Lake Michigan Frontage, North and South, Measured the Same Way
Both halves of this shoreline have now been measured by the identical method: a map polygon rather than a list of city names, waterfront set to yes, body of water set to Lake Michigan, status sold, ten years of closings. The southern half, from the Indiana state line to South Haven, records 712 sales, sold dates September 6, 2015 through September 6, 2026 (source: flexmls Residential CMA, listings as of September 6, 2026). The northern half, South Haven north to Spring Lake, records 592 sales, sold dates September 7, 2016 through September 7, 2026 (source: flexmls Residential CMA, listings as of September 7, 2026). Frontage on the open lake is one question and waterfront inside a town boundary is another: the eleven market waterfront record covers 5,249 sales at every kind of water, where town medians run from $360,000 in Zeeland to $1,900,000 in East Grand Rapids on 55 sales, sold dates September 7, 2016 through September 7, 2026 (source: flexmls Residential CMA).
At $800,000 and above the two halves appreciated almost identically. The northern median rose from $1,150,000 across 2016 to 2019 to $1,844,250 across 2024 to 2026, an increase of 60.4 percent. The southern median rose from $1,300,000 to $2,150,000 across the same brackets, an increase of 65.4 percent. Their annual volume ratios over the same span are 1.09 and 1.10. Two independently pulled halves of one shoreline, five points apart on appreciation and one hundredth apart on volume.
They are not the same market, and which half is more expensive depends entirely on where you set the threshold. Across every price point the north is higher, at a median of $1,072,500 against $929,000. At $800,000 and above the south is higher, at a median of $1,686,500 against $1,360,000. Both statements are true. The next section explains why.
Why the medians reverse
The two halves hold different shapes of inventory. Sold dates September 6, 2015 through September 6, 2026 in the south and September 7, 2016 through September 7, 2026 in the north (source: flexmls Residential CMA).
| Price band | South, 712 sales | Share of south | North, 592 sales | Share of north |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $500,000 | 214 | 30 percent | 81 | 14 percent |
| $500,000 to $1 million | 166 | 23 percent | 197 | 33 percent |
| $1 million to $2 million | 174 | 24 percent | 209 | 35 percent |
| $2,000,000 and above | 158 | 22 percent | 105 | 18 percent |
| Median of sales above $2,000,000 | $2,817,500 | $2,575,900 | ||
| Highest single sale | $8,500,000 | $6,137,555 |
The southern shoreline holds both the cheapest frontage and the most expensive. Nearly a third of its ten year record closed under $500,000, and more than a fifth closed above $2,000,000. The northern shoreline is concentrated in the middle instead: 68 percent of its record, 406 of 592 sales, closed between $500,000 and $2,000,000. That is the whole explanation for the reversal. A median describes the middle of a distribution, and these two distributions are different shapes, so the half with the higher middle is not the half with the higher top. Neither number is wrong and neither contradicts the other.
Part of the southern under $500,000 band is the St. Joseph inventory described further down this page: 165 of the 712 southern sales are St. Joseph, at a median of $289,000, consistent with lakefront condominium inventory. The pull carries no field separating attached from detached units, so the share of that band which is attached cannot be counted here. Sold dates September 6, 2015 through September 6, 2026 (source: flexmls Residential CMA).
The whole shoreline moved together at the top, and apart below it
At $800,000 and above, both halves measured by the same method.
| Stretch | 2016 to 2019 | 2024 to 2026 | Change in median | Annual volume ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Haven north to Spring Lake | 120 sales, median $1,150,000 | 98 sales, median $1,844,250 | 60.4 percent | 1.09 |
| Indiana state line to South Haven | 107 sales, median $1,300,000 | 88 sales, median $2,150,000 | 65.4 percent | 1.10 |
Across every price point the two halves diverge instead.
| Stretch | 2016 to 2019 | 2024 to 2026 | Change in median | Annual volume ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Haven north to Spring Lake | median $912,500 | median $1,450,000 | 58.9 percent | 0.92 |
| Indiana state line to South Haven | median $804,000 | median $1,400,000 | 74.1 percent | 0.83 |
The luxury tiers of the two halves moved together. The whole markets did not, and the band table above is the only account of that difference this data supports. The 2024 to 2026 bracket runs through September 6, 2026 in the south and September 7, 2026 in the north and is a partial year on both sides, so both annual volume ratios are calculated on the elapsed portion. Southern data as of September 6, 2026 and northern data as of September 7, 2026 (source: flexmls Residential CMA).
Which half is more expensive depends on the threshold
| Measure | Indiana state line to South Haven | South Haven north to Spring Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Sales, all price points | 712 | 592 |
| Median sale price, all price points | $929,000 | $1,072,500 |
| Median original ask, all price points | $1,037,000 | $1,210,000 |
| Median days on market, all price points | 56 | 56.5 |
| Sales at $800,000 and above | 394 | 412 |
| Median sale price at $800,000 and above | $1,686,500 | $1,360,000 |
| Median original ask at $800,000 and above | $1,899,500 | not reported in this pull |
| Median days on market at $800,000 and above | 72 | 58 |
Southern data as of September 6, 2026, sold dates September 6, 2015 through September 6, 2026. Northern data as of September 7, 2026, sold dates September 7, 2016 through September 7, 2026 (source: flexmls Residential CMA on both halves).
Across every price point the north carries the higher median, $1,072,500 against $929,000, a difference of about 15 percent. At $800,000 and above the south carries the higher median, $1,686,500 against $1,360,000, a difference of about 24 percent. The southern half also sits longer at that threshold, a median 72 days against 58, while across every price point the two are within half a day of each other at 56 and 56.5. Every one of these figures is a ten year median, not a quote on any particular property.
What frontage costs, town by town
Town level figures are published for the southern half only. Every price point, all 712 southern sales, sold dates September 6, 2015 through September 6, 2026 (source: flexmls Residential CMA, listings as of September 6, 2026).
| Town | Sales | Median sale price | Median original ask | Median days on market |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Buffalo | 207 | $1,065,000 | $1,150,000 | 50 |
| St. Joseph | 165 | $289,000 | $300,000 | 38 |
| Stevensville | 110 | $712,450 | $792,000 | 70 |
| Coloma | 36 | $687,500 | not reported | 92 |
| Covert | 33 | $950,000 | $1,295,000 | 75 |
| Lakeside | 24 | $2,614,500 | $3,075,000 | 47 |
| Bridgman | 14 sales over ten years | $1,587,500 | not reported | 50 |
| Harbert | 14 sales over ten years | $1,402,500 | not reported | 50 |
| Union Pier | 14 sales over ten years | $3,200,000 | $3,537,500 | 29 |
| Sawyer | 8 sales over ten years | $1,518,750 | not reported | 99 |
| Town not assigned | 87 | $1,200,000 | $1,299,000 | 110 |
The table assigns a town to 625 of the 712 southern sales. The remaining 87 rows carry addresses that wrap across lines in the export and could not be assigned to a town, so they are listed separately rather than distributed. They are included in every all price point total on this page and excluded from every town row. No town table is published for the northern half, because the town field could not be assigned on 271 of its 592 rows, which is 46 percent. A table missing nearly half its rows is not a table.
The highest medians in the corridor sit on the smallest samples. Union Pier records a median sale price of $3,200,000 on 14 sales over ten years, and Lakeside $2,614,500 on 24 sales. A median drawn from 14 transactions across a decade describes those 14 transactions; it is not a reliable estimate of what the next Union Pier listing will bring. Sawyer, at a median of $1,518,750, rests on 8 sales over ten years, and Bridgman at $1,587,500 and Harbert at $1,402,500 rest on 14 sales over ten years each. Sold dates September 6, 2015 through September 6, 2026 (source: flexmls Residential CMA).
The volume market is New Buffalo, with 207 sales over the ten years at a median of $1,065,000 and a median 50 days on market, followed by St. Joseph at 165 sales and Stevensville at 110. Those three towns account for 482 of the 625 assigned sales. Sold dates September 6, 2015 through September 6, 2026 (source: flexmls Residential CMA).
Why the St. Joseph median reads so much lower
St. Joseph records a median sale price of $289,000 on 165 sales, against neighbouring towns running from $687,500 to $3,200,000. The figure is real and it is not a typographical error, but it is not measuring the same kind of property. This pull covers residential property type with Lake Michigan listed as the body of water, which includes attached units, and multiple St. Joseph sales share a street address at prices well below the detached frontage market. That pattern is consistent with lakefront condominium inventory. The pull does not carry a field that separates attached from detached, so the share cannot be counted here, only observed. Read the St. Joseph row as a mixed set of attached and detached frontage rather than a comparison with the detached medians in the rows around it. Sold dates September 6, 2015 through September 6, 2026 (source: flexmls Residential CMA).
Four out of five frontage sellers do not get their asking price
The finding holds on both halves, measured separately.
| Stretch | Closed below original ask | Share | Median shortfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana state line to South Haven | 577 of 712 | 81 percent | $110,100, or 9.9 percent |
| South Haven north to Spring Lake | 475 of 592 | 80 percent | $144,993, or 11.0 percent |
Southern data as of September 6, 2026 and northern data as of September 7, 2026 (source: flexmls Residential CMA). One qualification matters more than the headline, and it applies to both halves: this compares the sale price to the ORIGINAL asking price, not to the final list price, so it measures the entire arc of the listing including every reduction along the way, rather than the last round of negotiation. In the south the median final list price across the same 712 sales was $995,000 against a median sale price of $929,000, and in the north the median list price across 592 sales was $1,199,500 against a median sale price of $1,072,500. Those are the narrower gaps the same data produces when the comparison is made at the end instead of the beginning.
Volume peaked and fell, and time on market collapsed
Every price point, southern half, 712 sales, sold dates September 6, 2015 through September 6, 2026 (source: flexmls Residential CMA).
| Period | Sales | Sales a year | Median sale price | Median days on market |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 to 2019 | 213 | 53.2 | $804,000 | 102 |
| 2020 to 2023 | 350 | 87.5 | $895,000 | 46 |
| 2024 to 2026, through September 6, 2026 | 133 | 44.3 | $1,400,000 | 27 |
Every price point, northern half, 592 sales, sold dates September 7, 2016 through September 7, 2026 (source: flexmls Residential CMA).
| Period | Sales | Sales a year | Median sale price | Median days on market |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 to 2019 | 181 | 45.2 | $912,500 | 110 |
| 2020 to 2023 | 286 | 71.5 | $1,050,000 | 54 |
| 2024 to 2026, through September 7, 2026 | 125 | 41.7 | $1,450,000 | 21 |
The median rose in every period on both halves while the annual sales rate fell after 2023, from 87.5 a year to 44.3 in the south and from 71.5 a year to 41.7 in the north. Time on market fell across the same span on both, from a median 102 days to 27 in the south and from 110 days to 21 in the north. The 2024 to 2026 period is a partial year on both halves, so its annual rate is calculated on the elapsed portion rather than on three full years. Southern data as of September 6, 2026 and northern data as of September 7, 2026 (source: flexmls Residential CMA).
The same three periods at $800,000 and above, southern half, sold dates September 6, 2015 through September 6, 2026 (source: flexmls Residential CMA).
| Period | Sales at $800,000 and above | Sales a year | Median sale price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 to 2019 | 107 | 26.8 | $1,300,000 |
| 2020 to 2023 | 187 | 46.8 | $1,750,000 |
| 2024 to 2026, through September 6, 2026 | 88 | 29.3 | $2,150,000 |
Two northern figures on this site, and why they differ
This site publishes two different medians for northern Lake Michigan frontage, and both are correct because they answer different questions. Our ten year Lake Michigan frontage record reports 444 sales at $800,000 and above at a median of $1,389,950, drawn by naming cities: South Haven, Covert, Glenn, Fennville, Saugatuck, Douglas, Holland, West Olive, Grand Haven and Spring Lake, with sold dates from August 2016 forward, data as of August 29, 2026, source MichRIC MLS. This page reports 412 sales at $800,000 and above at a median of $1,360,000, drawn by map polygon on the same shoreline, sold dates September 7, 2016 through September 7, 2026, data as of September 7, 2026 (source: flexmls Residential CMA). A named city pull and a polygon pull do not select the same rows, because frontage in unincorporated areas carries no consistent city value. The polygon figure is the one used everywhere on this page, because it is the method used on the southern half and the comparison between the two halves is the point of the page.
Deciding between towns
We track every market on the West Michigan lakeshore, from the Indiana line to Muskegon, and we pull this data ourselves. If you are deciding between towns, that comparison is the conversation worth having. Call or text (616) 344-9923.
Common questions about this corridor
How much more does Lake Michigan frontage cost south of South Haven?
It depends on the threshold, and the answer reverses. Across every price point the northern half carries the higher median, $1,072,500 on 592 sales against $929,000 on 712 sales. At $800,000 and above the southern half carries the higher median, $1,686,500 on 394 sales against $1,360,000 on 412 sales. The southern shoreline holds both more inventory under $500,000 and more above $2,000,000, which is why the two medians reverse. Southern data as of September 6, 2026 and northern data as of September 7, 2026 (source: flexmls Residential CMA).
Do Lake Michigan frontage sellers get their original asking price?
Most do not, on either half of the shoreline. In the south 577 of 712 sales closed below the original asking price, 81 percent, at a median shortfall of $110,100 or 9.9 percent. In the north 475 of 592 closed below, 80 percent, at a median shortfall of $144,993 or 11.0 percent. This measures the sale price against the ORIGINAL ask rather than the final list price, so it covers the whole arc of the listing including every reduction. Southern data as of September 6, 2026 and northern data as of September 7, 2026 (source: flexmls Residential CMA).
Which southern shoreline towns have the highest frontage medians?
Union Pier records the highest median sale price at $3,200,000, on 14 sales over ten years, followed by Lakeside at $2,614,500 on 24 sales. Both medians rest on small samples and describe those transactions rather than predicting the next listing. New Buffalo is the volume market at 207 sales and a median of $1,065,000. Sold dates September 6, 2015 through September 6, 2026 (source: flexmls Residential CMA).
Why is the St. Joseph median so much lower than the towns around it?
St. Joseph records a median sale price of $289,000 on 165 sales while neighbouring towns run from $687,500 to $3,200,000. The pull covers residential property with Lake Michigan as the body of water, which includes attached units, and multiple St. Joseph sales share a street address at low prices, a pattern consistent with lakefront condominium inventory. The pull carries no field separating attached from detached, so the share cannot be counted. Sold dates September 6, 2015 through September 6, 2026 (source: flexmls Residential CMA).
Method and limitations
Both halves are polygon pulls run the same way. The southern specification: flexmls Residential CMA, listings as of September 6, 2026. Boards: MichRIC, Realcomp, MIRealSource, Greater Lansing REALTORS, Water Wonderland, Northern Great Lakes MLS. Property type Residential. Inside the map search polygon. Status Sold. Waterfront Yes. Body of Water Lake Michigan. Sold date September 6, 2015 through September 6, 2026. Geography: Indiana state line north to South Haven. The northern specification is identical in every field except its dates and its polygon: listings as of September 7, 2026, sold date September 7, 2016 through September 7, 2026, geography South Haven north to Spring Lake.
- A map polygon with the waterfront field filter is the right instrument for a shoreline. A pull built on the city field would misfile Union Pier, Lakeside, Harbert and Sawyer, which are unincorporated and carry no consistent city value.
- Southern all price point medians reconcile to the dollar against the MLS summary block: median sale price $929,000, median original ask $1,037,000, median final list $995,000, average sale price $1,309,147, highest sale $8,500,000. Northern figures reconcile exactly on count, median sale price and median original ask: 592 sales, $1,072,500 and $1,210,000, with a median list price of $1,199,500, an average sale price of $1,318,918 and a highest sale of $6,137,555.
- Days on market is the one figure that does not reconcile exactly on either half. In the south the MLS block reports a median of 55.5 days and this parse reproduces 56. In the north the MLS block reports 56.5 and this parse reproduces 57. Both differences are published rather than smoothed over. Median cumulative days on market is 62.5 in the south and 63 in the north.
- The two windows are not the same length. The southern pull runs from September 6, 2015 and the northern from September 7, 2016, so the southern set carries an extra opening year. The period brackets used on this page are complete calendar years and are identical on both halves, so every bracketed comparison is like for like; the extra southern months sit inside the 712 total and outside the bracket rows.
- Town level figures are published for the southern half only. The town field could not be assigned on 271 of 592 northern rows, which is 46 percent, against 87 of 712 southern rows, which is 12 percent. A table missing nearly half its rows is not published.
- 2026 is a partial year on both halves, running through September 6 in the south and September 7 in the north. Every 2024 to 2026 figure covers that partial period, and the annual sales rates for it are calculated on the elapsed portion.
- South Haven sits at the edge of both polygons.
- A median is a midpoint across a set of past transactions. It is not an estimate of value for any specific property, and it does not predict what a particular listing will bring.
- Medians drawn from small samples are labelled with their sample size wherever they appear. Union Pier, Bridgman and Harbert rest on 14 sales over ten years each, and Sawyer on 8.
Related pages
- Lake Michigan frontage at $800,000 and above, ten year record: the named city pull of the northern half, 444 sales at a median of $1,389,950, data as of August 29, 2026, source MichRIC MLS.
- Lake Michigan waterfront market, trailing 12 months: every price point from South Haven north to Muskegon, 52 sales at a median of $1,412,500, data as of August 2026, source MichRIC MLS.
- West Michigan lakes compared: how frontage on five different bodies of water prices against each other.
- West Michigan waterfront versus inland, ten years of sales data: the cross market record behind these figures.
- West Michigan luxury homes: the ten market reports covering the lakeshore and Grand Rapids.
- Data terms and citation: how these figures may be cited and what they may be used for.