City profile · Michigan · Census ACS 2023

Wolverine Lake, MI

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Wolverine Lake - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

4,476
Residents
$88,423
Median income
$270,400
Median home
$1,411
Median rent (state)

Wolverine Lake - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Wolverine Lake lands in the 70th percentile for household income and the 92nd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

70th
percentile, household income
60th
percentile, home value
55th
percentile, median rent
92nd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Wolverine Lake, MI

4,476 people live in Wolverine Lake, Michigan - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Wolverine Lake brings in $88,423 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 3.1%. Home values in Wolverine Lake run a median of $270,400, and the median resident age is 43.9 years. Educational attainment runs 37.9% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 64.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 2 residential building permits were authorized in Wolverine Lake (Stable), up 0% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Wolverine Lake reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 317.2 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Michigan run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Michigan at 96.2 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,411 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $238 across Michigan, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 97.5 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

4,476 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Michigan

Median Household Income

$88,423 /yr

Poverty 3.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Michigan average

How does Wolverine Lake compare to other US cities?

Where Wolverine Lake sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 70% higher than other cities
Home value 60% pricier than other cities
Median rent 55% pricier than other cities
Safety 92% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Michigan and the picture shifts: Wolverine Lake ranks #10 of 254 Michigan cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Wolverine Lake against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Michigan only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Michigan-relative analysis

Median Home Value places Wolverine Lake toward the top of Michigan's cities

Among the 721 Michigan cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Wolverine Lake ranks #98 - the 86th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Wolverine Lake only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#93 of 718
87th percentile in Michigan
Median Gross Rent
#61 of 727
76th percentile in Michigan
Median Home Value
#98 of 721
86th percentile in Michigan
Poverty Rate
#572 of 727
21st percentile in Michigan
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#135 of 727
81st percentile in Michigan

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Michigan only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

70thIncome percentile
92ndSafety percentile

70th percentile nationally for median household income · 92nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Wolverine Lake's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Wolverine Lake's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 68 Avg. percentile National median
Wolverine Lake's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Wolverine Lake's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$270,400 40th percentile more affordable than 40% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Wolverine Lake $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Wolverine Lake, MI Wolverine Lake, MI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Wolverine Lake, MI-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Wolverine Lake, MI median $88,423/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Wolverine Lake, MI's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Wolverine Lake, MI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 37.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 64.4%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
4,476
Median Income
$88,423
Median Home Value
$270,400
Median Age
43.9
Poverty Rate
3.1%
Labor force participation
64.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
37.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
317.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
68.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
249.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
4,440 residents4,460 residents4,480 residents4,500 residents4,520 residents 202020212022202320242025 4,507 residents 4,455 residents ▼ -1.2%
Wolverine Lake's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
2
housing units authorized
Single-Family
2
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 2
2020 3
2021 3
2022 5
2023 2
2024 2

Permit volume increased 0% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
79.8%
Carpool
4.4%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.6%
Work from Home
14.2%

Based on 2,401 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Michigan - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$85
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$238
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Michigan state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Michigan state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Wolverine Lake sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.2
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,411/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
97.5 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Michigan

Dexter
4,495 people
Hancock
4,510 people
Vandercook Lake
4,434 people
Wayland
4,430 people
Fremont
4,532 people
Bloomfield Hills
4,412 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Wolverine Lake's 4,476 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Springdale, MD
4,476 people
Ridge Manor, FL
4,478 people
Haughton, LA
4,473 people
Millis-Clicquot, MA
4,479 people
Beattystown, NJ
4,479 people
New Lexington, OH
4,479 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Wolverine Lake's $88,423 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Wareham Center, MA
$88,424 median income
Deerfield, WI
$88,424 median income
New Castle, CO
$88,421 median income
Shenandoah Heights, PA
$88,417 median income
Whiteland, IN
$88,411 median income
Wheeler AFB, HI
$88,409 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Wolverine Lake, MI Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Wolverine Lake, MI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 90.8% 6.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.1% White 90.8% Black or African American 0.7% Asian 2.2% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 6.3% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Wolverine Lake compares to nearby Michigan cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Wolverine Lake (this city) 4,476 $88,423
Dexter 4,495 $103,182
Hancock 4,510 $55,278
Vandercook Lake 4,434 $52,337
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MI FBI UCR Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Wolverine Lake, MI?

What is the population of Wolverine Lake, MI? +

4,476 people live in Wolverine Lake, MI according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Wolverine Lake, MI? +

Wolverine Lake households earn a median of $88,423 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Wolverine Lake? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Wolverine Lake; the closest available measure is the Michigan state average, a cost of living index of 96.2 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Michigan vary by metro area.

Is Wolverine Lake, MI safe? +

Wolverine Lake has a total crime rate of 317.2 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Wolverine Lake, MI? +

A typical home in Wolverine Lake is worth $270,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.