The story of this market
The typical home in Alger County, Michigan sells for about $164,500, or $132 per square foot.
Prices are down 40.2% from a year ago, which gives buyers more room to negotiate. Homes take about 54 days to sell. Over the long run, values in this county have grown 151% since 2000. The biggest natural hazard here is lightning, which FEMA rates very high. HUD's fair market rent for a two-bedroom is $1,064 a month.
HUD sets the fair market rent for a 2-bedroom at $1,064 a month. FEMA's National Risk Index rates overall hazard risk here as Relatively Low.
Price climate
Every year of price change, 2000–2025
+17.2%
2025
Each stripe is one year's median price change across the area's census tracts (FHFA repeat-sales index). Deep blue is a strong gain year, red a falling year. Best: 2022 (+21.4%). Worst: 2007 (-5.2%). Hover to read a year.
Monthly price momentum
Home values since 2015
+4.5%
MI · past 12 months
Freddie Mac House Price Index, single-family homes, monthly through 2026-08. Each line starts at 100 in January 2015, so a reading of 180 means prices are up 80% since then.
Rent benchmark
Fair market rent by size
$1,268
3-bed / month
HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal 2027, for this county. A typical rent for a modest unit, used to set housing-voucher payments.
Neighborhood price trend
Long-run price trend, 2000–2025
+17.2%
2025 change
FHFA repeat-sales index, median of 3 census tracts in this county (2000 = 100). Bars are each year's median change.
Natural hazard exposure
The area's risk shape
49
Relatively Low
FEMA National Risk Index. Each spoke is a hazard ranked nationally, where 100 is the most exposed. Expected annual loss: $3,643,870.
Mortgage activity
Home lending in this county
70.9%
2018 approval rate
| Year | Applications | Loans made | Approval | Investor share | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 226 | 117 | 70.9% | 0% | $145,000 |
CFPB Home Mortgage Disclosure Act records: every mortgage application reported by lenders for homes in this county. Approval rate is approved ÷ decided (withdrawn and incomplete files excluded). Investor share and home value are the median census tract.
Alger County, Michigan
The Alger County housing market is currently experiencing significant volatility with a sharp year-over-year decline in median sale prices. Low transaction volume and limited inventory characterize the current landscape, reflecting a cautious environment for both buyers and sellers.
No ARED distress-ledger coverage for this county yet — the foreclosure ingest rotates the national county directory, and filings appear here once the county's posted notices are read. Key-figure check: median price diverges 26.1% from the nearest retained anchor (published ten-year series (2026)) — beyond the 12.5% tolerance; an automated validation case is open and the value publishes pending its verdict.
Select a city to expand its ZIP intel reports beneath · 1 city · 3 ZIP reports
Median prices moved down 40.2% year over year.
Homes spend a median of 54 days on market with 0.0 months of supply — a fast-moving market.
0% of listings have cut prices · homes sell at 0% of asking — demand is holding steady.
no recorded foreclosure-ledger notices (0.0 per 10,000 residents) · unemployment 4.7% · poverty 6.3% — a stable, low-distress profile.
No researched properties in this county yet — the property base layer populates as property research runs, and each property feeds its ZIP's roll-up.
researched Sep 22
researched Sep 22
| 49862 | Munising | $155,000 | $104 | +42.1% | 117 | 98.5% | — | 5.2 | 31 | $711 | researched Sep 22 |
| 49895 | Wetmore | $210,000 | $145 | +3.2% | 88 | 96.5% | 15% | 6.5 | 12 | $455 | researched Sep 22 |
Figures are each ZIP report's own latest research — the county roll-up aggregates them sales_count-weighted (population fallback); ZIPs cycle quarterly.
The area experiences occasional severe weather, including hail, though specific insurance-climate risk profiles are not centrally published.
The economy is anchored by tourism and natural resources, with limited large-scale industrial development momentum.
Composed from the ARED governance burden registry — tier-native tax structure (state + county + city + special districts), never averaged. State (Michigan) — Disabled Veterans Homestead Exemption: Provides an exemption from property taxes levied for school operating purposes and potentially other local taxes depending on eligibility. State (Michigan) — General Property Tax Act: Property is assessed at 50% of true cash value (State Equalized Value). Taxable value is capped at the lesser of the state equalized value or the previous year's taxable value adjusted by the consumer price index (up to 5%), unless a transfer of ownership occurs.
The economy is heavily reliant on tourism, forestry, and public sector employment.
Transportation is primarily served by state highways including M-28 and M-94, with limited public transit infrastructure.
The county assessment regime follows Michigan's general property tax act, utilizing state-equalized values.
The county is served by local school districts and various township-level utility and fire districts.
The amenity base that shapes daily life and property demand in this county — what residents actually live with, and what the pipeline is adding.
Features dramatic sandstone cliffs, waterfalls, and beaches along Lake Superior, serving as the primary tourism anchor for the county.
Data retrieved from Census Reporter and Michigan Demographics.
applies when — Real property owned and used as a homestead by a disabled veteran or their surviving spouse.
Provides an exemption from property taxes levied for school operating purposes and potentially other local taxes depending on eligibility.
MCL 211.7b
applies when — Transfer of interest in real estate consisting of not less than 1 or more than 4 residential dwelling units.
Sellers must provide a written disclosure statement to prospective buyers regarding the condition of the property, including known defects.
Seller Disclosure Act, Act 92 of 1993
applies when — Delinquency in real property tax payments.
A three-year forfeiture and foreclosure process. Property is forfeited to the county treasurer after two years of delinquency. If taxes remain unpaid by March 31 of the third year, the property is foreclosed upon by the Foreclosing Governmental Unit.
General Property Tax Act, Public Act 206 of 1893; MCL 211.78k
Property is assessed at 50% of true cash value (State Equalized Value). Taxable value is capped at the lesser of the state equalized value or the previous year's taxable value adjusted by the consumer price index (up to 5%), unless a transfer of ownership occurs. The tax is calculated by multiplying the taxable value by the local millage rate.
General Property Tax Act, Public Act 206 of 1893
Governance registry — every jurisdiction re-researches on a rolling 90-day cycle. Property reports compose these inherited burdens into a per-parcel ledger with conditional determinations. Informational only — not legal advice.