Places › Michigan › White Lake

Living in White Lake, MI

Suburb in Michigan

White Lake is a suburb in Michigan, home to about 31,000 people, with 2.6 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, a car is essential. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly houses with yards.

Is White Lake a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Dog-friendly: 7 dog parks within 9 mi
  • Mild summers: highs around 78°F
  • Safe: violent crime is 0.2× the US rate (FBI 2019)
  • Low natural disaster risk: 5 federally declared disasters since 2000

👎 Cons

  • Cloudier than most places
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how White Lake ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
31,000
2.6 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
31°F / 78°F
Average daily highs · 62″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$376k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,720/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
100
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$1,246
State income tax per resident · 1.27% property tax
Safety
0.2× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
5 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, tornadoes
Top-rated hospitals
5
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Good
Tests above US average · 18 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
34%
4 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
DTW
32 mi away

Living in White Lake: common questions

What is the cost of living in White Lake?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $376k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,720 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 100, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in White Lake?

Michigan collects about $1,246 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.27% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is White Lake safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.2× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in White Lake?

Public schools in White Lake test above the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 18 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in White Lake?

White Lake has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 31°F and summer days around 78°F, with roughly 62″ of snow a year.

Does White Lake get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding, tornadoes and cold waves: 5 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.78 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to White Lake?

The nearest major airport is DTW, about 32 mi away.

How White Lake scores

Each bar compares White Lake with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City sizeMid-size Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietQuiet / rural Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundCar essential Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureNature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateLong, snowy winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingAverage cost Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceRelaxed Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunityTight-knit community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingHouses with yards ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingGood
💸Low taxesGood
💼Job marketAverage
🏥HealthcareGood
🏫SchoolsGood
🎓EducationAverage
🧸Kids & familyGood
🐕Dog-friendlyExcellent
⛰️OutdoorsGood
🎭CultureBelow average
👮SafetyVery safe
🌪️Few natural disastersExcellent
☀️SunnyPoor
🌤️Mild summersExcellent
✈️AirportExcellent

Places like White Lake

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

Independence, MISuburb70 $410k$1,720/moVery safe Commerce, MISuburb75 $405k$1,720/moVery safe Washington, MISuburb62 $454k$1,720/moNo crime data Orion, MISuburb69 $350k$1,720/moVery safe Menomonee Falls, WISuburb70 $405k$1,650/moVery safe Hempfield, PASmall city68 $259k$1,660/moNo crime data

Nearby

Commerce, MISuburb · 6 mi away75 $405k$1,720/moVery safe Waterford, MISuburb · 6 mi away67 $283k$1,720/moVery safe West Bloomfield, MISuburb · 9 mi away75 $387k$1,720/moVery safe Independence, MISuburb · 9 mi away70 $410k$1,720/moVery safe Pontiac, MISuburb · 11 mi away56 $140k$1,720/moHigher crime Novi, MISuburb · 12 mi away77 $411k$1,720/moVery safe

See all the best places to live in Michigan.

Is White Lake right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.