Carp Lake, Michigan Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 380, Carp Lake's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Carp Lake is a small community located in Michigan, within Emmet County. The total population is 380. It ranks as the 584th most populous out of 745 Census-designated places in Michigan.

Age Demographics

The median age in Carp Lake is 40.0 years. This is about the same as the state median of 40.2 years. With 32.1% of the population under 18, Carp Lake has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Carp Lake is $27,474. This is 62% lower than the state median of $72,875. It is also 66% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 48.2%. This is 265% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.2%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 7.9%. This is 38% higher than the state rate of 5.7%. The median home value is $180,000. Housing costs are 22% lower than the state median of $231,600. The home-value-to-income ratio of 6.6x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 62.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 14% lower than the state average of 73.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Carp Lake has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 91.6% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 0.8%. The Black or African American population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 13.1%.

Education

16.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 48% lower than the state rate of 32.5%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 93.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Carp Lake, Michigan is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Michigan state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 745 Census-designated places in Michigan. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.