Alpena County, Michigan
Among the top 10% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade A, better than 90% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 15% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 56% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 57% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 46% of US counties
- top 9% for cost of living
- top 10% for commute time
- bottom 7% for annual snowfall
Alpena County is a county in Michigan with about 29,000 residents. It grades A for affordability and D for weather. Standout strengths include cost of living, commute time, and monthly rent. It rates lower on unemployment and annual snowfall.
Official websitealpenacounty.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
freezing
v.cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
very cold
69%28%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.1 in1.9 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$49k19th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$42kbetter than 91% of US counties
Home Value$128k31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$638better than 90% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 89% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.15%better than 29% of US counties
Income Tax4.30%better than 71% of US counties
Sales Tax6.00%better than 84% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.28%better than 54% of US counties
Unemployment7.4%better than 14% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)20°F13th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)68°F7th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation31.6 in27th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall63.3 inbetter than 7% of US counties
Sunny Days216 daysbetter than 29% of US counties
Summer Humidity57°Fbetter than 83% of US counties
Comfortable Days75 daysbetter than 38% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk28.3better than 70% of US counties
School Quality68.4better than 72% of US counties
Violent Crime1321/100kbetter than 21% of US counties
Property Crime879/100kbetter than 51% of US counties
Community
Population28,91153rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age47.688th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1011th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9939th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2838th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)94.2%91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.8%30th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)1.5%9th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.5%41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.0%39th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time18 minbetter than 91% of US counties
Walkability6.2/20better than 54% of US counties
Airport Distance177 mibetter than 18% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access82.3%better than 43% of US counties
Amenities Nearby1.73better than 45% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 60% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Alpena County an affordable place to live?
- Alpena County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $42k, better than 91% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Alpena County?
- The median home value in Alpena County is $128k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Alpena County?
- Median household income in Alpena County is $49k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Alpena County?
- Median gross rent in Alpena County is $638 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Alpena County safe?
- Alpena County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1321/100k (better than 21%). Property crime is 879/100k.
- What is the weather like in Alpena County?
- Alpena County averages 68°F in July and 20°F in January, with 31.6 in of annual precipitation and about 216 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Alpena County?
- Public-school quality in Alpena County is above average, scoring better than 72% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Alpena County?
- The average one-way commute in Alpena County is 18 min.
Other counties in Michigan
Explore Michigan
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)