Median Income
$51,332
household / year
Median Home Value
$121,700
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,010
gross / month
Cost of Living
93
national avg = 100

Is Vandercook Lake, MI a Good Place to Live?

Vandercook Lake is a small town of 4,635 in Michigan, with a median household income of $51,332 and a 1.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is 7% below the national average.

Strengths: Vandercook Lake stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.

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

All Vandercook 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: 92.7

Vandercook Lake's overall cost of living index is 92.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Vandercook Lake costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.

Metric Vandercook Lake, MI National Avg
Median Home Value $121,700 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,010 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 91.2% 65.9%
Median Household Income $51,332 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Vandercook Lake's violent crime rate is 310.4 per 100,000 residents — 18% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
310.4 /100k
Property Crime
1035.3 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Metric Vandercook 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 18.0% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 93.2% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Vandercook Lake sees average highs of 31.3°F in January and 82.5°F in July, with 38.3 inches of annual precipitation and 40.4 inches of snow per year.

MetricVandercook Lake, MI
Average High — January31.3°F
Average High — July82.5°F
Annual Precipitation38.3"
Annual Snowfall40.4"

Demographics

MetricVandercook Lake, MINational Avg
Population4,635—
Median Age40.238.9
Unemployment Rate1.9%3.7%
Avg Commute Time18.8 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)92.7%59.3%
Black or African American1.4%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino3.3%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1821.6%22.2%
65 and over17.9%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Vandercook Lake vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Vandercook Lake's cost of living index is 93, where 100 is the national average. That makes Vandercook Lake roughly 7% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $121,700 and median rent is $1,010/month.
Vandercook Lake's violent crime rate is 310.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1035.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Vandercook Lake, MI has a population of 4,635, a median household income of $51,332, and an unemployment rate of 1.9%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Vandercook Lake averages 31.3°F in January and 82.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 38.3 inches with about 40.4 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Vandercook Lake, Michigan is 4,635 with a median age of 40.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Vandercook Lake: cost of living index 93 (100 = US average), median home $121,700, median household income $51,332, crime index 69 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Vandercook Lake side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.