Market file · Mason County, Michigan

Ludington home appraisals

Ludington homes trade well above the city's census figure. Zillow's typical value was $302,205 in September 2026, up 6.7% in a year, and its median sale price reached $354,000 in August. The Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 median owner value was $201,100, which shows how far recent prices have run past older survey data.

$302,205Typical home value, Zillow, September 2026

$354,000Median sale price, Zillow, August 2026

$201,100Median owner occupied value, Census QuickFacts, 2020 to 2024 ACS

22.4%Share of housing units vacant, including seasonal homes, 2020 census (Wikipedia)

Survey numbers trail the sales

The gap between the census figure and Zillow is about $100,000. The census number blends owner estimates gathered from 2020 to 2024, and many of those owners bought years ago. Zillow's index follows the current market. Neither one replaces closed sales near the subject. In a city of 7,655 people, a few lakefront or downtown sales in one quarter can swing any average.

The SS Badger became part of US 10 in 2015. It still runs only from May to October.

A ferry port with a rental license

Ludington is the Michigan end of the SS Badger, the 1952 car ferry that crosses about 60 miles of Lake Michigan to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, from May to October. The ferry, Stearns Park beach and the downtown marinas bring summer crowds, and the 2020 census counted 22.4% of the city's 4,598 housing units as vacant, a figure that includes seasonal homes. Renting for 28 days or less takes a city license. The 2023 schedule lists a $500 application, a $1,500 license and $100 per inspection, on a three year cycle.

Areas, lakes and neighborhoods in this file

Downtown Ludington
Ludington Avenue
Stearns Park
Waterfront Park marinas
Rotary Park
Memorial Tree Park
Legacy Plaza
Pere Marquette Lake north shore

Landmarks around Ludington

Ludington LightLighthouse
Ludington State ParkState park
Stearns HotelHistoric hotel
East Ludington Avenue Historic DistrictNational Register of Historic Places
Mason County CourthouseNational Register of Historic Places
Pere Marquette RiverRiver

Common questions

Can I rent my Ludington house to summer visitors?

Yes, with a city license. Ludington treats any stay of 28 days or less as a short term rental. Each license runs on a three year cycle and needs a health and safety inspection that checks bedroom egress, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers. The posted occupancy cap is two adults per bedroom plus one per floor. Rentals cannot begin until the license is issued.

Which school district serves Ludington?

Ludington Area Schools covers the city. Its buildings are Ludington Elementary for preschool through fifth grade, O.J. DeJonge Middle School for grades six through eight, and Ludington High School for grades nine through twelve. Homes in the surrounding townships may fall in a different district. The tax bill for the exact parcel names the right one.