2011 · Elk Rapids Township Michigan Fire and Ambulance · Wikimedia Commons
Elk Rapids’s story
Elk Rapids in pictures
1 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives.
Explore the history →Elk RapidsMI
A town of 1,624. Healthier than 83% of U.S. towns.
Population
1,624
−6.9% since 2010
Median home value
$393K
Census ACS
Household income
$71K
median
Median age
57.7
years
Jobs based here
880
A job hub
What makes Elk Rapids stand out
The 3 things Elk Rapids does most differently from other towns.
100 U.S. towns● Elk Rapids
Health
Healthier than 83%
of U.S. towns on CDC estimates
Better than MI on 15 measures, worse on 3.
880jobs here
Work
880 jobs
based in Elk Rapids, a regional job hub
16% of working residents work in town.
Outdoors
#296 most walkable in MI
0.6 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
6.8% of the town is conserved land.
A job hub
Every workday, about 794 people come to Elk Rapids for work
Where Elk Rapids’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
880jobs based in Elk Rapids
16%of working residents work in town
14 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2021
Elk Rapids’s report card
Now in Elk Rapids
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Elk Rapids is #702 of 719 in MI for “Most kids”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Elk Rapids’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →49°
Fog
H 74° · L 58°
Local news
All →- Elk Rapids vs Harbor Springs - Girls Junior Varsity Volleyball 10/13/2026 | Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 26
- St. Francis vs Elk Rapids - Girls Freshman Volleyball 09/30/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 26
- Traverse City vs Glen Lake - Boys Varsity Basketball 01/22/2027 | Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 26
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Elk Rapids. Another town gets a different order.
Health
Healthier than 83% of U.S. towns
Elk Rapids beats the Michigan average on 15 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3.
A−Health Grade
32 measures vs. Michigan
15 better14 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Elk Rapids | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7% | 15.4% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4% | 8.7% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 14.1% | 8.9% |
Munson Medical Center
15 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
93rd
percentile among MI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Work & commute
About one in six working residents works right in Elk Rapids
Most working residents leave Elk Rapids for work: only 16% work in town. The top destinations are Traverse City (23%), Elk Rapids (18%) and Garfield (4%). Half commute less than 14 miles.
16%work in town
Where working residents work
In Elk Rapids16%
Traverse City23%
Elk Rapids18%
Garfield4%
Suttons Bay3%
14 mi
median commute distance
880
jobs based in Elk Rapids
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2021 · ACSCommute map →
Natural hazards
Very low risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 5% of U.S. communities.
5risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Outdoors
6.8% of Elk Rapids is conserved land
0.6 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves.
6.8%conserved
6.8%
conserved · 86 of 1,277 acres
0.6 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
#296
most walkable in MI
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Elk Rapids Day Park | 0.2 mi | 13 |
| 2. Veterans Memorial Park | — | 8 |
| 3. Grand Traverse Bay Underwater Preserve | — | 6 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Elk Rapids has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 115 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
115″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–31°
Spring33–52°
Summer57–77°
Fall42–57°
Oct 19
typical first frost
May 13
typical last frost
+2.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
About Elk Rapids
Civil township in Michigan, United States
Elk Rapids Township is a civil township of Antrim County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,521 at the 2020 census. The village of Elk Rapids is located within the township.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 2,521
- Area
- 11 sq mi
- Elevation
- 614 ft
Elk Rapids’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Elk Rapids.
Elk RapidsElk Rapids
More about Elk Rapids
Still missing for Elk Rapids:a photo of Elk Rapidsupcoming events