Lake township, Benzie County, MI

Township in Benzie County, MI, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

794

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

66.4

years ∙ half population younger than 66.4, half older

Diversity Index

6.8%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

0.3%

foreign-born population

99.7%Native

0.3% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Lake township, Benzie County is a township in Benzie County, Michigan, United States.

Location

Township in Benzie County, MI, US

Co-ordinates

DEC44.711080° N, 86.143539° W

DMS44° 42′ 39.89″ N, 86° 08′ 36.74″ W

Population Density & area

33.93/sq mi (13.1/km²)

Total Area

35.1 sq mi (91 km²)

Land Area

23.4 sq mi (60.6 km²) · 66.6%

Water Area

11.7 sq mi (30.4 km²) · 33.4%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

49.1% male

Male 49.1%

Female 50.9%

males per 100 females

Lake township 96.5

Benzie County 100.9

Michigan 98.2

Nativity

0.3%

foreign-born population

99.7%Native

0.3% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Lake township 0.3%

Benzie County 1.4%

Michigan 7.2%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

66.4

years ∙ half population younger than 66.4, half older

Lake township

66.4

Benzie County

50.8

Michigan

40.2

Dependency ratio

170.1

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Lake township 170.1

Benzie County 83.9

Michigan 66.3

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Lake township	Benzie County	Michigan
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	5.7%	16.9%	21.2%
Working age (18-64)	37%	54.4%	60.2%
Senior (65+)	57.3%	28.7%	18.6%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	170.1	83.9	66.3
Child dependency ratio	15.3	31.1	35.3
Old-age dependency ratio	154.8	52.8	31

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

96.5%

Black

Asian

Hispanic

0.8%

Other

2.7%

Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

6.8%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Lake township 6.8%

Benzie County 16.3%

Michigan 45.2%

Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity

Percentage of Lake township population

Racial and ethnic composition — Lake township vs Benzie County vs Michigan. Source: ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates.
	Lake township	Benzie County	Michigan
Hispanic or Latino	0.8%	2.5%	5.9%
Mexican	0.8%	1.5%	4%
Puerto Rican	0%	0.3%	0.5%
Cuban	0%	0.2%	0.2%
Other Hispanic / Latino	0%	0.5%	1.2%
Not Hispanic or Latino	99.2%	97.5%	94.1%
One race	98.1%	94.3%	89.6%
White	96.5%	91.4%	72.4%
Black or African American	0%	0.6%	13.1%
American Indian and Alaska Native	1%	0.9%	0.3%
Asian	0%	0.5%	3.4%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0%	0%	0%
Some Other Race	0.6%	0.9%	0.5%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	1.1%	3.2%	4.5%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

68.1% family

Family 68.1%

Non family 31.9%

% family households

Lake township 68.1%

Benzie County 67.8%

Michigan 62.4%

Average household size

2.01

persons per household

Lake township

2.01

Benzie County

2.34

Michigan

2.42

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Lake township population

	Lake township	Benzie County	Michigan
Total households	395	7,708	4,076,369
Average houshold size	2.01	2.34	2.42
Family households	269	5,229	2,545,621
Average family size	2.43	2.79	3.05
Married couple family	234	4,351	1,878,767
Other families	35	878	666,854
Male householder	9	287	199,150
Female householder	26	591	467,704
Non-family households	126	2,479	1,530,748
One-person households	116	1,988	1,250,418
Male householder	60	867	583,425
Senior (65+) living alone	32	381	188,594
Female householder	56	1,121	666,993
Senior (65+) living alone	39	788	349,637
Other living arrangements	10	491	280,330

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

1,290

housing units

Lake township 1,290

Benzie County 12,326

Michigan 4,622,236

Occupancy status

30.6% occupied

Occupied 30.6%

Vacant 69.4%

vacancy rate

Lake township 69.4%

Benzie County 37.5%

Michigan 11.8%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

99.6%

Single family houses

99.6%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

0.2%

Mobile homes

0.2%

Boat, RV, van, etc

Median Year Built

1984

Half of houses were built before 1984, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

4.4%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

29%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

46.7%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

19.9%

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Lake township	Benzie County	Michigan
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	5.2	5.4	5.9
1–3 rooms	15%	11.6%	10.5%
4–6 rooms	56.1%	57.1%	51.9%
7+ rooms	28.9%	31.3%	37.6%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	2.1%	1.4%	1.6%
1 bedroom	5.2%	6.4%	8.9%
2 bedrooms	23.3%	26.8%	24.6%
3 bedrooms	44.3%	44.6%	43.5%
4+ bedrooms	25.1%	20.8%	21.4%
At a glance
Median year built	1984	1990	1972
Total housing units	1,290	12,326	4,622,236

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

97.2% owners

Renter-occupied 2.8%

Owner-occupied 97.2%

homeownership rate

Lake township 97.2%

Benzie County 87.8%

Michigan 73.2%

Average household size

2.02

Owner-occupied

1.55

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Lake township 2.02

Benzie County 2.36

Michigan 2.54

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Lake township	Benzie County	Michigan
Total occupied units	395	7,708	4,076,369
Year moved in
2020 or later	12.4%	13.6%	21%
2010 to 2019	38.5%	39.7%	39.5%
2000 to 2009	29.4%	19.8%	16%
1999 or earlier	19.8%	26.9%	23.4%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	100%	98.4%	98.4%
1.01 to 1.50	0%	0.7%	1.2%
1.51 or more	0%	0.9%	0.4%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	1%	2.5%	7%
1 vehicle	26.6%	29.1%	34.8%
2 vehicles	57%	45.6%	38.3%
3 or more vehicles	15.4%	22.8%	19.8%
House heating fuel used
Gas	89.2%	79.4%	83.6%
Electricity	6.6%	9.7%	12.1%
Solar	0%	0.1%	0%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	1.3%	0.9%	0.8%
All other fuels	3%	9.3%	3%
No fuel used	0%	0.6%	0.5%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	0%	0.4%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	0%	0.9%	0.7%
No telephone service available	0%	0.9%	0.7%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$650,000

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Lake township

$650,000

Benzie County

$285,700

Michigan

$231,600

Housing Cost Burden

42.5%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

42.5%

Owners without a mortgage

12.9%

Renters

100%

Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Lake township	Benzie County	Michigan
Property value
Median Value	$650,000	$285,700	$231,600
Under $100,000	2.9%	9.5%	16.8%
$100,000 - $200,000	1.8%	19.1%	24.7%
$200,000 - $300,000	10.9%	24.7%	23.4%
$300,000 - $500,000	20.3%	30.4%	24.1%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	41.1%	12.7%	9.2%
$1,000,000 and more	22.9%	3.6%	1.6%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	26.3%	56.8%	57.8%
Without a mortgage	73.7%	43.2%	42.2%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,928	$1,437	$1,569
Without a mortgage	$745	$554	$602
Gross rent
Median rent	$—	$1,026	$1,129

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

74.2%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

Lake township 74.2%

Benzie County 36.9%

Michigan 32.4%

Adults without a high school diploma

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Lake township 0%

Benzie County 5.9%

Michigan 8%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

1.5%

K–12

73.8%

College / Undergraduate

24.6%

Graduate / Professional

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

48.1%

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

Lake township

48.1%

Benzie County

27.4%

Michigan

41.1%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Lake township	Benzie County	Michigan
Total enrolled (age 3+)	65	3,088	2,312,914
Nursery / preschool	1.5%	4.3%	5.6%
K–12	73.8%	76.7%	67.9%
Kindergarten	0%	6.6%	5.2%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	13.8%	21.8%	19.7%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	9.2%	21.1%	20.8%
High School: Grades 9–12	50.8%	27.3%	22.2%
College or graduate school	24.6%	18.9%	26.5%
College, undergraduate	24.6%	15.8%	21.1%
Graduate, professional school	0%	3.1%	5.4%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	48.1%	27.4%	41.1%
School type
Public school	96.9%	86.5%	85.2%
Private school	3.1%	13.5%	14.8%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

722

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

9th-12th, no diploma

HS graduate

10.4%

Some college no degree

9.6%

Associates degree

5.8%

Bachelors degree

42.8%

Graduate or professional degree

31.4%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

* The Census Bureau did not publish education attainment by gender data for Lake township due to an insufficient sample size to produce reliable estimates.

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

—% · —%

9th-12th, no diploma

—% · —%

HS graduate

33.3% · 66.7%

Some college no degree

39.1% · 60.9%

Associates degree

54.8% · 45.2%

Bachelors degree

45.6% · 54.4%

Graduate or professional degree

59% · 41%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Lake township	Benzie County	Michigan
Population (25+)	722	14,033	7,008,507
Less than 9th grade	0%	1.6%	2.6%
9th–12th, no diploma	0%	4.3%	5.4%
High school diploma or GED	10.4%	26.3%	28%
Some college, no degree	9.6%	21.4%	21.9%
Associate's degree	5.8%	9.5%	9.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	74.2%	36.9%	32.4%
Bachelor's degree	42.8%	22.8%	19.7%
Graduate or professional	31.4%	14.1%	12.7%
High School or higher	100%	94.1%	92.1%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$28,393

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$—

HS graduate

$36,875

Some college or associates

$—

Bachelors degree

$—

Graduate or professional degree

$29,107

Poverty Rate

3.5%

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

—%

HS graduate

17.3%

Some college or associates

6.3%

Bachelors degree or higher

3.5%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Lake township	Benzie County	Michigan
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$28,393	$42,545	$50,316
Less than high school graduate	$—	$35,699	$31,851
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$36,875	$34,446	$37,777
Some college or associate's degree	$—	$42,292	$44,844
Bachelor's degree	$—	$51,867	$66,893
Graduate or professional degree	$29,107	$57,452	$85,195
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	—%	17.4%	27.4%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	17.3%	14.8%	15.2%
Some college or associate's degree	6.3%	10.8%	10.3%
Bachelor's degree or higher	3.5%	3.9%	4.2%

Insights for Lake township, Benzie County, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.

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