Michigan earns an average composite livability score of 47.1, placing it just behind the national median of 50.0. All 83 counties in the state are ranked, revealing a broad spectrum of quality of life across the peninsula.

A Strong Focus on Resident Health

The Great Lakes State excels in public health, boasting a high health dimension score of 69.4. Additionally, a risk score of 50.5 indicates that Michigan provides a stable environment for residents when compared to more hazard-prone states.

Tax Burdens and Moderate Incomes

The state's tax score of 29.2 is its primary weakness, suggesting a higher tax burden than many national peers. This fiscal pressure is compounded by an income score of 48.1, which falls slightly below the national middle ground.

Northern Counties Lead the Pack

Keweenaw County is the state's top performer with a score of 71.6, driven by exceptional affordability. Presque Isle and Alger counties follow closely, both leveraging low cost-of-living scores to maintain high overall livability.

Ideal for Health-Conscious Nature Lovers

Michigan is a premier choice for those prioritizing health and outdoor lifestyle, particularly in its high-scoring northern counties. Families seeking affordable housing will find great value here, provided they can navigate the state's higher tax structure.

All County Rankings in Michigan

Search, sort, and filter all 83 ranked counties

Showing 1–25 of 83 counties

Rank
1	Keweenaw County	70.6	36.1	81.7	16.5	67.3	93	99.3	99.4	6.1	51.2		66.7
2	Presque Isle County	70.3	39.9	82	31.7	86	72.8	73.5	78.3	86	48.3	53.6	59.9
3	Alger County	64.7	40.3	72	37.8	61.4	79.4	78.3	90.4	44.9	49.4	67.6	60
4	Ontonagon County	63.6	25.5	92	20.1	80.7	52	57.3	95.8	86	48.7	66.9	60.1
5	Alcona County	60.9	48.7	63.7	21.3	63.9	58.4	72.5	82.3	86	50.4	50.7	50.8
6	Leelanau County	60.9	62.4	16.8	94.5	82.3	91.3	47	51.7	86	54.8	55.2	73
7	Iron County	59.5	17	81.5	23.4	72.5	54.6	73.2	45	86	48.5	67.2	50.1
8	Dickinson County	58.8	20.6	66.4	48.5	89.8	83	26.5	40.7	86	47.5	59.4	49.3
9	Montmorency County	56.6	46	82.4	11.4	79.2	51.5	11.4	84.2	86	48.5	50.1	52.8
10	Baraga County	56.1	22.8	82.5	22	67.3	61.7	46	89.4	12.9	49.8	66.9	57.5
11	Charlevoix County	55.9	43.1	32.4	76.3	66.1	79.3	45.5	77.7	86	51	53.8	64.5
12	Schoolcraft County	55.8	36.5	82.8	25.3	31.6	57.6	64.4	93.3	86	51.6	67.6	53.8
13	Gogebic County	55.7	13.7	86.9	16.7	67.8	71	34	74.4	56.6	49.9	67	60.1
14	Menominee County	55.6	34.5	82	24.3	68.5	75.4	22.3	55.6	27.2	48.3	71.1	53.7
15	Antrim County	55.5	47	39.6	66.8	61.7	86.1	41	74.3	40.8	52.8	55.1	62.3
16	Emmet County	55.5	47.8	22.9	78.9	74.2	87.2	44.2	61.9	40.3	51.4	51.4	61.6
17	Huron County	54.8	24	70.3	30.6	63.6	69.1	49.7	41	60.4	54.6	75.4	58.1
18	Lake County	54.6	29.6	57.8	13.3	89.1	47.3	45	78	86	53.3
19	Livingston County	54.6	38.4	11.8	95.4	76.4	95.8	55.4	26.5	37.1	53.8	64.9	68.8
20	Oscoda County	54.3	40.5	83.6	11.1	58.5	41	37.9	84.9	86	48.4	66	50.2
21	Houghton County	54	25.3	61.2	30.6	70.3	80.3	25.8	75.7	65.3	49.9	67	53.5
22	Luce County	53.3	37.6	84.2	21	31.4	64.3	38.9	97.5	86	51.5	67.5	59.2
23	Benzie County	53	51.3	29.8	72.9	64.7	78	38.7	77.3	14.7	57.5		78
24	Chippewa County	52.9	21.1	60.3	40.4	70.3	63.6	37.9	73.7	63	50.6	67.3	59.6
25	Cheboygan County	52.8	44.2	65.3	42.4	46.5	60.5	45.6	40.5	86	51.9	50.3	58.3

Keweenaw County

36.181.716.567.39399.399.46.151.2N/A66.7N/A

70.6

Presque Isle County

39.98231.78672.873.578.38648.353.659.9N/A

70.3

Alger County

40.37237.861.479.478.390.444.949.467.660N/A

64.7

Ontonagon County

25.59220.180.75257.395.88648.766.960.1N/A

63.6

Alcona County

48.763.721.363.958.472.582.38650.450.750.8N/A

60.9

Leelanau County

62.416.894.582.391.34751.78654.855.273N/A

60.9

Iron County

1781.523.472.554.673.2458648.567.250.1N/A

59.5

Dickinson County

20.666.448.589.88326.540.78647.559.449.3N/A

58.8

Montmorency County

4682.411.479.251.511.484.28648.550.152.8N/A

56.6

Baraga County

22.882.52267.361.74689.412.949.866.957.5N/A

56.1

Charlevoix County

43.132.476.366.179.345.577.7865153.864.5N/A

55.9

Schoolcraft County

36.582.825.331.657.664.493.38651.667.653.8N/A

55.8

Gogebic County

13.786.916.767.8713474.456.649.96760.1N/A

55.7

Menominee County

34.58224.368.575.422.355.627.248.371.153.7N/A

55.6

Antrim County

4739.666.861.786.14174.340.852.855.162.3N/A

55.5

Emmet County

47.822.978.974.287.244.261.940.351.451.461.6N/A

55.5

Huron County

2470.330.663.669.149.74160.454.675.458.1N/A

54.8

Lake County

29.657.813.389.147.345788653.3N/AN/AN/A

54.6

Livingston County

38.411.895.476.495.855.426.537.153.864.968.8N/A

54.6

Oscoda County

40.583.611.158.54137.984.98648.46650.2N/A

54.3

Houghton County

25.361.230.670.380.325.875.765.349.96753.5N/A

Luce County

37.684.22131.464.338.997.58651.567.559.2N/A

53.3

Benzie County

51.329.872.964.77838.777.314.757.5N/A78N/A

Chippewa County

21.160.340.470.363.637.973.76350.667.359.6N/A

52.9

Cheboygan County

44.265.342.446.560.545.640.58651.950.358.3N/A

52.8

Page 1 of 4

Frequently Asked Questions about Counties in Michigan

Common questions about county rankings and scores in Michigan.

What is the best county in Michigan?

Keweenaw County is the top-ranked county in Michigan with a CountyScore of 70.6/100. It leads the state across the available scoring dimensions, which include Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate.

How many counties are ranked in Michigan?

Michigan has 83 counties in total. Of those, 83 have been ranked with a composite score based on available data dimensions. The remaining 0 counties do not yet have enough data for a full score.

What factors determine a county's score?

Each county is scored 0–100 across up to nine baseline data dimensions: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, and Weather & Climate. The composite score is a weighted average of whichever baseline dimensions have data. Currently available baseline dimensions are: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate. Higher scores are always better — a score of 100 represents the best possible performance for that dimension.

What is the average county score in Michigan?

The average composite CountyScore across all ranked counties in Michigan is 47/100. The national average is 50/100, so Michigan counties score 3 points below the national average.

How does Michigan compare to other states?

Michigan's average county score of 47/100 is 3 points below the national average of 50/100. You can compare Michigan counties to counties in any other state using the county detail pages or the CountyScore compare tool.

Explore County Data by Category

Dive deeper into specific dimensions for counties in Michigan.

TaxByCountyEffective property tax rate vs national benchmarks CostByCountyMedian rent, home values, and housing affordability IncomeByCountyMedian household income and per capita earnings CrimeByCountyViolent and property crime rates per 100K residents HealthByCountyLife expectancy, uninsured rates, and health access SchoolsByCountyGraduation rates, per-pupil spending, and attainment RiskByCountyFEMA National Risk Index — flood, fire, tornado, and more WaterByCountyEPA drinking water health violations and safety grades WeatherByCountyAverage temperatures, precipitation, and extreme weather events SoilByCountySoil composition, pH, drainage, and organic matter content LawnByCountyLawn difficulty score based on climate, soil, and grass suitability MarketsByCountyExperimental standalone signal for market density and SNAP/EBT access

Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019–2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.

Best Counties in Michigan — 2026 Rankings

Top Counties in Michigan

Understanding County Scores in Michigan

Michigan Trails the National Median Slightly