Carp Lake, Mich, 1911
Carp Lake Township’s story
146 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 1911 and 2 maps from 1958 on.
- 1880Carp Lake Township is settled
Carp Lake TownshipMI
A town of 747, settled in 1880.
Population
747
2025 Census estimate · −0.5% since 2020
Typical home
$242K
+9.5% in a year
Household income
$46K
median
Median age
41.0
years
Jobs based here
38
A commuter town
Is Carp Lake Township a good place to live?
30% of residents live below the poverty line in Carp Lake Township, where Michigan’s towns sit at 8.9% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Only 6 of the 667 Michigan towns we compare have a lower median rent than Carp Lake Township. Mackinaw State Forest - Gaylord Unit, at 6,112 acres with 4.1 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Carp Lake Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
747 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Wawatam TownshipBliss TownshipMcKinley TownshipHebron TownshipCarp Lake Township
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Carp Lake Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Carp Lake Township, and how to reach them.
PowerConsumers Energy20.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPeshawbestown water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Carp Lake Township’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 hereCarp Lake Township ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP codes49718, 4975549718 64% · 49755 36%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 Carp Lake Township.
Natural hazards
Carp Lake Township stands out in Michigan and nationally: the FEMA risk score there is lower
Carp Lake Township’s FEMA risk score is 2 of 100, below both Michigan’s towns (25 of 100) and U.S. towns (44 of 100).
2risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
Most of Carp Lake Township’s workers commute out: the town has 0.2 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Carp Lake Township for work: only 1% work in town. The median household income in Carp Lake Township is $46,000. Jobs based in Carp Lake Township grew to 38 in 2021, 23 more than in 2011.
1%work in town
| Carp Lake Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $46,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.2% | 5.9% | 8% |
| Work from home | 12% | 10% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Carp Lake Township1%
Petoskey12%
Mackinaw Township11%
Wawatam Township9%
Bear Creek Township5%
22 mi
median commute distance
38
jobs based in Carp Lake Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Climate
In Carp Lake Township, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Carp Lake Township has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Carp Lake Township’s July high is 77°F.
88″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–29°
Spring29–50°
Summer54–75°
Fall39–55°
Oct 11
typical first frost
May 11
typical last frost
+1.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Carp Lake Township is
Carp Lake Township beats the Michigan average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 10. 43% of adults have high blood pressure in Carp Lake Township.
| Carp Lake Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 36% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 12% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 17% | 16% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
3 better19 too close to call10 worse
| What stands out | Carp Lake Township | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 10.1% | 11.9% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.4% | 77.6% |
| More adults with heart disease | 9.8% | 7% |
Mackinac Straits Hospital and Health Center
14.5 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
The typical home in Carp Lake Township is valued at about $242K
The typical Carp Lake Township home is worth about $242,000, up 9.5% in a year, 8% below the Michigan typical home.
$242KZillow home value
Typical home value
Carp Lake Township$242K
Michigan$264K
+9.5%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Outdoors
Carp Lake Township has set aside 1.2% of its land for conservation
13 miles of trail in 6 parks and preserves.
1.2%conserved
| Carp Lake Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 1.2% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
1.2%
conserved · 264 of 22,335 acres
13 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Mackinaw State Forest - Gaylord Unit | 4.1 mi | 6,112 |
| 2. Barb and Joe Traub Family Working Forest Reserve | 1 mi | 193 |
| 3. William and Stephanie Veling Nature Preserve | — | 66 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 9 attractions →Lake Michigan–Huron and 8 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Carp Lake Township. Close and well known come first.
9 mi LakeLake Michigan–Huron
8 mi Ancient siteFort Michilimackinac15 mi Park & preserveMackinac National Park
14 mi LandmarkFort Mackinac
13 mi MuseumSt. Ignace Mission
14 mi MuseumRobert Stuart HouseSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Lake Michigan–Huron: ChongDae, Public domain · Fort Michilimackinac: WMrapids, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Fort Mackinac: P. Hughes, CC BY 4.0 · St. Ignace Mission: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Robert Stuart House: Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Carp Lake Township
17pages on Carp Lake Township
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Carp Lake Township; the nearest are
North Central Michigan CollegeCommunity college · Public · Petoskey23.7 mi$5,430 in-state tuitionBay Mills Community CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Brimley53.9 mi$3,480 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Carp Lake Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Carp Lake Township for work
Where Carp Lake Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
38jobs based in Carp Lake Township
1%of working residents work in town
22 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2021
About Carp Lake Township
Census-designated place & unincorporated community in Michigan, United States
Carp Lake is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, Carp Lake had a population of 356. It is located within Carp Lake Township. It was founded by Octave Terrian and later became a station on the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad in 1880.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 4.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 725 ft
- ZIP code
- 49718
Questions about Carp Lake Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Carp Lake Township, MI a good place to live?
Carp Lake Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.