Townapedia
Houghton Lake 1
Houghton Lake 1 · H.G. Judd, CC BY-SA 3.0
Sunset over Houghton Lake, Michigan
Sunset over Houghton Lake, Michigan · JoannaPoe, CC BY-SA 4.0
On-lake snowmobile parking lot atTip-up Town USA Winter Festival in Houghton Lake, MI 1 21 2012 (6743958099)
On-lake snowmobile parking lot atTip-up Town USA Winter Festival in Houghton Lake, MI 1 21 2012 (6743958099) · Joe Ross from Lansing, Michigan, CC BY-SA 2.0
Reindeer at Tip-up Town USA Winter Festival in Houghton Lake, MI 1 21 2012 (6743949447)
Reindeer at Tip-up Town USA Winter Festival in Houghton Lake, MI 1 21 2012 (6743949447) · Joe Ross from Lansing, Michigan, CC BY-SA 2.0
1967 Sno Cruiser pull-behind snowmobile sled -- Vintage Snowmobiles at Tip-Up Town, Houghton Lake, MI 1-21-2012 (6743828075)
1967 Sno Cruiser pull-behind snowmobile sled -- Vintage Snowmobiles at Tip-Up Town, Houghton Lake, MI 1-21-2012 (6743828075) · Joe Ross from Lansing, Michigan, CC BY-SA 2.0
Reindeer at Tip-up Town USA Winter Festival in Houghton Lake, MI 1 21 2012 (6743943709)
Reindeer at Tip-up Town USA Winter Festival in Houghton Lake, MI 1 21 2012 (6743943709) · Joe Ross from Lansing, Michigan, CC BY-SA 2.0

Houghton Lake, Michigan

Houghton Lake is a community of 5,769 people in Roscommon County, Michigan.

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Population5,769 +72.2% since 2019
CountyRoscommon County
Elevation1,145 ft 349 m
Land area10.8 sq mi
ZIP codes48629, 48651
Nearest airportRoscommon County Airport (HTL) 6 mi

Why visit Houghton Lake

Townapedia lists 4 parks and trails, 8 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.

Highlights include Pines Theatre, Heights Marina and Brian's Lakeside Marina.

July is the warmest month, with average highs of 80°F; February lows average 9°F, and about 75 inches of snow fall in a normal year.

About Houghton Lake

Houghton Lake (; HOH-ʼn) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Roscommon County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,294 during the 2020 census, making it the largest unincorporated community in Northern Michigan. The CDP is located within Denton, Lake, and Roscommon townships.

From the Wikipedia article Houghton Lake, Michigan (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Things to do1

Pines Theatre

Cinema and theater · 0.9 mi

4673 West Houghton Lake Drive, Houghton Lake

Open in Google Maps

Parks, trails and playgrounds4

Heights Marina

Marina and boat launch · 1.4 mi

900 Shoreline Drive, Houghton Lake

07:00-19:00

Open in Google Maps · +1 989 429 5575

Brian's Lakeside Marina

Marina and boat launch · 2.7 mi

8320 West Houghton Lake Drive, Houghton Lake

Open in Google Maps · +1 989 422 6720

Pine View Highlands

Golf course · 0.7 mi

4761 West Houghton Lake Drive, Houghton Lake

Open in Google Maps · +1-989-366-7726

The Quest Golf Club

Golf course · 2.4 mi

119 Questview Drive, Houghton Lake

Open in Google Maps · +1-989-422-4516

Restaurants and cafes8

China Buffet

Restaurant · Chinese · 2.0 mi

Open in Google Maps · +1 989-366-1888

Shenanigans Pub and Grub

Diner · American · 0.8 mi

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Little Boots Country Diner

Restaurant · 1.2 mi

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MJ's Eatery

Restaurant · 2.5 mi

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coney dogs

Restaurant · 1.6 mi

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Arby's

Fast food · Sandwich · 1.9 mi

3574 West Houghton Lake Drive, Houghton Lake

10:00-22:00

Open in Google Maps · +1 989-366-6118

Taco Bell

Fast food · Tex-Mex · 2.5 mi

3023 West Houghton Lake Drive, Houghton Lake

Mo-Th 07:00-24:00; Fr-Sa 07:00-01:00; Su 07:00-24:00

Open in Google Maps · +1 989-366-9499

Little Caesars

Fast food · Pizza · 1.9 mi

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Where to stay3

Beachfront Hotel

Motel and hotel · 0.6 mi

4990 West Houghton Lake Drive, Houghton Lake

Open in Google Maps · +1 989 202 4700

Wooded Acres Campground

Campground · 1.1 mi

997 Federal Avenue, Houghton Lake

Open in Google Maps · +1-989-422-3413

Lagoon Resort and Motel

Motel and hotel · 1.1 mi

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History

The area around Houghton Lake has been occupied for thousands of years and is within Odawa and Ojibwe homelands. In the Treaty of Washington of 1836, the Odawa and Ojibwe ceded nearly 16 million acres of their land to the United States in the eastern Upper Peninsula and northwest Lower Peninsula. The following year, Michigan gained statehood, and the area became part of Midland County. The treaty was enacted amid rapid surveying of the Lower Peninsula, including the land around Houghton Lake. The lake was first recorded as Red Lake by surveyor John Brink in 1838. During an 1852 resurvey of the county, the lake was renamed to Houghton Lake, in honor of Michigan's first state geologist, Douglass Houghton.

The first settlers of European descent arrived and settled in 1869. This family, the Emerys, traveled the Saginaw Trail, which would continue to be a primary route for settlers. By 1873, the settlement of Houghton Lake was established. The following year, Roscommon County was established and Houghton Lake was chosen as county seat. This would last until 1878, when the courthouse was relocated to Higgins Lake.

From the History section of Houghton Lake, Michigan on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Churches and places of worship8

Shopping5

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Gas and EV charging3

Schools, colleges and libraries6

Healthcare1

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Map of Houghton Lake

39 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Climate by month

20°40°60°80°January: 1.9 in of rainFebruary: 1.4 in of rainMarch: 1.9 in of rainApril: 3.3 in of rainMay: 3.3 in of rainJune: 3.4 in of rainJuly: 3.4 in of rainAugust: 3.0 in of rainSeptember: 2.7 in of rainOctober: 3.5 in of rainNovember: 2.5 in of rainDecember: 2.0 in of rainJanuary: 28°FFebruary: 31°FMarch: 41°FApril: 54°FMay: 67°FJune: 77°FJuly: 80°FAugust: 79°FSeptember: 71°FOctober: 57°FNovember: 44°FDecember: 32°FJanuary: 10°FFebruary: 9°FMarch: 17°FApril: 29°FMay: 41°FJune: 51°FJuly: 55°FAugust: 54°FSeptember: 46°FOctober: 36°FNovember: 27°FDecember: 18°FJFMAMJJASOND
Average high Average low Rain
Monthly table
MonthHighLowRainSnow
Jan28°F10°F1.9 in17.7 in
Feb31°F9°F1.4 in17.3 in
Mar41°F17°F1.9 in11.4 in
Apr54°F29°F3.3 in3.3 in
May67°F41°F3.3 in0.1 in
Jun77°F51°F3.4 in0.0 in
Jul80°F55°F3.4 in0.0 in
Aug79°F54°F3.0 in0.0 in
Sep71°F46°F2.7 in0.0 in
Oct57°F36°F3.5 in0.1 in
Nov44°F27°F2.5 in3.8 in
Dec32°F18°F2.0 in21.0 in

U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Houghton Lake 2Nw (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.

People and cost of living

$50,305median household income
$126,200median home value
$827median monthly rent
54.8median age
15.2%of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
80.8%of homes are owner-occupied
24.8 minaverage commute
Age of residents
Under 1815%18 to 3414%35 to 6436%65 and over34%

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.

Disaster history

Roscommon County has had 4 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.

  • 2026-06-30: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
  • 2020-03-27: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
  • 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
  • 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)

OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.

Getting there and nearby towns

Roscommon County Airport (HTL) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 6 miles away.

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

Reviews, tips and questions

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Sources and licences

Photo credits

Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.