Census place 2601740

Alpena

A Census profile of the people, homes, and daily patterns that shape this place.

Official Census name: Alpena city

Relocation snapshot

What stands out in Alpena.

According to the 2025 estimate, Alpena has a population of 10,088 and 1,234 residents per square mile. Of the six relocation measures evaluated, the three largest relative differences from the median among 90 covered Michigan places are: population density is 1,234/sq mi, below the comparison median of 2,887/sq mi; typical commute is 11.1 minutes, below the comparison median of 23.1 minutes; and median gross rent is $625, below the comparison median of $1,127. These unweighted medians compare covered Census places and are not statewide estimates.

population density
1,234/sq mi
Below the comparison median of 2,887/sq mi
typical commute
11.1 minutes
Below the comparison median of 23.1 minutes
median gross rent
$625
Below the comparison median of $1,127

National context

Follow the metrics.

Compare Alpena's values with other covered Census places. Rankings are descriptive, not recommendations.

At a glance

A city in numbers.

Population
10,088
2025 estimate
Annual change
-0.4%
Population estimate
Density
1,234/sq mi
8.2 sq mi land area
Median age
46 years
ACS 5-year estimate

Living here

The everyday equation.

Households, homes, education, and the time it takes to get around.

Median household income
$47,545
Median home value
$118,700
Median gross rent
$625
Bachelor’s degree or higher
16.2%
Typical commute
11.1 min
Drive-alone commute
78%
Public transit commute
2.4%
Walked to work
1.4%

Housing

Who rents, and what it takes.

Renter share and rent burden help describe the housing choices visible in this place.

Renter-occupied homes
34%
Renters paying 30%+ of income
50.8%

Work

How the workday lands.

Employment status and working-from-home share add context to income and commuting patterns.

Employed residents 16+
51.6%
Unemployed residents 16+
3.5%
Working from home
5.4%

Community

The everyday infrastructure.

Access, mobility, housing growth, and household composition add another layer to a place's day-to-day picture.

Households with broadband
82.9%
Homes built 2020+
0%
Households without a vehicle
11.9%
Households with children
18.8%
Residents with a disability
26%
Residents without insurance
6.4%

Environmental context

A record of declared events.

FEMA declarations for Alpena County provide historical context, not a forecast or a property-level risk assessment.

Environmental declarations since 2000
3
Flood declarations
1
Hurricane declarations
1
Severe Ice Storm declarations
1

Climate normals

The long view of weather.

Thirty-year averages, not a forecast. Temperature and precipitation describe the typical conditions recorded from 1991 through 2020.

Representative station: ALPENA WWTP (1 mi from place center)
Average high
52.2°F
Average low
36.2°F
Annual rainfall
31.9"
Annual snowfall
59.4"

Month by month

A year in Alpena.

Typical high and low °F
0°F20°F40°F60°F80°F
JFMAMJJASOND
Typical precipitation inches

Data vintage

Population is from the 2025 Population Estimates Program. Household, housing, education, and commute data are from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-year release. Disaster declarations are from FEMA's OpenFEMA dataset and are refreshed with this edition.

Similar places

More places to consider.

Selected by the closest mix of population, density, median home value, and average annual high.

Cadillac, MI

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
10,438
Median home
$134,300

Marinette, WI

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
11,168
Median home
$120,200

Escanaba, MI

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
12,257
Median home
$125,200

Keep exploring

Compare Alpena with Cadillac