Bear Lake

Population: 245
Median household income: $53,750
Median home value: $143,100

Bear Lake, a community in Kalkaska County, Michigan, has 245 residents. The median household income of $53,750 is below the Kalkaska County median ($60,365).

From 2019 to 2023, Bear Lake's population declined 33.4% from 368 to 245, while its median home value rose 22.4% from $116,900 to $143,100.

White (non-Hispanic) residents are the largest group, 93.1% of the population. 98.2% of workers drive to work alone.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 245
Median age: 70.1 yrs
Median household income: $53,750
Median home value: $143,100
Median gross rent: —
Housing units: 603
Homeownership rate: 93.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 25.2%
Unemployment rate: 6.3%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

368245

Median household income

$48,125$53,750

Median home value

$116,900$143,100

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value
2019	368	$48,125	$116,900
2020	371	$54,750	$98,900
2021	358	$49,028	$100,000
2022	301	$54,286	$121,300
2023	245	$53,750	$143,100

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 52.4%

5 to 172.0%

18 to 240.0%

25 to 349.8%

35 to 447.3%

45 to 544.5%

55 to 6411.8%

65 to 7435.5%

75 and over26.5%

	Count	Share
Under 5	6	2.4%
5 to 17	5	2.0%
18 to 24	0	0.0%
25 to 34	24	9.8%
35 to 44	18	7.3%
45 to 54	11	4.5%
55 to 64	29	11.8%
65 to 74	87	35.5%
75 and over	65	26.5%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	228	93.1%
Black or African American	0	0.0%
American Indian & Alaska Native	6	2.4%
Asian	0	0.0%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	0	0.0%
Two or more races	7	2.9%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	4	1.6%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma2.1%

High school graduate35.0%

Some college or associate's37.6%

Bachelor's degree16.7%

Graduate or professional degree8.5%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	5	2.1%
High school graduate	82	35.0%
Some college or associate's	88	37.6%
Bachelor's degree	39	16.7%
Graduate or professional degree	20	8.5%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 22 min

Drove alone98.2%

Carpooled1.8%

Public transit0.0%

Walked0.0%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home0.0%

Other means0.0%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	56	98.2%
Carpooled	1	1.8%
Public transit	0	0.0%
Walked	0	0.0%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	0	0.0%
Other means	0	0.0%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	9	15.8%
15 to 29 min	33	57.9%
30 to 44 min	8	14.0%
45 to 59 min	4	7.0%
60+ min	3	5.3%

Households

Average household size: 1.68
Poverty rate: 9.8% (24 of 245)

	Count	Share
Family households	92	63.0%
Nonfamily households	54	37.0%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1980

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	146	24.2%
Vacant	457	75.8%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	137	93.8%
Renter-occupied	9	6.2%

1-unit, detached85.7%

1-unit, attached0.0%

2 to 4 units0.0%

5 to 19 units0.0%

20 or more units0.0%

Mobile home & other14.3%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	517	85.7%
1-unit, attached	0	0.0%
2 to 4 units	0	0.0%
5 to 19 units	0	0.0%
20 or more units	0	0.0%
Mobile home & other	86	14.3%

Geography

Place GEOID: 2606430
Type (LSAD): 57
Land area: 5.76 sq mi
Water area: 0.63 sq mi
Center point: 44.7175, -84.9437