Bear Lake

Population: 265
Median household income: $54,886
Median home value: $126,400

Bear Lake, a community in Manistee County, Michigan, has 265 residents. The median household income of $54,886 is below the Manistee County median ($60,879).

Between 2019 and 2023, Bear Lake's population grew 30.5% from 203 to 265, while its median home value rose 32.4% from $95,500 to $126,400.

Households average 2.62 people. The median gross rent is $1,000.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 265
Median age: 43.5 yrs
Median household income: $54,886
Median home value: $126,400
Median gross rent: $1,000
Housing units: 148
Homeownership rate: 94.1%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 19.6%
Unemployment rate: 7.4%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

203265

Median household income

$36,250$54,886

Median home value

$95,500$126,400

Median gross rent

$696$1,000

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	203	$36,250	$95,500	$696
2020	207	$41,429	$83,600	$840
2021	260	$44,063	$84,700	$813
2022	247	$51,250	$94,300	—
2023	265	$54,886	$126,400	$1,000

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

Age distribution

Under 53.0%

5 to 1712.5%

18 to 2417.0%

25 to 3410.9%

35 to 4414.7%

45 to 546.0%

55 to 6415.1%

65 to 7412.5%

75 and over8.3%

	Count	Share
Under 5	8	3.0%
5 to 17	33	12.5%
18 to 24	45	17.0%
25 to 34	29	10.9%
35 to 44	39	14.7%
45 to 54	16	6.0%
55 to 64	40	15.1%
65 to 74	33	12.5%
75 and over	22	8.3%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	239	90.2%
Black or African American	0	0.0%
American Indian & Alaska Native	12	4.5%
Asian	0	0.0%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	0	0.0%
Two or more races	9	3.4%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	5	1.9%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma12.3%

High school graduate42.5%

Some college or associate's25.7%

Bachelor's degree13.4%

Graduate or professional degree6.1%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	22	12.3%
High school graduate	76	42.5%
Some college or associate's	46	25.7%
Bachelor's degree	24	13.4%
Graduate or professional degree	11	6.1%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 25 min

Drove alone61.5%

Carpooled36.3%

Public transit0.0%

Walked0.7%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home1.5%

Other means0.0%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	83	61.5%
Carpooled	49	36.3%
Public transit	0	0.0%
Walked	1	0.7%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	2	1.5%
Other means	0	0.0%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	57	42.9%
15 to 29 min	24	18.0%
30 to 44 min	15	11.3%
45 to 59 min	28	21.1%
60+ min	9	6.8%

Households

Average household size: 2.62
Poverty rate: 4.9% (13 of 263)

	Count	Share
Family households	80	79.2%
Nonfamily households	21	20.8%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1947

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	101	68.2%
Vacant	47	31.8%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	95	94.1%
Renter-occupied	6	5.9%

1-unit, detached88.5%

1-unit, attached0.0%

2 to 4 units4.1%

5 to 19 units0.0%

20 or more units0.0%

Mobile home & other7.4%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	131	88.5%
1-unit, attached	0	0.0%
2 to 4 units	6	4.1%
5 to 19 units	0	0.0%
20 or more units	0	0.0%
Mobile home & other	11	7.4%

Geography

Place GEOID: 2606460
Type (LSAD): 47
Land area: 0.31 sq mi
Water area: 0 sq mi
Center point: 44.4199, -86.1452