Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
65% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Suttons Bay, above both Michigan’s towns (26%) and U.S. towns (29%). Of the 702 Michigan towns we compare, none has a higher age of the median resident than Suttons Bay. Suttons Bay’s density of trails is 1.6 miles per square mile, where Michigan’s towns sit at 0.3 and U.S. towns at 0.4. The biggest park or preserve is Bahle Park, at 26 acres. Suttons Bay has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Suttons Bay beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 398 in 1900, 613 in 2020. The archive holds 13 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1957 on.
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Suttons Bay. Close and well known come first.
7 mi National LakeshoreSleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore1.6M visitors a year36 mi MuseumMichigan Legacy Art ParkSleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore: en:User:Grod028, Public domain
Who provides power, water and the rest in Suttons Bay, 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 Suttons Bay.
Jobs in Suttons Bay grew by 205 from 2011 to 2021, reaching 474. Most people who work leave Suttons Bay to do it: just 11% work in town. In Suttons Bay, the median household income is $125,000. The top destinations are Traverse City (18%), Suttons Bay Township (17%) and Leland Township (11%).
| Suttons Bay | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $125,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 11% | 5.9% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
58% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from cold waves, followed by inland flooding at 34%. Suttons Bay’s FEMA risk score is 13 of 100. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 87% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
A winter brings about 115 inches of snow, with January nights at 16° and July afternoons at 77°.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Of 32 CDC measures, Suttons Bay beats the Michigan average on 16 and trails it on 6. 4.8% of adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance in Suttons Bay. Two figures for adults here: 27% sleep under 7 hours, 13% binge drink.
| Suttons Bay | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 18% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 34% | 36% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 17% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 85% | 80% | 79% |
| What stands out | Suttons Bay | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.2% | 8.7% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 5.8% | 11.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 15.2% | 8.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bahle Park | 0.9 mi | 26 |
| 2. Leo Creek Preserve | 0.5 mi | 7 |
| 3. Grand Traverse Bay Underwater Preserve | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
In Suttons Bay, four in five households live in a home they own. The typical rent for Suttons Bay comes to $1,193 a month.
| Suttons Bay | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 80% | 84% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,193 a month | $1,046 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
None within 15 miles of Suttons Bay; the nearest are
About 1 of every 100 Suttons Bay residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
Where Suttons Bay’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2021
Village in Michigan, United States
Suttons Bay is a village in Leelanau County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population in the village reached 613 at the 2020 census. Located within Suttons Bay Township, the community lies upon the shore of the eponymous Suttons Bay, a smaller inlet of Grand Traverse Bay, a bay of Lake Michigan.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Suttons Bay has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
2 notable people were born here, including Willard J. Smith and Jeannie Peterson.
