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Leelanau County, Michigan

Among the top 9% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.

AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 44% 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.

Official websiteleelanau.gov (opens in new tab)

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$2kbetter than 18% 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

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.
What is the median home value in Leelanau County?
The median home value in Leelanau County is $371k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
What is the median household income in Leelanau County?
Median household income in Leelanau County is $82k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
How much is rent in Leelanau County?
Median gross rent in Leelanau County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
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.

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)