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Bear Lake

A village of 342 people in Michigan
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Now in Bear Lake

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Around town

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Headlines via Google News · Articles belong to their publishers.

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Around town

The places and views that make it Bear Lake

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Outdoors in Bear Lake

Parks & trails →
Conserved land0.9%2 of 199 acres
Trails0.2 mi0.7 mi per sq mi
Parks & preserves1named on the map

Know a trail or park that’s missing? Anyone can add it to OpenStreetMap, and it shows up here on the next refresh.

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

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Know Bear Lake

The town at a glance, and the guide to how things work

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About Bear Lake

Village in Michigan, United States
1863Established
342Population
0.3 sq miArea
791 ftElevation

Bear Lake is a village in Manistee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 342 at the 2020 census. The village is located within Bear Lake Township.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Town numbers

ZIP code49614
Living in Bear Lake

Housing in Bear Lake

$131K Median sale price · Redfin, May 2026

The median sale price was $131,000 in May 2026.

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Work & commute in Bear Lake

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Most working residents leave Bear Lake for work: only 2% work in town. The top destinations are Manistee (10%), Frankfort (7%) and Traverse City (7%). Half commute less than 14 miles.

Manistee
10%
Frankfort
7%
Traverse City
7%
Arcadia
7%
Census LEHD 2021 · ACSWork & commute in Bear Lake →

Health in Bear Lake

C+

Health Grade C+

Healthier than 37% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.

Compared with Michigan

3better than MI

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 29 are too close to call.

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

Care nearby

Munson Healthcare Manistee HospitalManistee · 12 mi · ER
Northwest Michigan Health ServicesManistee · 13.5 mi · sliding-scale fees
Primary careShortage · county-wide
DentalShortage · county-wide
Mental healthShortage · county-wide
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Bear Lake · CMS · HRSAHealth in Bear Lake →

Natural hazards in Bear Lake

7
Very low

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 7% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🥶 Cold waves⚡ Lightning
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Bear Lake →

Climate in Bear Lake

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Bear Lake has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, a January night drops to 15°, and about 92 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

30° / 17°Winter
53° / 32°Spring
77° / 56°Summer
57° / 40°Fall
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Bear Lake →

Bear Lake’s library

Library details →
Bear Lake Library12325 Virginia Street · part of Manistee County Library
Fine-freeE-books25 hrs a week
IMLS Public Libraries Survey · FY2024Bear Lake Library →

Famous people from Bear Lake

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How things work in Bear Lake

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01