2017 · Hotel Sieting · Wikimedia Commons
Kalkaska’s story
Kalkaska in pictures
7 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives.
KalkaskaMI
A town of 2,539. Nearly 0.6% of it is conserved land.
Population
2,539
+5.5% since 2010
Median home value
$156K
Census ACS
Household income
$57K
median
Median age
43.5
years
Jobs based here
2,003
A job hub
What makes Kalkaska stand out
The 3 things Kalkaska does most differently from other towns.
Outdoors
#94 most trails in MI
3.9 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
0.6% of the town is conserved land.
2,003jobs here
Work
2,003 jobs
based in Kalkaska, a regional job hub
22% of working residents work in town.
100 U.S. towns● Kalkaska
Health
82% of U.S. towns are healthier
on CDC estimates
Better than MI on 0 measures, worse on 10.
A job hub
Every workday, about 1,835 people come to Kalkaska for work
Where Kalkaska’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
2,003jobs based in Kalkaska
22%of working residents work in town
20 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2021
Kalkaska’s report card
Now in Kalkaska
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Kalkaska is #1 of 660 in MI for “Fastest-rising home prices”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Kalkaska’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →52°
Fog
H 71° · L 44°
Local news
All →- Kalkaska vs Vestaburg - Boys Varsity Football 10/02/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 25
- Kalkaska vs Grayling - Boys Varsity Soccer 10/08/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 25
- Kalkaska vs Sacred Heart - Boys Varsity Football 09/24/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 24
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Kalkaska. Another town gets a different order.
Outdoors
0.6% of Kalkaska is conserved land
3.9 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves.
#94for trails in MI
0.6%
conserved · 10 of 1,710 acres
3.9 mi
of trails · 1.4 per sq mi
#187
most walkable in MI
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Mill Pond Park | — | 37 |
| 2. Pere Marquette State Forest - Traverse City Unit | — | 6 |
| 3. Chalker Park | 0.1 mi | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Housing
Homes in Kalkaska sell for about $195K
The median sale price was $195,000 in May 2026.
$195Kmedian sale price
3
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Work & commute
About one in five working residents works right in Kalkaska
About one in 5 of Kalkaska’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Kalkaska (28%), Traverse City (13%) and Garfield (6%). Half commute less than 20 miles.
22%work in town
Where working residents work
In Kalkaska22%
Kalkaska28%
Traverse City13%
Garfield6%
East Bay3%
20 mi
median commute distance
2,003
jobs based in Kalkaska
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 4% of U.S. communities.
4risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Health
Healthier than 18% of U.S. towns
Kalkaska beats the Michigan average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 10.
C−Health Grade
32 measures vs. Michigan
0 better22 too close to call10 worse
| What stands out | Kalkaska | MI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 11.3% | 8.1% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 13.8% | 10.2% |
| More adults with heart disease | 9.2% | 7% |
Kalkaska Memorial Health Center
0.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
15th
percentile among MI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Kalkaska has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 13°, and about 132 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
132″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter15–30°
Spring30–54°
Summer54–78°
Fall38–57°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 24
typical last frost
+2.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 62% of U.S. towns
Kalkaska reports less crime per resident than 62% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
BSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Kalkaska0.9
Michigan4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Kalkaska8.8
Michigan13
U.S.15.5
62nd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
60th
percentile among MI towns
2
violent crimes reported in 2025
20
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
About Kalkaska
Village in Michigan, United States
Kalkaska ( kal-KASS-kə) is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Kalkaska County. The village had a population of 2,132 at the 2020 census. Kalkaska is located within Kalkaska Township and is part of the Traverse City metropolitan area. The village has hosted the National Trout Festival since 1935.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 2,132
- Area
- 3.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,033 ft
- ZIP code
- 49646
- Area code
- 231
More about Kalkaska
Still missing for Kalkaska:a photo of Kalkaskaupcoming events