Michigan Small Town Among Most Affordable for Vacation Homes

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Some lakeside towns can be quite expensive, but some are surprisingly affordable, offering the opportunity for lakeside living at bargain prices. Michigan is a year-round vacation destination, which is why it is home to one of the most affordable places to buy a vacation home. Realtor.com's data team has dived into their data to identify some of the country's cheapest lake town real estate.

Michigan's Rogers City ranks second on the list of most expensive lake towns after Danville, Illinois. Rogers City, located on the banks of Lake Huron, has a median listing price of $140,000, or $79 per square foot. To put this in perspective, the median listing price in July for the United States was $440,000 and $260,000 in Michigan.

More on the most affordable place to buy a vacation home.

Although Rogers City is home to less than 3,000 residents, it offers plenty of recreational activities, such as picturesque beaches, lighthouses, hiking trails, waterfalls, parks, and salmon fishing.

"Rogers City has areas with really nice sandy beaches and fantastic views. There are days when the water looks like you are in the Caribbean," Audrey Martinchek, managing associate broker and a luxury property specialist at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate, told Travel + Leisure.

Rogers City was founded in the 1870s and named after William E. Rogers, on whose land it was built. The Presque Isle Historical Museum and the Great Lakes Lore Maritime Museum in Rogers City house many artifacts and photographs documenting the history of the town and the Great Lakes region.

Ranked at number 3 is Dunkirk, New York, found in the Chautauqua-Allegheny region and recognized for its lakeside retreat culture. While some real estate in the area can be expensive, according to the ranking, Dunkirk, located on the shores of Lake Erie, offers the lowest home prices within a half-mile of a lake. Coming in at number 4 is Fairmont, Minnesota, situated near the Iowa border and surrounded by a string of five small lakes.

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Kayla MorganWriter

Kayla is the midday host on Detroit’s 105.1 The Bounce. She started her career in radio back in 2016 as an intern at another Detroit station and worked her way here. She's made stops in Knoxville, TN, Omaha, Ne and other places before returning to Detroit. She’s done almost everything in radio from promotions to web, creating content on social media, you name it. She’s a true Michigander, born and raised. So, you can catch her camping or vacationing up north to exploring the downtown Detroit or maybe even catching a sports game. During her free time, Kayla enjoys watching movies, roller-skating, crafting, and music festivals. She and her husband together dip into many of the great things Michigan has to offer. Together they also like to travel. A few hobbies of hers include wine and beer tastings, crafting, hiking, roller skating, movies, home improvement projects, gardening, and festivals. She’s always looking to take on more local events happening in the community. She loves connecting with the community. When writing, Kayla covers topics including lifestyle, pop culture, trending stories, hacks, and urban culture.