?

The median owner-occupied home in Lake Linden is valued at $97,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $43,472, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $543 a month.

What is the weather like in Lake Linden?

July highs average 76.7°F and January lows 9.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.6 inches of precipitation a year.

Does Lake Linden get tornadoes?

2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Linden since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on July 11, 1987. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Lake Linden's Census boundary (GEOID 2644780). Comparisons use the median of Michigan towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.