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MIMichigan rankings

Towns with the most-used public libraries in Michigan

Ranked by library visits per resident in a year, at the public library that serves the town. 47 towns with 2,500+ residents.

IMLS Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024

Map of Oxford 1 Oxford Oakland County 7.7 per resident Oxford Public Library Green Lake 2 Green Lake Grand Traverse County 6.5 per resident Interlochen Public Library 3 Clinton Lenawee County 6.1 per resident Clinton Township Public Library
#TownVisits per residentLibraryVisits a year
1 Map of Oxford OxfordOakland County · 22,593 people 7.7 per resident Oxford Public Library 172,835
2 Green Lake Green LakeGrand Traverse County · 6,744 people 6.5 per resident Interlochen Public Library 43,268
3 ClintonLenawee County · 3,728 people 6.1 per resident Clinton Township Public Library 23,005
4 Map of Richland RichlandKalamazoo County · 8,864 people 5.8 per resident Richland Community Library 50,821
5 Bloomfield BloomfieldOakland County · 44,097 people 5.0 per resident Bloomfield Township Public Library 219,899
6 Sparta SpartaKent County · 9,494 people 4.1 per resident Sparta Carnegie Township Library 38,096
7 Peninsula PeninsulaGrand Traverse County · 6,097 people 4.1 per resident Peninsula Community Library 24,809
8 North Branch North BranchLapeer County · 3,550 people 4.1 per resident North Branch Township Library 14,700
9 DeltaEaton County · 33,104 people 3.9 per resident Delta Township District Library 130,000
10 Map of Milford MilfordOakland County · 17,129 people 3.8 per resident Milford Public Library 64,169
11 Georgetown GeorgetownOttawa County · 54,965 people 3.7 per resident Georgetown Township Public Library 198,027
12 Canton CantonWayne County · 99,041 people 3.6 per resident Canton Public Library 357,975
13 Orion OrionOakland County · 38,546 people 3.3 per resident Orion Township Public Library 124,505
14 Map of Athens AthensCalhoun County · 2,527 people 3.1 per resident Athens Community Library 7,488
15 Map of Commerce CommerceOakland County · 43,840 people 3.0 per resident Commerce Township Community Library 130,848
16 Map of Highland HighlandOakland County · 19,704 people 3.0 per resident Highland Township Public Library 57,309
17 ForsythMarquette County · 6,249 people 3.0 per resident Forsyth Township Public Library 18,383
18 Independence IndependenceOakland County · 36,982 people 2.8 per resident Clarkston Independence District Library 104,954
19 Walled Lake Walled Lake7,299 people 2.7 per resident Walled Lake City Library 19,684
20 Map of Armada ArmadaMacomb County · 5,325 people 2.7 per resident Armada Free Public Library 14,272
21 Map of Lyon LyonOakland County · 24,933 people 2.6 per resident Lyon Township Public Library 60,025
22 JamestownOttawa County · 10,039 people 2.6 per resident Patmos Library 24,592
23 Brandon BrandonOakland County · 15,440 people 2.5 per resident Brandon Township Public Library 37,691
24 Map of Addison AddisonOakland County · 6,278 people 2.5 per resident Addison Township Public Library 15,380
25 Redford RedfordWayne County · 48,338 people 2.3 per resident Redford Township District Library 114,241
26 White Lake White LakeOakland County · 31,046 people 2.3 per resident White Lake Township Library 72,083
27 HamburgLivingston County · 21,200 people 2.3 per resident Hamburg Township Library 48,394
28 Map of Springfield SpringfieldOakland County · 14,784 people 2.3 per resident Springfield Township Library 33,920
29 Map of Birch Run Birch RunSaginaw County · 5,862 people 2.2 per resident Thomas E. Fleschner Memorial Library 12,693
30 Northfield NorthfieldWashtenaw County · 8,595 people 2.1 per resident Northfield Township Area Library 18,598
31 Map of Dryden DrydenLapeer County · 4,797 people 2.0 per resident Dryden Township Library 9,624
32 Chesaning ChesaningSaginaw County · 4,693 people 2.0 per resident River Rapids District Library 9,732
33 DorrAllegan County · 7,934 people 1.9 per resident Dorr Township Library 14,850
34 RayMacomb County · 3,778 people 1.9 per resident Ray Township Public Library 7,307
35 Map of Harrison HarrisonMacomb County · 24,061 people 1.7 per resident Charter Township of Harrison Free Public Library 41,231
36 Map of Richfield RichfieldRoscommon County · 3,563 people 1.6 per resident Richfield Township Public Library 6,226
37 Croton CrotonNewaygo County · 3,428 people 1.6 per resident Croton Township Library 5,228
38 ShelbyMacomb County · 79,641 people 1.5 per resident Shelby Township Library 115,712
39 LenoxMacomb County · 12,687 people 1.4 per resident Lenox Township Library 17,097
40 Map of Fruitport FruitportMuskegon County · 14,985 people 1.3 per resident Fruitport District Library 18,606
41 WindsorEaton County · 7,141 people 1.3 per resident Dorothy Hull Library - Windsor Township 8,928
42 WaterfordOakland County · 70,160 people 1.2 per resident Waterford Township Public Library 88,304
43 BathClinton County · 13,414 people 1.2 per resident Bath Township Public Library 15,671
44 Map of Thomas ThomasSaginaw County · 11,900 people 1.2 per resident Thomas Township Library 14,325
45 ChesterfieldMacomb County · 46,152 people 1.1 per resident Chesterfield Township Library 49,600
46 Map of Bellevue BellevueEaton County · 3,207 people 0.9 per resident Bellevue Township Library 2,840
47 Map of Burr Oak Burr OakSt. Joseph County · 2,650 people 0.6 per resident Burr Oak Township Library 1,583

How this ranking works

We rank every town by library visits per resident in a year, at the public library that serves the town. The highest figure ranks #1. Each library reports its own yearly numbers to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (fiscal year 2024), and each town’s Library page shows how it compares with libraries of a similar size nationwide.

A town is ranked only when its library system serves that town alone, and the library’s own count of the people it serves is within 20% of the town’s population. Towns served by a county or regional system, or sharing a library with a neighbor, can’t be credited with the numbers, so they aren’t ranked. Libraries that didn’t respond to the survey aren’t ranked either. Vacation towns can rank high because summer residents and visitors use the library too.

Only towns with at least 2,500 residents are ranked; Census estimates for smaller places are too uncertain. Population and income: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Libraries: IMLS Public Libraries Survey. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.

Same ranking in other states

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