© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Alpena.
About
Life in Alpena
Alpena is a community of 10,178 people in Michigan. The median household income is $47,604, median rent runs about $625 per month, and median home values are around $118,700. The unemployment rate is 5.7%.
Alpena at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
46.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
21.2%
Foreign-Born
0.9%
Broadband Internet
82.9%
of households
Population Growth
-1.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics0.9% foreign-born, most often from Germany
Who lives in Alpena: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Alpena, the largest foreign-born group is from Germany (43.7%), and 0.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
16.0%
of residents
65 and Older
23.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
18.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
47.3%
of households
Married Couples
30.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
1.93
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 45% below MI average
Rent, home values, and income in Alpena
In Alpena, rent runs 45% below the MI average, and home values are 49% below the MI average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
43.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
13.3%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,754
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
66.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1955
median year built
Vacant Homes
9.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $192,261 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts above MI average
Unemployment in Alpena
Unemployment in Alpena County, which includes Alpena, is 0.5 percentage points higher than the MI average.
Unemployment rate
Alpena: Alpena County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Alpena County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Alpena Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute11.1 min avg
How Alpena residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Alpena, most residents drive alone to work (78%), and 92% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 6 mi
Alpena County Regional Airport (APN)
Regional airport · few flights13k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 41% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Alpena runs 41% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
465.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
911.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Alpena Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Storm most common — 5 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very Low
28.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Alpena County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Alpena County, which includes Alpena, the most common type is winter storm, with 5 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | Winter Storm | Not estimated |
| 2024 | 3 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2023 | 1 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2022 | 1 | Ice Storm | None reported |
| 2021 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | $42,000 |
| 2020 | 3 | Winter Storm | $4,000 |
| 2019 | 4 | Winter Storm | $8,000 |
| 2018 | 7 | Heavy Snow | $4,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Alpena County, county-wide
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2023)
Data not yet available
Climate75°F summers, 16°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Alpena has mild summers (avg high 75°F) and very cold winters (avg low 16°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
49°/32°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
75°/57°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
56°/40°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
30°/16°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
31.9"
Annual Snowfall
59.4"
Hot Days/Year
4
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
149
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
176
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27°F | 13°F | 2.19" |
| Feb | 29°F | 13°F | 1.70" |
| Mar | 37°F | 21°F | 1.81" |
| Apr | 48°F | 32°F | 3.11" |
| May | 61°F | 43°F | 3.17" |
| Jun | 71°F | 54°F | 2.72" |
| Jul | 77°F | 59°F | 3.29" |
| Aug | 76°F | 58°F | 3.45" |
| Sep | 69°F | 51°F | 2.94" |
| Oct | 56°F | 40°F | 3.24" |
| Nov | 43°F | 30°F | 2.27" |
| Dec | 33°F | 21°F | 2.05" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Alpena
Alpena has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
6.4%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Mymichigan Medical Center Alpena
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Alpena
Alpena's student/teacher ratio is 16.9:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 16.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
16.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Alpena
Public · 2-year · 732 students · in-state tuition $5,430 · 51% graduate · median earnings $42,395 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreation
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Alpena
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Public Libraries in Alpena
Alpena County Library
211 North First Avenue, Alpena
Cities Near Alpena
The closest cities within 60 miles
No other cities we cover are within 60 miles of Alpena.
Planning a move to Alpena?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Alpena FAQ
Is Alpena, Michigan affordable?⌄
Alpena's median rent is $625/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $47,545/year. Median home value is $118,700.
Is Alpena, Michigan safe?⌄
Alpena's violent crime rate was 466 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 912 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Alpena, Michigan?⌄
Alpena County, which includes Alpena, has an unemployment rate of 5.7%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Alpena, Michigan?⌄
The cost of living in Alpena is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $625/month and median household income is $47,545/year. The median home value is $118,700. About 44% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Alpena, Michigan?⌄
The average commute in Alpena is 11 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from