Houghton County, Michigan
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 61% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 22% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B+, better than 71% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 65% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 30% of US counties
- top 4% for commute time
- top 15% for summer humidity
- bottom 1% for annual snowfall
Houghton County is a county in Michigan with about 37,000 residents. It grades B+ for safety & wellbeing and D for weather. Standout strengths include commute time, summer humidity, and sales tax. It rates lower on airport distance and annual snowfall.
Official websitehoughtoncounty.net (opens in new tab)
Climate
Mild summers · Harsh winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
freezing
v.cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
comfortable
cold
v.cold
freez.
74%35%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.1 in2.1 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$53k27th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$46kbetter than 42% of US counties
Home Value$129k32nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$743better than 69% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 73% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.29%better than 23% of US counties
Income Tax4.30%better than 71% of US counties
Sales Tax6.00%better than 84% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.44%better than 50% of US counties
Unemployment6.2%better than 25% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)17°F8th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)65°F3rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation32.7 in28th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall199.5 inbetter than 1% of US counties
Sunny Days237 daysbetter than 50% of US counties
Summer Humidity56°Fbetter than 85% of US counties
Comfortable Days72 daysbetter than 31% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk24.3better than 74% of US counties
School Quality56.8better than 54% of US counties
Violent Crime719/100kbetter than 54% of US counties
Property Crime534/100kbetter than 71% of US counties
Community
Population37,41461st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age31.93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1628th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.2295th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1426th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)91.1%76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.1%39th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)1.8%13th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)2.8%88th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.2%45th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time16 minbetter than 96% of US counties
Walkability6.9/20better than 73% of US counties
Airport Distance260 mibetter than 7% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access84.8%better than 59% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.27better than 26% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 35% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Houghton County an affordable place to live?
- Houghton County is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $46k, better than 42% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Houghton County?
- The median home value in Houghton County is $129k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Houghton County?
- Median household income in Houghton County is $53k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Houghton County?
- Median gross rent in Houghton County is $743 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Houghton County safe?
- Houghton County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 719/100k (better than 54%). Property crime is 534/100k.
- What is the weather like in Houghton County?
- Houghton County averages 65°F in July and 17°F in January, with 32.7 in of annual precipitation and about 237 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Houghton County?
- Public-school quality in Houghton County is about average, scoring better than 54% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Houghton County?
- The average one-way commute in Houghton County is 16 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)