Census-designated place · Michigan
Canadian Lakes, Michigan
Canadian Lakes, census-designated place, in Mecosta County, Michigan. Canadian Lakes had 3,202 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,991 (±344). GEOID 2613010.
Residents, 2020 Census
3,202
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 2,991 ±344
Median household income
$78,833
±$12,742 (90% margin)
Michigan: $72,875
Median home value
$270,000
±$16,239 (90% margin)
Michigan: $231,600
Median gross rent
$789
±$553 (90% margin)
Michigan: $1,129
Where is Canadian Lakes and what county is it in?
Canadian Lakes is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Mecosta County, Michigan. It covers 10.3 square miles of land, 310 residents per square mile in 2020.
Canadian Lakes is in the Big Rapids, MI micropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Canadian Lakes lies mostly within Morton Township and reaches into Austin Township (Mecosta County), towns or townships with their own local government (2020 census blocks).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Canadian Lakes, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 3,202 residents in Canadian Lakes, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 2,991 (±344).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Canadian Lakes is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Canadian Lakes | Mecosta County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,991 ±344 | 41,242 | no clear change |
| Households | 1,550 ±191 | 16,708 | +350 |
| Average household size | 1.93 ±0.11 | 2.33 | −0.22 |
| Housing units | 2,211 ±243 | 21,139 | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Canadian Lakes?
The median resident of Canadian Lakes is 63.0 years old; 10.5% are under 18 and 44.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 97.3%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 1.2%.
| Measure | Canadian Lakes | Mecosta County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 63.0 ±3.8 | 40.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 10.5% ±3.2 pts | 19.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 44.9% ±6.3 pts | 20.4% | – |
| Male | 50.1% ±3.8 pts | 50.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.7% ±0.6 pts | 3.0% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 97.3% ±1.3 pts | 89.6% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.2% ±0.9 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.6 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.1% ±1.5 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.1% ±0.7 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 11.6% ±3.6 pts | 7.2% | – |
| With a disability | 14.7% ±3.7 pts | 16.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 1.7% ±1.2 pts | 7.8% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 99.2% ±0.9 pts | 91.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 37.6% ±6.9 pts | 22.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 14.5% ±4.4 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.2% ±4.9 pts | 82.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.7% ±1.9 pts | 1.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Canadian Lakes earn?
Half of Canadian Lakes's 1,550 households earn less than $78,833 a year (±$12,742), against $60,951 in Mecosta County and $72,875 in Michigan. In 2015-2019 it was $71,662 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 12.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Canadian Lakes | Mecosta County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $78,833 ±$12,742 | $60,951 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $83,907 ±$10,025 | $74,241 | – |
| Per capita income | $42,579 ±$5,166 | $29,951 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 12.3% ±5.2 pts | 19.9% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 1.0% ±1.3 pts | 24.6% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 12.7% ±6.4 pts | 14.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.0% ±2.2 pts | 93.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.7% ±4.2 pts | 82.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Canadian Lakes?
Owners occupy 90.7% of Canadian Lakes's occupied homes and renters 9.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $270,000 by its owner (±$16,239).
| Measure | Canadian Lakes | Mecosta County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $270,000 ±$16,239 | $178,900 | +$40,722 |
| Median gross rent | $789 ±$553 | $934 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 61.9% ±40.3 pts | 41.7% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,478 ±$137 | $1,293 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 90.7% ±5.8 pts | 76.9% | −7.4 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 9.3% ±5.8 pts | 23.1% | – |
| Housing units | 2,211 ±243 | 21,139 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±18.7 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 92.0% ±5.0 pts | 72.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 4.8% ±4.3 pts | 14.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.8% ±1.0 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.6% ±3.0 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 1.1% ±1.3 pts | 12.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.6% ±1.5 pts | 7.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Canadian Lakes work and get to work?
69.8% of Canadian Lakes's workers drive alone and 21.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 31.9 minutes.
| Measure | Canadian Lakes | Mecosta County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 37.0% ±5.0 pts | 54.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.2% ±1.2 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 69.8% ±8.1 pts | 76.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.3% ±4.6 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±3.0 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 1.1% ±1.8 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 21.8% ±8.4 pts | 8.7% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 31.9 min ±5.4 | 23.7 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Canadian Lakes?
1 census tract lies mostly in Canadian Lakes, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9610.01Mecosta County | 3,152 | $74,320 |
| Tract 9609Mecosta County | 3,127 | $53,049 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Canadian Lakes) · Census block assignment files
How does Canadian Lakes compare with other places in Michigan?
Canadian Lakes ranks 493rd of 1,354 places in Michigan with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 636th | 1,356 |
| Residents per square mile | 523rd | 1,356 |
| Median household income | 493rd | 1,354 |
| Per capita income | 387th | 1,355 |
| Median home value | 317th | 1,354 |
| Poverty rate | 471st | 1,213 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 238th | 1,350 |
| Median age | 7th | 1,356 |
| Owner-occupied share | 425th | 1,356 |
| Work from home | 82nd | 1,062 |
| Travel time to work | 191st | 1,356 |
Canadian Lakes's figures with every place in Michigan (CSV)
Every place in Michigan, sortable · Compare Canadian Lakes with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Canadian Lakes?
22 of the 57 figures for Canadian Lakes on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Canadian Lakes are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.