CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

42.85° N · 83.71° W · GEOID 2644520

Lake Fenton

Genesee County, Michigan · part of the Flint, MI metro

MichiganLake Fenton, MILake FentonLake Fenton

The short answer

Lake Fenton is home to 6,417 people. Median household income is $116,352 a year and median rent is $1,547 a month, 16.0% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $396,800, about 3.4x annual median household income.

Lake Fenton stands out on value for money. Home values run 31% above what its fundamentals predict in the same metro area. Also notable: Household income growth is 7.4% a year, against 4% a year in its closest peers.

65OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Above average

Lake Fenton scores better than 65% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 69th of 176 in Michigan.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%73
Economy 20%70
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%20
Education 10%77
Commute 10%23
Growth 5%n/a

Not rated: safety, growth, for want of data (the city police department does not report a full year to the FBI). The other weights are spread over the categories rated.

Median gross rent
$1,547
13% above the median place
Median household income
$116,352
45% above the median place
Median home value
$396,800
24% above the median place
Unemployment
4.5%
8% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

01

Moving to Lake Fenton

Genesee County gains about 0.8 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in13,249
Moved out12,986
Net+263

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Oakland County, MI2,5652,062+503
Tuscola County, MI339398−59

Within Michigan, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within MichiganOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$54K
Leavers$57K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Genesee County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
3.8% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 1.1% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Genesee County report $54,000 a year in income on average; those leaving, $56,700, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$61,900 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,547 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $2,048 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $396,800.
Getting to work
30 minutes each way on average; 15.5% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Tichigan, WI matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Income of households moving in7
$53,996
23% below the median place
Moved from another state1
1.1%
46% below the median place
Moved here in the past year1
3.8%
33% below the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureLake FentonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure3.8%33% below
Moved from another state1County figure1.1%46% below
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure0.8above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$53,99623% below
Income of households moving out7County figure$56,70119% below
02

What it costs to live here

Rent is light relative to pay, but the county has a FEMA natural hazard risk score of 92 out of 100. Budget for insurance before counting the savings.

Lake Fenton16.0%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$61,880
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
16.0%
22% below the median place
Home price to income
3.4x
10% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
16%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$100,500
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Lake Fenton, $1,547 a month, and local prices for everything else (96.9 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Lake Fenton, but easier on the budget

Places that match Lake Fenton on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Tichigan, WI9411.4% vs 16.0%$15,400Compare
Vernon, WI9111.2% vs 16.0%n/aCompare
Walkersville, MD8613.6% vs 16.0%$12,000Compare
Lemont, IL8511.8% vs 16.0%$6,000Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Lake Fenton.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Lake Fenton? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Homeownership1
87.4%
32% above the median place
Median year built1
1994
1% above the median place
Property tax paid (median)1
$4,675
43% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureLake FentonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,54713% above
Rent to income116.0%22% below
Property tax rate11.2%30% above
Home price to income13.4x10% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure93.08% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,13330% below
HUD area median income4County figure$82,10023% below
Property tax paid (median)1$4,67543% above
Median home value1$396,80024% above
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure5.0%57% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure48.2%6% below
Homeownership187.4%32% above
Renters paying 30%+155.5%10% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$2,0489% above
Vacant homes17.0%0% below
Median year built119941% above
03

Work and pay

Commutes by transit is 0.0%, below the median place (median 0.8%).

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Income per person1
$84,525
111% above the median place
Median household income1
$116,352
45% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Mean commute30 min +20%
Poverty rate7.2% −33%
Works from home15.5% +24%
Unemployment4.5% −8%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureLake FentonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$116,35245% above
Income per person1$84,525111% above
Unemployment14.5%8% below
Average annual pay6County figure$57,65813% below
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure3.3%11% below
Jobs6County figure134,90810% below
Poverty rate17.2%33% below
Mean commute130 min20% above
Works from home115.5%24% above
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

The median resident is 50 years old, older than in 92% of the 2,479 places under 10,000 people we track.

Median age1
50.0
28% above the median place
High school or higher1
98.0%
6% above the median place
Bachelor's or higher1
48.0%
50% above the median place
All 8 people measures
MeasureLake FentonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population16,4175704th largest
Median age150.028% above
Bachelor's or higher148.0%50% above
High school or higher198.0%6% above
Household size12.37% below
Born abroad1County figure2.9%68% below
No health insurance1County figure4.8%25% below
Homes with broadband192.8%1% above
05

Life in Lake Fenton

OpenStreetMap shows 0 grocery stores per 10,000 residents, fewer than in 84% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 176 Michigan places we track.

71 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, one of them a National Historic Landmark. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents10.9 +7%
Playgrounds per 10k6.2 −34%
Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k15.6 +40%
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails0 km −100%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • River Raisin National Battlefield Park 67 miles
  • North Country Trail 83 miles
  • Fallen Timbers Battlefield and Fort Miamis National Historic Site 90 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars17.3 −17%
Shops31.6 +4%
Arts, recreation and fitness2.8 −32%
Doctors' offices and clinics23.8 +18%
Child care centers1.9 −17%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site10
66.6
116% above the median place
Public schools12
156
above the median place (median 9)
Public school students12
58,534
above the median place (median 4,897)
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureLake FentonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools12County figure156above (median 9)
Public school students12County figure58,534above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher12County figure17.514% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure17.317% below
Shops per 10k8County figure31.64% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure2.832% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure23.818% above
Child care centers per 10k8County figure1.917% below
Parks per 10k910.97% above
Playgrounds per 10k96.234% below
Grocery stores per 10k90.0below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k915.640% above
Libraries per 10k90.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails90.0below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi90.0below (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site1066.6116% above
National Park Service sites within 60 miles100below (median 2)
National Register listings11County figure71above (median 13)
06

Safety, weather and risk

Tornado risk is 98.5, 21% above the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Lake Fenton. Larger places are fetched first.

Tornado risk14
98.5
21% above the median place
Wildfire risk14
25.9
58% below the median place
January average low13
16°F
37% below the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureLake FentonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high13County figure83°F5% below
January average low13County figure16°F37% below
Average temperature13County figure48°F13% below
Annual precipitation13County figure33.2 in24% below
Natural hazard risk14County figure92.20% below
Hurricane risk14County figure45.436% below
Tornado risk14County figure98.521% above
Wildfire risk14County figure25.958% below
Heat wave risk14County figure85.65% below
Median air quality index15County figure3812% below
Good air days15County figure83.2%21% above
08

Lake Fenton in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 16% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 16% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Lake Fenton does better than 72% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 65%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,547/mo (2024)$2,010/mo$1,650 to $2,450/mo+4.5%
Median household income$116,352 (2024)$149,000$125,500 to $176,000+4.2%
Median home value$396,800 (2024)$575,000$417,000 to $792,000+6.4%

The median home would be worth 3.9 years of the median income in 2030, against 3.4 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Lake Fenton

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Myers Corner, NY$1,610$105,718Compare
Safety Harbor, FL$1,743$106,830Compare
Lake Wisconsin, WI$1,515$124,127Compare
Bulverde, TX$1,794$112,188Compare
Bulverde, TXLake Wisconsin, WISafety Harbor, FLMyers Corner, NYLake Fenton, MILake FentonMyers CornerSafety HarborLake WisconsinBulverdeLake FentonMyers CornerSafety HarborLake WisconsinBulverde

Places built like Lake Fenton

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Lake Fenton performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Lake Fenton, MI16.0%7.4%/yrn/a
Tichigan, WI11.4%5.0%/yrn/aCompare
Apple Valley, OH13.9%5.7%/yrn/aCompare
Canfield, OH9.7%3.6%/yr-1.5%Compare
Rib Mountain, WI16.4%6.2%/yr-0.4%Compare
Vernon, WI11.2%2.9%/yr-0.1%Compare
Cicero, IN13.2%-0.2%/yr5.2%Compare

Common questions

Is Lake Fenton a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 65 out of 100, better than 65% of the places we rate and 69th of 176 in Michigan. On cost, space and class size it scores 84 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Lake Fenton expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 16.0% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $396,800.

What salary do you need to live in Lake Fenton?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $61,880 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Lake Fenton?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Myers Corner, NY, Safety Harbor, FL, Lake Wisconsin, WI and Bulverde, TX.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  11. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  12. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  13. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  14. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  15. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Lake Fenton with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Lake Fenton itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/lake-fenton-michigan

Citytistics. “Lake Fenton, Michigan.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/lake-fenton-michigan/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.