The Town Files

Lincoln, Michigan

Township in Clare County · population 1,805 (2020 Census)

Map: where Lincoln is in MichiganLincoln
Median home
$143,600
Household income
$48,953
Jan low / Jul high
13° / 82°
Snow a year
49 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
6
Median age
56.8

Lincoln is a township of 1,805 people in Clare County, Michigan. The median home is worth $143,600, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks quieter than 89% of Michigan towns, better for first-time buyers than 84% of Michigan towns, better transit than 79% of Michigan towns.

How Lincoln 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.

Lincoln lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement39th pctFamilies30th pctQuiet89th pctWalkability3rd pctFirst-time buyers84th pctYoung professionals14th pctVibrancy12th pctHip & trendy13th pctCollege town5th pctUpscale16th pctVacation homes74th pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit79th pctDriving12th 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 Lincoln is worth $143,600, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $48,953, which is more affordable than 48% of Michigan towns. 97.7% of households own their home.

Lincoln vs Clare County vs typical Michigan townLincolnClare CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$143,600$133,800$193,900Household income$48,953$49,384$69,792
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingLincolnTypical Michigan town
Median home value$143,600$193,900
Median rent—$955
Median household income$48,953$69,792
Home value ÷ income2.9×2.8×
Homeownership97.7%86.8%
Median year built19831975
Seasonal / vacation homes63.7%—

Who lives in Lincoln

PeopleLincolnTypical Michigan town
Median age56.843.7
Age 65 and over31.8%20.7%
Under 1813.4%—
Bachelor's degree or higher11.0%21.5%
Below the poverty line14.8%10.4%
Veterans9.8%—
Born outside the U.S.1.5%—
Work from home6.7%9.1%
Average commute35.8 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband88.0%88.8%

Weather in Lincoln

July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 12.7°F. About 34.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 48.5 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 165 nights at or below freezing.

Lincoln monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing29°13°Jan32°13°Feb43°20°Mar56°31°Apr68°43°May78°53°Jun82°57°Jul80°55°Aug73°47°Sep60°37°Oct46°28°Nov34°20°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.113.81.711.42.06.73.52.83.83.53.23.42.83.20.42.52.82.210.6
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Gladwin station (20.7 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 1 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lincoln since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on July 5, 2024 about 1.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 5, 2024.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Lincoln by decade01950s01960s01970s11980s21990s22000s02010s12020s
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 15 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 7, 2020.

Severe weather in Clare County since 1996

Storm events in Clare County since 1996 by typeHail32Flood3Tornado5Blizzard2High Wind7Ice Storm4Heavy Snow15Flash Flood5
NOAA Storm Events Database, Clare County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 2 deaths recorded.

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

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
September 7, 2005HurricaneEM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation
January 10, 2001SnowstormEM-3160: Snow
September 18, 1986FloodDR-774: Severe Storms & Flooding

Jobs and pay in Clare County

Clare County had 7,261 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,949 a year. Unemployment was 6.3% in 2023; in Lincoln itself the ACS puts it at 5.8%.

Largest industries in Clare CountyHealth care & social assistan…1,074 jobs · $49,502Retail938 jobs · $34,964Manufacturing924 jobs · $67,943Hotels & restaurants812 jobs · $17,931Other services408 jobs · $38,296Construction391 jobs · $56,354
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Clare County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%16%2000200420082012201620202023Clare 6.3%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Lincoln

Lincoln questions

Is Lincoln, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lincoln scores better for retirees than 39% of Michigan towns and quieter than 89%. 31.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 56.8).

How much does a house cost in Lincoln?

The median owner-occupied home in Lincoln is valued at $143,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $48,953, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is — a month.

What is the weather like in Lincoln?

July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 12.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.0 inches of precipitation a year and 48.5 inches of snow.

Does Lincoln get tornadoes?

6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lincoln since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on July 5, 2024. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Lincoln's Census boundary (GEOID 2603547620). 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.