Houghton Lake is a somewhat small town located in the state of Michigan. With a population of 5,294 people and five associated neighborhoods, Houghton Lake is the 183rd largest community in Michigan.

One interesting thing about the economy is that relatively large numbers of people worked from their home: 9.84% of the workforce. While this number may seem small overall, as a fraction of the total workforce this is high compared to the rest of the county. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes.

Another notable thing is that Houghton Lake is a major vacation destination. Much of the town’s population is seasonal: many people own second homes and only live there part-time, during the vacation season. The effect on the local economy is that many of the businesses are dependent on tourist dollars, and may operate only during the high season. As the vacation season ends, Houghton Lake’s population drops significantly, such that year-round residents will notice that the city is a much quieter place to live.

Residents will find that the town is relatively quiet. This is because it is not over-populated, and it has fewer college students, renters, and young children - all of whom can be noisy at times. So, if you're looking for a relatively peaceful place to live, Houghton Lake is worth considering.

As is often the case in a small town, Houghton Lake doesn't have a public transportation system that people use for their commute.

The citizens of Houghton Lake are slightly less educated than the national average of 21.84% for the average city or town: 14.26% of adults in Houghton Lake have a bachelor's degree or advanced degree

The per capita income in Houghton Lake in 2022 was $28,527, which is middle income relative to Michigan, and lower middle income relative to the rest of the US. This equates to an annual income of $114,108 for a family of four. However, Houghton Lake contains both very wealthy and poor people as well.

The people who call Houghton Lake home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Houghton Lake residents report their race to be White, followed by Black or African-American. Important ancestries of people in Houghton Lake include German, English, Polish, French Canadian, and Irish.

The most common language spoken in Houghton Lake is English. Other important languages spoken here include Polish and Italian.