County House, 1908
Bellaire’s story
147 years in pictures
Census counts: 65 in 1880, a low of 65 in 1880, 1,053 in 2020. The archive holds 8 old photos and papers going back to 1908 and 3 maps from 1956 on.
- 1879Bellaire is settled
BellaireMI
A town of 1,059, settled in 1879. 3.1 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Michigan town.
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Keller.baum · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,059
2025 Census estimate · +5% since 2020
Typical home
$352K
+4.5% in a year
Household income
$56K
median
Median age
43.6
years
Jobs based here
731
A job hub
Is Bellaire a good place to live?
Bellaire’s best subject grades are an A− for walkability, an A+ for civic life, and an A for the outdoors; its weakest is a D for incomes. On walkability, just 84 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns do better. On civic life, just 21 of Michigan’s 1,265 towns do better. The biggest park or preserve is Craven Park, at 60 acres. Bellaire has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Bellaire stand out
Where Bellaire beats most towns.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Bellaire9.5
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical MI town3.1
Civic lifeA+
3.1 times the nonprofits per person
than the typical Michigan town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here731
Residents who work407
Work
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 91% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021.
Small town
1,059 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Forest Home TownshipKearney TownshipBellaire
How Bellaire grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Bellaire is from typical.
Jobs & income$56K median household income; 731 jobs based hereDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.5 of 20; 6.7% of households have no car; 8.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitA−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 23% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA−Open →HealthKalkaska Memorial Health Center 16.2 miles awayB+Open →Cost of livingBOpen →SchoolsBeat 56% of Michigan districts on tests and graduationBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trailAOpen →History1 notable person born hereB+Open →Civic life9.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Bellaire: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bellaire, and how to reach them.
PowerDTE20.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterVillage of Bellaire water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers92% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Bellaire’s trash rules yet
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.govWho runs elections hereKearney Township ClerkKearney Township; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code4961549615 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Bellaire.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
Bellaire has 1.8 jobs for every working resident, and 659 people commute in
Most working residents leave Bellaire for work: only 18% work in town. Bellaire’s average trip to work is 17 minutes, against 25 minutes in Michigan’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. 14% of residents live below the poverty line in Bellaire.
18%work in town
| Bellaire | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 18% | 5.9% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 14% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $56,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Bellaire18%
Kearney Township23%
Central Lake Township7%
Traverse City7%
Elk Rapids Township5%
14 mi
median commute distance
731
jobs based in Bellaire
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 83% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade B
The typical home in Bellaire is valued at about $352K
The typical Bellaire home is worth about $352,000, up 4.5% in a year, 34% above the Michigan typical home. Bellaire’s median rent is $799 a month, below both the Michigan town median ($1,046 a month) and the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). 69% of Bellaire households own their home.
$352KZillow home value
| Bellaire | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 69% | 84% | 73% |
| Median rent | $799 a month | $1,046 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Bellaire$352K
Michigan$264K
+4.5%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Bellaire faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 77% of U.S. communities.
23risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthB+
On CDC estimates, Bellaire is healthier than 69% of U.S. towns
Bellaire beats the Michigan average on 7 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1.
69%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Bellaire | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 34% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 33% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 15% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 25% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
7 better24 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Bellaire | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.8% | 10.2% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 8.4% | 11.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.5% | 8.9% |
Kalkaska Memorial Health Center
16.2 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
In Bellaire, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Bellaire has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Bellaire is 81°F.
122″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–31°
Spring31–54°
Summer55–79°
Fall39–58°
Oct 2
typical first frost
May 23
typical last frost
+2.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Fewer children than Michigan overall
Children under 18 are 16% of residents (21% statewide). Bellaire has grown 5% since 2020, to 1,059 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 32% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 32% across Michigan.
43.6median age · MI 40.2
| Bellaire | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 16% | 21% | 22% |
| Median age | 43.6 years | 42.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 32% | 26% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 20% | 19% | 18% |
BellaireMichiganUnited States
Ages · share of residents
16%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma4%
High school31%
Some college23%
Associate’s10%
Bachelor’s21%
Graduate11%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±6.1 points. Across Michigan, 50.4% of residents are women.
| Bellaire | MI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7.2% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 12.1% | 9.2% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.6% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.4% | 12.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.4% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 16% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.1% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.1% | 7.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 3.7% | 7.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 31.2% | 28% | 26% |
| Some college | 23% | 21.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10.4% | 9.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 20.9% | 19.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10.8% | 12.7% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,100, single groups can be off by several points
OutdoorsA
Bellaire has set aside 4% of its land for conservation
1.3 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves. Bellaire’s trail density is 0.7 miles per square mile.
4%conserved
| Bellaire | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.7 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 4% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
4%
conserved · 53 of 1,307 acres
1.3 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Craven Park | 0.9 mi | 60 |
| 2. Richardi Park | 0.1 mi | 8 |
| 3. William A Hosmer Park | 0.1 mi | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bellaire
19pages on Bellaire
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Bellaire; the nearest are
Northwestern Michigan CollegeCommunity college · Public · Traverse City23.6 mi$5,860 in-state tuitionNorth Central Michigan CollegeCommunity college · Public · Petoskey29.6 mi$5,430 in-state tuitionFerris State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Big Rapids89.8 mi$14,778 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Bellaire residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
A job hub
Every workday, about 659 people come to Bellaire for work
Where Bellaire’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
731jobs based in Bellaire
18%of working residents work in town
14 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2021
About Bellaire
Village in Michigan, United States
Bellaire ( BEL-air) is a village and the county seat of Antrim County, Michigan, United States. The population was 1,053 in 2020 census. The village is split between Forest Home and Kearney townships. The historic Antrim County Courthouse is located in Bellaire. The Antrim Review, the county's newspaper of record, is headquartered in Bellaire.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1879
- Area
- 2.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 627 ft
- ZIP code
- 49615
- Area code
- 231
Questions about Bellaire
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bellaire, MI a good place to live?
3.1 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Michigan town.
Is Bellaire, MI expensive?
That is 4.9 years of the area's median household income ($72,054 across the county). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.