What are the schools like in Sylvan Lake, MI?

School district data for Sylvan Lake is sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

What is the median household income in Sylvan Lake?

The median household income in Sylvan Lake, MI is $96,900 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 4.6%.

What is the weather like in Sylvan Lake, MI?

Sylvan Lake has an average high temperature of 31.3°F in January and 82.3°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 33.9 inches and annual snowfall averages 36.0 inches.

Sylvan Lake, MI Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Sylvan Lake, MI affordable or expensive?

Sylvan Lake's cost of living index is 98, where 100 represents the national average. This means Sylvan Lake is 2% less expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $310,000 and the median rent is $1,239 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Sylvan Lake, MI?

Sylvan Lake has a violent crime rate of 58.9 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 765.6 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Sylvan Lake, MI a Good Place to Live?

Sylvan Lake is a small town of 1,729 in Michigan, with a median household income of $96,900 and a 4.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 98 (US average = 100), which is 2% below the national average.

Strengths: Sylvan Lake stands out for lower-than-average crime, a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Sylvan Lake is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Sylvan Lake city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 98.0

Sylvan Lake's overall cost of living index is 98.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Sylvan Lake costs roughly 2% less than the average American city.

Metric	Sylvan Lake, MI	National Avg
Median Home Value	$310,000	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$1,239	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	79.6%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$96,900	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Sylvan Lake's violent crime rate is 58.9 per 100,000 residents — 84% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

58.9 /100k

Property Crime

765.6 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Metric	Sylvan Lake, MI	National Avg
School District	N/A	—
Elementary Schools	N/A	—
Middle Schools	N/A	—
High Schools	N/A	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	N/A	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	51.4%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	99.6%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Sylvan Lake sees average highs of 31.3°F in January and 82.3°F in July, with 33.9 inches of annual precipitation and 36.0 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Sylvan Lake, MI
Average High — January	31.3°F
Average High — July	82.3°F
Annual Precipitation	33.9"
Annual Snowfall	36.0"

Demographics

Metric	Sylvan Lake, MI	National Avg
Population	1,729	—
Median Age	51.9	38.9
Unemployment Rate	4.6%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	26.8 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	88.0%	59.3%
Black or African American	10.0%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	1.0%	18.9%
Asian	0.6%	6.3%
Under 18	12.8%	22.2%
65 and over	22.0%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Keego Harbor, MI 1 mi Orchard Lake Village, MI 3 mi Pontiac, MI 3 mi Bloomfield Hills, MI 5 mi Lake Angelus, MI 5 mi

Sylvan Lake vs Other Cities

Sylvan Lake, MI vs Keego Harbor, MI Sylvan Lake, MI vs Orchard Lake Village, MI Sylvan Lake, MI vs Pontiac, MI Sylvan Lake, MI vs Bloomfield Hills, MI Sylvan Lake, MI vs Lake Angelus, MI

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sylvan Lake, MI affordable or expensive?

Sylvan Lake's cost of living index is 98, where 100 is the national average. That makes Sylvan Lake roughly 2% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $310,000 and median rent is $1,239/month.

What is the crime rate in Sylvan Lake, MI?

Sylvan Lake's violent crime rate is 58.9 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 765.6 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Sylvan Lake?

School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.

Is Sylvan Lake, MI a good place to live?

Sylvan Lake, MI has a population of 1,729, a median household income of $96,900, and an unemployment rate of 4.6%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Sylvan Lake?

Sylvan Lake averages 31.3°F in January and 82.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 33.9 inches with about 36.0 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What is the population of Sylvan Lake?

The population of Sylvan Lake, Michigan is 1,729 with a median age of 51.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Sylvan Lake?

Key numbers for living in Sylvan Lake: cost of living index 98 (100 = US average), median home $310,000, median household income $96,900, crime index 24 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Sylvan Lake side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.