Landing at Assembly Hotel No. 2, 1890
Lake Orion’s story
Lake Orion in pictures
Census counts: 292 in 1860, 2,876 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 1890 and 4 maps from 1943 on.
Explore the history →
Lake OrionMI
A town of 2,900.
Photo: TheKuLeR · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
2,900
2025 Census estimate · +0.2% since 2020
Typical home
$420K
+3.4% in a year
Household income
$101K
median
Median age
42.5
years
Jobs based here
2,412
A job hub
TownGrade
A+
#17 of 697 in MI
Is Lake Orion a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. Lake Orion earns an A+, 17th among Michigan's 697 graded towns. Its public schools beat 92% of Michigan towns on state tests and graduation, the median household earns $101K, and CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 87% of the country. Its lowest mark, a C, is in cost of living. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 100% of U.S. towns. No town in Michigan scores higher than Lake Orion on history. 50% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Lake Orion, where Michigan’s towns sit at 26% and U.S. towns at 29%. Lake Orion's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 96% of U.S. towns.
What makes Lake Orion stand out
Where Lake Orion beats most towns.
0historic places
HistoryA+
0 historic places
A long history
Listed for their history, architecture or both.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Lake Orion10.9
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical MI town3.1
Civic lifeA+
3.5 times the nonprofits per person
than the typical Michigan town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
Natural hazardsA
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
A job hub
Every workday, about 2,305 people come to Lake Orion for work
Where Lake Orion’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
2,412jobs based in Lake Orion
8%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2021
How Lake Orion grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Lake Orion is from typical.
SchoolsAOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 13% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →Jobs & incomeAOpen →HealthAscension Providence Rochester Hospital 8.6 miles awayAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 10.3 of 20; 15.7% of households have no car; 2.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transitA−Open →SafetyB+Open →Cost of livingCOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 1% conserved landB+Open →HistoryA+Open →Civic life10.9 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 Lake Orion: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Lake Orion, and how to reach them.
PowerDTE20.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterVillage of Lake Orion water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Lake Orion’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 hereOrion Township ClerkOrion Charter Township; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jan 2026
ZIP code4836248362 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 Lake Orion.
Lake Orion draws workers from Orion Township and beyond and has less food insecurity than most of Michigan, but it has property taxes about twice the Michigan norm.
HousingCost of living grade C
The typical home in Lake Orion is valued at about $420K
The median property tax bill is $5,465, against $2,904 across Michigan, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 3.4%. For Lake Orion, the typical rent is $798 a month. Lake Orion: 73% of households are owner-occupiers.
$420KZillow home value
| Lake Orion | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $798 a month | $1,047 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 73% | 84% | 73% |
Typical home value
Lake Orion$420K
Michigan$264K
Market temperature
41
days on market
95.4%
sale-to-list price
+3.4%
value change, 1 year
6
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
Most of Lake Orion’s workers leave town for work
2,412 jobs are based in Lake Orion, 1.7 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. 23.3% of workers work from home, against 13.5% across Michigan.
The median commute is under 16 miles. Jobs based in Lake Orion grew to 2,412 in 2021, 495 more than in 2011. Also worth knowing: the mean commuting time locally is 28 minutes. The top destinations are Orion Township (13%), Auburn Hills (9%) and Troy (9%).
8%work in town
| Lake Orion | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $101,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Lake Orion8%
Orion Township13%
Auburn Hills9%
Troy9%
Oxford Township4%
16 mi
median commute distance
2,412
jobs based in Lake Orion
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 77% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
HealthA
Lake Orion earns an A for health
Its widest gap with Michigan is food insecurity: 9.4% of its 2,371 adults worry about having enough food, against 15.4% statewide.
For adults 18 to 64 in Lake Orion, the share who have no health insurance is 5%. In Lake Orion, 31% of adults sleep under 7 hours, and 12% report frequent physical distress.
87%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Lake Orion | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 25% | 25% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 34% | 36% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 14% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 15% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
22 better10 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Lake Orion | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.4% | 15.4% |
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.5% | 10.2% |
Ascension Providence Rochester Hospital
8.6 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
91st
percentile among MI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Top of a very low hazard risk in Lake Orion: inland flooding
Of the losses FEMA expects in Lake Orion, 49% come from inland flooding and 24% from tornadoes. Expected damage from storms and floods is lower here than in 87% of U.S. communities. Federal aid has come to Lake Orion households in 5 declared disasters; the latest was in 2023.
13risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SafetyB+
Less crime per resident in Lake Orion than in 71% of U.S. towns
Lake Orion’s property offense rate is 2.8 per 1,000 residents. The violent crime rate for Lake Orion comes to 1.8 per 1,000 residents.
71%of U.S. towns report more crimeB+Safety Grade
| Lake Orion | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.8 per 1,000 residents | 8 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.8 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Lake Orion1.8
Michigan4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Lake Orion2.8
Michigan13
U.S.15.5
71st
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
71st
percentile among MI towns
5
violent crimes reported in 2025
8
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Climate
In Lake Orion, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Lake Orion’s July high comes in at 82°F.
36″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–33°
Spring36–56°
Summer59–80°
Fall42–60°
Oct 22
typical first frost
Apr 26
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsB+
In Lake Orion, 1.4% of the land is conserved
Trails run 0.7 miles in 7 parks and preserves. In Lake Orion, the density of trails is 0.5 miles per square mile.
1.4%conserved
| Lake Orion | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 1.4% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.5 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
1.4%
conserved · 12 of 841 acres
0.7 mi
of trails · 0.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Atwater Park | — | 4 |
| 2. Paint Creek Trail | — | 2 |
| 3. Meek's Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lake Orion
19pages on Lake Orion
The big questions
SchoolsABeat 92% of MI districtsSafetyB+1.8 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than MI on 22 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingC$420K typical home · up 3.4% in a yearWork & commuteA$101K median household income · 2,412 jobs hereNatural hazardsAFEMA risk higher than 13% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
4 within 15 miles of the center of Lake Orion
Oakland UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Rochester Hills7.7 mi$15,262 in-state tuitionRochester UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Rochester Hills9.5 mi$29,196 tuitionOakland Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Auburn Hills9.6 mi$3,020 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Lake Orion residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Michigan.
About Lake Orion
Village in the United States
Lake Orion ( ORR-ee-ən) is a village in the northern outskirts of Metro Detroit in Oakland County, Michigan, United States. As of the 2020 census, Lake Orion had a population of 2,876. "Lake Orion" can refer to either the village or the much larger Orion Township, of which the village is a part. Lake Orion began as a resort town and over time has incorporated elements of a bedroom community.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 984 ft
- ZIP code
- 48359, 48360, 48361
Questions about Lake Orion
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Lake Orion, MI a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. Lake Orion grades A+ overall, better than 97% of U.S. towns and #17 of 697 in Michigan. It grades A for health, B+ for safety and A for schools.
Is Lake Orion, MI expensive?
That is 5.5 years of the area's median household income ($76,664 across the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.