2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Central Lake, MI vs Alpena, MI

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Highlights
Are people in Alpena older or younger than people in Central Lake?
- The Median Age in Alpena is 8.0 years older than in Central Lake.

Are housing costs cheaper in Alpena or Central Lake?
- Alpena housing costs are 41.1% less expensive than Central Lake housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Alpena or Central Lake?
- The average commute for residents of Alpena is 7.4 minutes shorter than it is for residents of Central Lake.

Things to do in Central Lake?
Central Lake, MI is a charming small town nestled among the woods and lakes of the northern Michigan region. It is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the natural beauty of the area, as well as partake in various outdoor activities such as fishing, swimming, boating, snow tubing, hiking and camping. The downtown area offers a wide variety of restaurants and shops that cater to both locals and visitors alike. With its close proximity to other cities such as Traverse City and Charlevoix, Central Lake provides easy access to larger towns for events and entertainment. The community is welcoming and friendly with a strong sense of pride in their small town way of life. It truly is a great place to live!

Things to do in Alpena?
Alpena stands out as Michigan's only natural deep water harbor conveniently situated near Lake Huron's Thunder Bay . With over 10000 inhabiting citizens this area provides tremendous recreational variety from boating expeditions to world class scuba diving dives & almost infinite outdoors fishing very popular among vacationers coming from all over United States .

 Central Lake, MIAlpena, MIUnited States
 Population  Unlock10,181329,725,481
 Median Income$51,133  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock4438.4
 Avg. Home Price$242,000  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock6.0%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time19.32  Unlock26.38
Reviews for Central Lake    0 Reviews

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Reviews for Alpena    5 Reviews

One of the ten best places to visit in Michigan. I was born and raised in Michigan but now live in Seattle. I get back to Michigan frequently because my brother  More

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Over 12 years ago

Alpena is 740 ft above sea leval and gets 72 in. of snow every year. That's a good thing and Alpena is a winter wonderland for me . Clean and crisp with the lake frozen  More

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Alpena is a town for all ages, with plenty to do, more than one person could attend. I think the events are varied and offer something for everyone. The town is  More

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