Living in Keego Harbor (What NO ONE Talks About)
- Andrew McManamon
- Jun 16
- 8 min read
When was the last time you heard someone rave about Keego Harbor, Michigan? If your answer is “never,” you’re not alone. This pint-sized city in Oakland County doesn’t make headlines or trending lists, but maybe that’s part of its charm. It’s the kind of place where you’ll find lakes bigger than the town itself, a history as quirky as its name, and a community so tight-knit you’ll know everyone’s social security number, okay maybe not that far but you get the point. So why isn’t anyone talking about Keego Harbor? That’s exactly what I'm going to tackle and by the end, you’ll be asking yourself why this hidden gem isn’t on everyone’s radar.
Living In Keego Harbor Michigan
This Is Keego Harbor Michigan?
I always like to start off with a little geography lesson for the people that may not know exactly where Keego harbor is. The city of Keego harbor Michigan known as the “heart of lakes” is 0.57 square miles in size with a population of around 2,750 people. Keego Harbor is located about 27 miles northwest of Detroit and just a short drive from Pontiac, Auburn Hills, and around 10 miles away from all the amazing cities that line the Woodward corridor as well as the plentiful lake communities, and Keego Harbor is one of them. Slapped among several lakes—most notably Cass Lake, the largest and deepest lake in Oakland County—Keego Harbor offers a waterfront vibe that feels miles away from the hustle and bustle of the city, but is in close enough proximity to where a commute to any corner of Metro Detroit wouldn’t be so unbearably bad, with its proximity to major highways, you’re never far from larger metro areas if you need a city fix.
Keego Harbor Michigan History
What’s cool about Keego Harbor is it has some history too and I have always believed no matter where you live if there is history, it creates such a great community feel, as traditions often stem from that. Some of you locals might know this but did you know Keego Harbor’s name has Native American roots? The word “Keego” is derived from the Ojibwe word which means “fish.” This makes sense when you consider the city’s proximity to so many lakes. Back in the late 19th century, Keego Harbor became a hotspot for wealthy Detroiters looking for a summer escape.
Joseph E. Sawyer, a Pontiac lawyer, had the genius idea to dig canals connecting Dollar Lake to Cass Lake, creating a boater’s paradise. By 1955, Keego Harbor officially became a city, securing its spot as one of Michigan’s coziest waterfront retreats. Before Keego Harbor became the city it is today, it was originally part of West Bloomfield Township. On March 25, 1955, Governor G. Mennen Williams approved a charter that officially established Keego Harbor as a city. This charter created a five-member City Council to govern the new city and separated it from West Bloomfield Township's jurisdiction. It's easy to see why so many people are proud to call Keego Harbor home! Fun fact: Sawyer’s vision was so ambitious that locals joked he’d make a canal to his own backyard if given the chance.
Living In Keego Harbor Michigan
Keego Harbor Michigan Restaurants
Here’s something most people don’t realize: despite its small size, Keego Harbor has a surprisingly eclectic food scene. From cozy diners like Harbor Steak House (a local favorite for hearty meals) to waterfront gems like Lodge Grill & Bar, there’s no shortage of places to satisfy your cravings. And if you’re a fan of breakfast, check out the iconic Gino’s Pizzeria, which was established in 1969, where you can get neck deep in everything pizza. On the recreation front, Cass Lake isn’t just for boating—it’s a hotspot for paddleboarding, fishing, and even ice skating in the winter. While Keego Harbor may not have a sprawling downtown like some larger cities, it’s packed with charm. The local shops and family-owned restaurants give the area a quaint, welcoming feel. You’ll often find live music events during the warmer months, turning the city into a lively hub of activity.
West Bloomfield Trail
For outdoor enthusiasts, the nearby West Bloomfield Trail offers scenic views perfect for biking or walking—think Instagram-worthy landscapes at every turn. Don’t miss the city’s summer festival, a highlight that brings together food trucks, craft vendors, and live entertainment. Even in the winter, Keego Harbor’s cozy vibe makes it a magical place to visit, especially when the holiday lights reflect off the frozen lakes. What’s so cool about Keego Harbor, is for a city of its size you would think it’s just jam packed with houses and while that is true there’s several parks and flourishing businesses that give that feeling of a small town without having a designated downtown. Some people may classify Keego Harbor as what I have called a “pass through town” because if you’re too far off M-5 and trying to get north you’d hop on Orchard Lake Road and blink and you’d be right through it without even thinking. I will be sure to link some information pertaining to events and things to do in Keego Harbor as well as a Welcome packet that the city of Keego Harbor provides their new residents just so you can get familiar with what’s going on in this little town.
Living In Keego Harbor Michigan
Keego Harbor Michigan Home Prices
The next aspect I want to chat more about which I believe is the city's biggest draw and that's home prices and the cost of living. Taking a look at this graph provided by the MLS, it shows the average sale price over the course of 3 years with the whole MLS in blue and this crazy up, down and all around green line being Keego Harbor, you might be thinking what in the world is going on there, great question. Keego Harbor is small, so one home sale can seriously affect the graphs, whether it be a $180,000 little starter or downsizer home to a $1.5 million lake home it makes a difference. As of recording this there have been 38 active, pending and sold homes over the last 365 days.
Keego Harbor Michigan Home For Sale #1
Just to give you some insight I wanted to show you this $250,000 lake access home to sylvan and Cass lake and funny enough, I have seen this home in person and I was thinking about purchasing it to turn into a rental later, but ultimately chose elsewhere. This is a 2 bedroom 1 bathroom little bungalow type cottage with 1,394 total square feet, no garage, built in 1923 and situated on 0.10 acres, I thought the remodel was very unique and different form the typical grays and whites, and it was a fairly open concept for how small the home is, but I was not able to stand up straight in the basement and the lack of storage outside wasn’t good for my situation, but the curb appeal is also nice. Granted, I am aware that prices in Metro Detroit as a whole have climbed quite a bit post pandemic, but being able to get a lake house or direct lake access for under $300,000 in metro Detroit on a desirable lake is almost impossible, so that metric alone makes it a huge draw.
Keego Harbor Michigan Home For Sale #2
Then we jump up to this $1.55 million dollar colonial situated on Cass lake with 45 feet of lake frontage. It’s a 4 bedroom 3.5 bathroom home with just under 4,000 total square feet, a 2 car garage, situated on almost half an acre and built in 1991 . Outdated, yes, but it has so much potential and an amazing view of one of the most top notch lakes in the area. With homes in mind, I wanted to chat about the schools as well.
Living In Keego Harbor Michigan
Keego Harbor Michigan Schools
Keego Harbor is served by the award-winning West Bloomfield School District, which offers a range of educational opportunities from early childhood to high school. Niche.com ranks West Bloomfield schools #12 best school districts in the Detroit area, #22 of 522 most diverse school districts in Michigan, #24 of 539 best school districts in Michigan and #42 of 507 best places to teach in Michigan. The district is known for its commitment to academic excellence and diverse programming, including Advanced Placement (AP) courses and strong extracurricular activities. In addition, Keego Harbor residents have access to Oakland Early College, a unique high school/college hybrid program where students can earn college credits while completing their diploma. While the schools themselves aren’t physically located in Keego Harbor due to its small size, they’re just a short commute away, ensuring families have top-tier educational options. I’ll also be sure to link more information to the West Bloomfield school district in the description for those of you that are interested in learning more.
Living In Keego Harbor Michigan
Keego Harbor Michigan Property Taxes
I wanted to tackle schools because it transitions very well into property taxes which is something I talk about in every video when it comes to cities and i’m sure you’re yawning by now but I want to make sure I staple this (Figuratively) into your brain, because in an expensive world, saving money is crucial. Being served by one school district doesn’t exactly give you leeway in different areas to live within the city to get a lower tax rate, and the West Bloomfield school district in Keego Harbor comes at a higher cost to say the least. The millage rate or rate used to calculate property taxes is 40.4646 and if we refer back to that graph and pull the average sale price of $245,000 off it to make it easy, we will take 50% of that which is $122,500 and multiply it by that millage rate of 40.4646 and divide it by 1,000 to get an annual property tax rate of $4,956.91. And as always that’s for a higher estimate, a lower estimate would be to take the state equalized value or SEV off of a current listing and multiply it by the millage rate and divide by 1,000, BUT I like to plan for the worst case scenario when it comes to affordability and budgeting, maybe that’s just me.
What are your thoughts about Keego harbor Michigan? Drop them in the comments below!
If you're thinking about moving to Michigan in 1 day or a billion, I help people move to, within and out of the fine state of Michigan and I love it! I also have a link to the Living in Michigan newsletter to give you insight on all things Michigan, so be sure to subscribe so you never miss out! Thanks for reading, until next time.
Cheers,
Andrew
Andrew McManamon is a Michigan REALTOR® with Signature Sotheby’s International Realty and provides real estate services to Buyers, Sellers and Investors throughout SE Michigan including Livingston County, Oakland County, Washtenaw County, Genesee County & beyond. Andrew has become one of the pillars of Michigan real estate. Prior to his real estate career Andrew was responsible for managing a senior living facility in Brighton, Michigan as a dining supervisor and an activities assistant. Andrew’s passion to help people is unlike any other, and he continues to strive to be the best resource he can be. Andrew graduated from Cleary University in Howell, Michigan with a double major in business and marketing, and currently resides in Brighton, Michigan.
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