Leelanau County, Michigan
Among the top 9% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 55% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 10% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade A, better than 86% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 28% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 91% of US counties
- top 9% for broadband access
- top 11% for school quality
- bottom 1% for annual snowfall
Leelanau County is a county in Michigan with about 22,000 residents. It grades A for lifestyle & connectivity and F for weather. Standout strengths include broadband access, school quality, and sales tax. It rates lower on sunny days and annual snowfall.
- The median home value in Leelanau County is $371k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Leelanau County is $82k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Leelanau County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Leelanau County has a violent crime rate of 524/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Leelanau County is 24 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
freezing
v.cold
cold
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
very cold
63%27%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.7 in2.3 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$82k89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$53kbetter than 15% of US counties
Home Value$371k93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 14% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$8kbetter than 47% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.71%better than 63% of US counties
Income Tax4.30%better than 71% of US counties
Sales Tax6.00%better than 84% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.48%better than 49% of US counties
Unemployment3.2%better than 79% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)21°F14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)69°F9th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation34.5 in31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall126.6 inbetter than 1% of US counties
Sunny Days189 daysbetter than 10% of US counties
Summer Humidity59°Fbetter than 80% of US counties
Comfortable Days82 daysbetter than 57% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk48.3better than 50% of US counties
School Quality92.9better than 89% of US counties
Violent Crime524/100kbetter than 69% of US counties
Property Crime283/100kbetter than 84% of US counties
Community
Population22,42646th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age55.298th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1731st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9941st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven15th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)89.6%70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.4%16th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)4.4%46th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.6%50th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.1%79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time24 minbetter than 51% of US counties
Walkability5.8/20better than 40% of US counties
Airport Distance147 mibetter than 27% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access90.7%better than 91% of US counties
Amenities Nearby5.80better than 71% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 60% of US counties
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)
Frequently asked questions
- Is Leelanau County an affordable place to live?
- Leelanau County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $53k, better than 15% of comparable areas. Median rent is $1k.
- Is Leelanau County safe?
- Leelanau County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 524/100k (better than 69%). Property crime is 283/100k.
- What is the weather like in Leelanau County?
- Leelanau County averages 69°F in July and 21°F in January, with 34.5 in of annual precipitation and about 189 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Leelanau County?
- Public-school quality in Leelanau County is above average, scoring better than 89% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Leelanau County?
- The average one-way commute in Leelanau County is 24 min.