Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Fife Lake’s average trip to work is 39 minutes, above both the Michigan town median (25 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Fife Lake’s trail density is 1.3 miles per square mile, above both Michigan’s towns (0.3) and U.S. towns (0.4). Fife Lake has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Fife Lake beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 394 in 1890, a low of 215 in 1920, 456 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 2003 and 2 maps from 1956 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Fife Lake, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Fife Lake.
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 95% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Most working residents leave Fife Lake for work: only 0% work in town. Since 2011, Fife Lake has added 28 jobs, to 46 in 2021. The top destinations are Traverse City (35%), Garfield Township (11%) and Green Lake Township (4%).
| Fife Lake | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $68,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 7.3% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Children under 18 are 9% of residents (21% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 48% of residents (38% statewide). The median age in Fife Lake is 54.2 years. 23% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 32% across Michigan.
| Fife Lake | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.2 years | 42.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 22% | 19% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 23% | 26% | 29% |
46% women, 54% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±5.4 points. Across Michigan, 50.4% of residents are women.
| Fife Lake | MI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 4.1% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 5% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7% | 9.2% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.7% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.6% | 12.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 14.9% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 23.9% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 17.5% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 4.4% | 7.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.8% | 7.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 27.8% | 28% | 26% |
| Some college | 36.5% | 21.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10.1% | 9.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18.4% | 19.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 4.5% | 12.7% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 500, single groups can be off by several points
Fife Lake has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Fife Lake’s July high is 81°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Fife Lake beats the Michigan average on 5 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 33% of Fife Lake adults sleep under 7 hours.
| Fife Lake | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 34% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 27% | 23% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 17% | 16% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 14% | 14% |
| What stands out | Fife Lake | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 11.6% | 15.4% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 6.9% | 8.7% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.2% | 8.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
1.5 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Fife Lake Area Park | — | 5 |
| 2. Lakeside Park | 0.1 mi | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
None within 15 miles of Fife Lake; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Fife Lake residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
Where Fife Lake’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2021
Village in Michigan, United States
Fife Lake ( FYFE) is a village in southeastern Grand Traverse County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Its population was 456 at the 2020 census, up from 443 at the 2010 census. The village is part of the Traverse City metropolitan area, and lies upon the shore of the lake of the same name.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Fife Lake has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.