Healthy Home Assessments in Hamburg Township

Hamburg Township, house by house

Hamburg Township covers 36 square miles in southeastern Livingston County and contains 32 named lakes, with the Huron River flowing through its eastern and southern sections toward Lake Erie. One local marker: Most populated municipality in Livingston County, with 21,259 residents at the 2020 census. Some 21,619 residents occupy about 8,127 households. Hamburg Township was officially organized on March 26, 1835, two years before Michigan became a state. A state historical marker calls it the oldest incorporated community on the Mike Levine Lakelands Trail State Park.

What the numbers say

By the 2023 five-year American Community Survey, 93.0% of units are detached single-family homes and 95.1% of occupied units are owner-occupied. Bachelor's attainment among adults is 47.1%. The record of building starts around 1865, so the assessment reads an older envelope. One landmark on the ground here: The Huron River Chain of Lakes: Big Portage (680 acres, 84 feet deep), Little Portage, Base Line, Whitewood, Gallagher, Strawberry (257 acres, 64 feet deep), Zukey, Ore and Tamarack.

With owner-occupancy at 95.1%, the report can follow moisture from the roofline down to the slab without stopping at a lease boundary.

What stands in Hamburg Township:

• St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. Episcopal parish organized in 1844 in Hamburg village, honored with a Michigan Historical Marker as one of the oldest Episcopal churches in Michigan.
• Hamburg Township Historical Museum. Local history museum at 7225 Stone Street in the historic village of Hamburg that preserves township history through exhibits and educational programs.
• Huron River chain of lakes. Chain of nine connected lakes on the Huron River, including Zukey, Strawberry, and Ore lakes, that lies partly in Hamburg Township and supports boating and fishing.
• Mike Levine Lakelands Trail State Park. Rail trail on a former railroad corridor opened in 1994 that runs about six miles through Hamburg Township and crosses the Huron River.
• Manly W. Bennett Memorial Park. 384-acre township park along Merrill Road with ball diamonds, soccer fields, trails, a disc golf course, and a pickleball court.

Across the community

Hamburg Township also contains 3 smaller settlements: Hamburg, Lakeland and Pettysville. Hamburg: Unincorporated community in the southeast part of the township, settled in 1835 and named after Hamburg, Germany. Lakeland: Unincorporated community near M-36 named for its location among lakes, with a post office established in May 1903. Addresses fall in 48116, 48139, 48143, 48169, 48189 and 48843. A township outranks every city in its county. Hamburg's 21,259 residents make it the most populated municipality in Livingston County.