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The Alden handbook

Living in Alden, MI: what to set up and who to call

Alden has no town government of its own, so Antrim County runs its elections and most services, and its children attend Mancelona Public Schools. Alden has its own library, Alden District Library, at 8751 Helena Road.

Alden has no town government. It’s a census-designated place in Antrim County, so the county and regional agencies provide most services. This page answers what we can; the same answers appear on Alden’s town page under “Getting set up”.

I’m new in town

What to set up in Alden, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.

Home services

Power, water and internet

Who to call to start service at a new address in Alden.

Electricity

Power comes from DTE

DTE (DTE Electric Co.), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Alden. Its homes paid an average of 20.2¢ per kWh in 2025, about $126 a month (its average across Michigan, for customers on its standard service). Michigan lets you buy power from another supplier; 0% of DTE’s home customers do, and DTE still delivers it.

Start or move service: www.dteenergy.com · (800) 477-4747

Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.

Internet

3 home internet providers serve Alden

92% of 181 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 2% can get fiber.

ProviderTechnologyAddressesFastest (Mbps)
SpectrumCable, Fiber91%1,000/1,000
FrontierDSL68%10/1
186networksFixed wireless92%75/25

FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.

Trash & recycling

We don’t have Alden’s trash rules yet

Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Alden.

Trash, recycling and bulk pickupNot on fileAlden has no town government of its own, so look for trash and recycling rules on the county’s site.
Schools

Where your child goes to school

Public school districts and the school path by grade.

Alden kids go to
PK–4Mancelona Elementary Schoolin Mancelona
5–8Mancelona Middle Schoolin Mancelona
9–12Mancelona High Schoolin Mancelona

Alden is in Mancelona Public Schools.

Test scores and every school: see Schools →

U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.

Government & voting

No town hall: the county runs things

Alden is unincorporated, so Antrim County is the local government.

Local governmentAntrim CountyAlden is a census-designated place: no town hall of its ownCensus
Who runs elections hereHelena Township ClerkElections here are run by Helena Township (town or city clerk). PO Box 177, 8751 Helena Road, Alden, MI 49612 · (231) 331-4643 · [email protected]FVAP, Nov 2025
Register to voteOnlineIn Michigan you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govCheck your registration and polling placemvic.sos.state.mi.usThe state’s voter lookup

Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Nov 2025; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.

ZIP codes & area codes

Alden is in ZIP code 49612

ZIP codes where Alden residents live, with the share of the town in each.

ZIPPost office nameShare of AldenZIP’s residents in Alden
49612Alden, MI100%11%

Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.

Everyday places

Getting around, the ER and the library

One line each; the subject pages have the rest.

ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.

Questions about living in Alden

Who provides electricity in Alden?

DTE (DTE Electric Co.), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 20.2¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).

What internet providers serve Alden?

Spectrum, Frontier, 186networks (FCC, as of December 2025).

What ZIP codes are in Alden?

49612. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.

What school district is Alden in?

Mancelona Public Schools.

How do I register to vote in Alden?

In Michigan you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before). Elections here are run by the Helena Township Clerk. Check your registration at mvic.sos.state.mi.us.

Sources & dates

Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.

  • Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
  • Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
  • ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
  • Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
  • Registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
  • Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
  • Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.