The Town FilesLake, Michigan
Township in Roscommon County · population 1,119 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $299,100
- Household income
- $63,295
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 75 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 61.7
Lake is a township of 1,119 people in Roscommon County, Michigan. The median home is worth $299,100, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks quieter than 99% of Michigan towns, better for retirees than 86% of Michigan towns, better for first-time buyers than 83% of Michigan towns.
How 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 Lake is worth $299,100, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 4.7 times the median household income of $63,295, which is more affordable than 3% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $798 a month. 92.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $299,100 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $798 | $955 |
| Median household income | $63,295 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 92.0% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 59.2% | — |
Who lives in Lake
| People | Lake | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 61.7 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 37.0% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 9.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.3% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.8% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 10.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.2% | — |
| Work from home | 13.1% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 39.6 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.2% | 88.8% |
Weather in Lake
July highs average 80.5°F and January lows 10.3°F. About 32.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 74.7 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 176 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 10, 1974 about 7.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 9, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 2, 2015.
Severe weather in Roscommon County since 1996
Roscommon 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 |
| 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 Roscommon County
Roscommon County had 6,429 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $39,799 a year. Unemployment was 7.2% in 2023; in Lake itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.
Towns near Lake
- Houghton Lake, MI5.8 mi · 5,294 people · home $126,200
- Lyon, MI6.2 mi · 1,252 people · home $211,100
- Markey, MI6.2 mi · 2,401 people · home $166,300
- Prudenville, MI8.5 mi · 1,643 people · home $163,300
- Denton, MI9.0 mi · 5,293 people · home $163,200
- Gerrish, MI9.1 mi · 2,796 people · home $232,100
- Roscommon, MI10.7 mi · 4,397 people · home $137,700
- Norwich, MI11.0 mi · 631 people · home $170,100
Lake questions
Is Lake, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake scores better for retirees than 86% of Michigan towns and quieter than 99%. 37.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 61.7).
How much does a house cost in Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake is valued at $299,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,295, so homes cost about 4.7 times income. Median rent is $798 a month.
What is the weather like in Lake?
July highs average 80.5°F and January lows 10.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.4 inches of precipitation a year and 74.7 inches of snow.
Does Lake get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 10, 1974. 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)