The Town FilesElk Rapids, Michigan
Township in Antrim County · population 2,521 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $401,100
- Household income
- $82,933
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 112 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 56.5
Elk Rapids is a township of 2,521 people in Antrim County, Michigan. The median home is worth $401,100, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for retirees than 100% of Michigan towns, better for a vacation home than 100% of Michigan towns, better for cycling than 94% of Michigan towns.
How Elk Rapids ranks
Percentile among Michigan towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Michigan towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Elk Rapids is worth $401,100, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 4.8 times the median household income of $82,933, which is more affordable than 3% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,238 a month. 75.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Elk Rapids | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $401,100 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $1,238 | $955 |
| Median household income | $82,933 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.8× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 75.7% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 29.8% | — |
Who lives in Elk Rapids
| People | Elk Rapids | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 56.5 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 34.2% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 12.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.5% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.3% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 9.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.4% | — |
| Work from home | 10.7% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 20.0 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.0% | 88.8% |
Weather in Elk Rapids
July highs average 79.9°F and January lows 16.5°F. About 31.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 111.7 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 157 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Elk Rapids since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 3, 1956 about 8.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 22, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 9 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on June 8, 2011.
Severe weather in Antrim County since 1996
Antrim County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Flood | DR-4925: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 22, 2025 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4880: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3455: Covid-19 |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Antrim County
Antrim County had 5,128 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $42,968 a year. Unemployment was 5.4% in 2023; in Elk Rapids itself the ACS puts it at 0.8%.
Public schools in Elk Rapids
4 public schools with 982 students, about 18.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk Rapids High School | 9-12 | 359 | 19.9 |
| Lakeland Elementary School | PK-5 | 311 | 17.3 |
| Cherryland Middle School | 6-8 | 285 | 16.8 |
| Sunrise Academy | 9-12 | 27 | 27.0 |
Towns near Elk Rapids
- Peninsula, MI6.0 mi · 6,068 people · home $706,900
- Acme, MI7.8 mi · 4,456 people · home $338,300
- Whitewater, MI9.2 mi · 2,688 people · home $373,000
- Bingham, MI12.0 mi · 2,577 people · home $373,200
- Suttons Bay, MI13.5 mi · 2,883 people · home $440,500
- Elmwood, MI13.6 mi · 4,892 people · home $436,400
- Traverse City, MI14.0 mi · 15,678 people · home $415,400
- Kalkaska, MI14.5 mi · 5,027 people · home $173,900
Elk Rapids questions
Is Elk Rapids, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Elk Rapids scores better for retirees than 100% of Michigan towns and quieter than 69%. 34.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 56.5).
How much does a house cost in Elk Rapids?
The median owner-occupied home in Elk Rapids is valued at $401,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $82,933, so homes cost about 4.8 times income. Median rent is $1,238 a month.
What is the weather like in Elk Rapids?
July highs average 79.9°F and January lows 16.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.3 inches of precipitation a year and 111.7 inches of snow.
Does Elk Rapids get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Elk Rapids since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 3, 1956. The typical Michigan town has had 10.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)