Michigan

Leelanau

22,301
2020 population
1860
first census record
17
census records

About Leelanau

Leelanau, Michigan, first appears in the United States federal census in 1860, when it recorded a population of 2,158. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 22,301.

The county's recorded population has risen across the decades to its highest level in 2020.

On the ground today, 25 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
202022,301
201021,708
200021,119
199016,527
198014,007
197010,872
19609,321
19508,647
19408,436
19308,206
19209,061
191010,608
190010,556
18907,944
18806,253
18704,576
18602,158
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Historic places in Leelanau

National Register of Historic Places listings in Leelanau, Michigan.

North Manitou Island Lifesaving Station
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Seashor
Leland Historic District
Leland
South Fox Island Light Station
Leelanau Township
Fishtown Historic District (Additional Documentation)
Leland Township
Core, William and Margaret McFarland, Farm
Bingham Township
Hutzler's Barn
Leland
Omena Historic District
Omena
Saint Joseph's Catholic Church
Glen Arbor
Bingham District No. 5 Schoolhouse
Bingham
Campbell-DeYoung Farm
Cherry Bend
South Manitou Island Lighthouse Complex and Life Saving Station Historical District
South Manitou Island
Port Oneida Rural Historic District
Maple City
Leelanau Transit Company Suttons Bay Depot
Suttons Bay
Lake Leelanau Narrows Bridge
Leland Township
Grand Traverse Light Station
Northport
Hutzler, George Conrad, Farm
Glen Haven
Grove Hill New Mission Church
Omena
Sleeping Bear Inn
Glen Haven
Glen Haven Village Historic District
Glen Haven
Morgan-Copp-Mervau Building
Northport
Riverside Inn
Leland
Fountain Point
Suttoms Bay Township
North Manitou Shoal Light Station
Leland Township
Empire School
Empire
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Everything a full report reveals about Leelanau County, Michigan

This page charts the census history of Leelanau County, Michigan. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Leelanau

When does Leelanau first appear in the US census?
Leelanau, Michigan first appears in the federal census in 1860, with a recorded population of 2,158.
What is the population of Leelanau?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Leelanau had a recorded population of 22,301.
How many historic places are in Leelanau?
25 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Leelanau, Michigan.
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