Alpena
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The Alpena album
Outdoors in Alpena
Parks & trails →Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
1917
Liberty Bonds - Public Gatherings - War Activities at Alpena, Michigan. Victory Loan drive, 1917
Photo · Wikimedia Commons
Landmark of the day
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Fishing Tug Katherine V
The Fishing Tug Katherine V., designated US 228069, is a Great Lakes fishing tug. Displayed at the Besser Museum of Northeast Michigan, in Alpena, Michigan, it is believed to be the last intact wooden fishing tug remaining.
About Alpena
City in Michigan, United StatesAlpena ( al-PEE-nə) is the only city in and the county seat of Alpena County, Michigan, United States. The population was 10,197 at the 2020 census, making it the third most populated city in the Northern Michigan region, after Traverse City and Cadillac. The city is surrounded by Alpena Township, but the two are administered autonomously. It is the core city of the Alpena micropolitan statistical area, which encompasses all of Alpena County and had a total population of 28,907 at the 2020 census. Alpena is located at the head of Thunder Bay, a bay of Lake Huron. Offshore of Alpena is the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, which protects an estimated 116 historically significant shipwre…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
How Alpena ranks
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Housing in Alpena
The median sale price was $178,000 in May 2026.
A seller's market
Safety in Alpena
Safety Grade C
Alpena reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 69% report less.
Work & commute in Alpena
Full picture →About one in 3 of Alpena’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Alpena (21%), Lansing (1%) and Gaylord (1%). Half commute less than 3 miles.
Health in Alpena
Health Grade D
Healthier than 12% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 36% of towns with similar incomes.
Compared with Michigan
of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 20 are too close to call.
What stands out
Care nearby
Natural hazards in Alpena
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 25% of U.S. communities.
Climate in Alpena
Full climate →Alpena has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 14°, and about 59 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
Schools in Alpena
All Alpena schools →School Grade B-
The public schools Alpena’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 54% of Michigan’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within MI. Ratings are from neighbors.
Alpena is a college town
Colleges →of Alpena’s residents are enrolled in college. Alpena Community College has about 1,283 students on campus.
Alpena’s library
Library details →Famous people from Alpena
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Where Alpena is
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