Arenac County Community Profile

Arenac County is a small, rural community of about 6,665 households, and it is growing. Households are projected to increase by 75 between 2024 and 2029, a modest but meaningful signal that people want to be here. The challenge is that the homes they need aren’t waiting for them.

The median household income in Arenac County is $55,600, but the median home value sits at $156,437, and what’s actually available for sale is listing closer to $191,250. For renters, the median gross rent of $665 sounds manageable until you consider that more than 40% of Arenac renters are cost burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing. Nearly one in five is severely cost burdened, paying more than half their income just to keep a roof overhead.

The housing stock here is aging. More than a third of owner-occupied homes were built before 1970. Arenac also has the highest rate of incomplete plumbing and kitchen facilities among rental households in the region, a signal that some of what exists needs repair, not just replacement.

Between now and 2029, Arenac County needs 140 additional rental units and 608 additional for-sale homes to meet projected demand. Those are not abstract numbers. They represent workers who need a place to live, families trying to plant roots, and seniors looking for options as they age. The full county profile below has the details, broken down by income level, tenure, and housing type.