Caberfae, Michigan
Caberfae, Michigan | |
|---|---|
Looking south along Dogwood Drive | |
Location within Wexford County | |
Caberfae Location within the state of Michigan Caberfae Location within the United States | |
| Coordinates: 44°14′59″N 85°43′30″W / 44.24972°N 85.72500°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Wexford |
| Townships | Slagle and South Branch |
| Area | |
• Total | 0.44 sq mi (1.15 km2) |
| • Land | 0.44 sq mi (1.15 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,175 ft (358 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 72 |
| • Density | 162.8/sq mi (62.87/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) | 49601 (Cadillac) |
| Area code | 231 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2583725[2] |
Caberfae (/ˈkæbərˌfeɪ/ KAB-ər-fay) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Wexford County in the U.S. state of Michigan.[2] The community is located within Slagle Township to the north and South Branch Township to the south. The population of the CDP was 72 at the 2020 census.
History
Caberfae was named by Kenneth MacKenzie after the Scottish Gaelic term "cabar-fèidh", meaning "antler". The community served as the Caberfae Ranch, a private hunting club that was eventually sold to the United States during the Great Depression. It became part of the Manistee National Forest. It is now home to the Caberfae Peaks Ski & Golf Resort, a mix of government-owned and private property.[3]
The community of Caberfae was listed as a newly organized census-designated place for the 2010 census, meaning it now has officially defined boundaries and population statistics for the first time.[4]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the community has an area of 0.44 square miles (1.14 km2), all land.
Demographics
As of recent estimates, Caberfae has about 64 residents, a sharp decline from 72 in 2020 — making it one of the smallest census-designated places in Michigan.[5] Its median age is 63.5 years, far higher than average — indicating an older population overall.[6] The residents are overwhelmingly White and U.S.-born, with 100% identifying as non-Hispanic White and 100% citizens.[7]
Economically, the community shows modest but stable conditions: median household income is around $58,000, and per-capita income about $41,252.[6] The poverty rate remains low at just over 3%, well below state and national levels.[7] Homeownership is universal: virtually all housing units are owner-occupied, and the median property value is about $160,700.[7]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 64 | — | |
| 2020 | 72 | 12.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] | |||
Education
Education in Caberfae is shaped by its small population and rural setting, with no schools located within the community itself. Caberfae is served entirely by Cadillac Area Public Schools to the southeast in the city of Cadillac.[9]
The district operates Cadillac High School, Mackinaw Trail Middle School, and multiple elementary schools, providing the full K–12 curriculum and extracurricular programs typical of a mid-sized northern Michigan school system.[10]
Students in Caberfae also fall under the regional support services of the Wexford–Missaukee Intermediate School District, which coordinates special education, early childhood programs, and vocational training for rural communities across the county.[11]
References
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
- ^ a b "Caberfae Census Designated Place". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ Romig, Walter (October 1, 1986) [1973]. Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the Naming of More Than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities (Paperback). Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press. p. 91. ISBN 978-0-8143-1838-6.
- ^ "Michigan: 2010 Population and Housing Unit Counts 2010 Census of Population and Housing" (PDF). 2010 United States census. United States Census Bureau. September 2012. p. III-9. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
- ^ "Caberfae, MI | Data USA". datausa.io. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
- ^ a b "Census profile: Caberfae, MI". Census Reporter. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Data USA". datausa.io. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
- ^ Michigan Geographic Framework (November 15, 2013). "Wexford County School Districts" (PDF). Retrieved July 2, 2022.
- ^ "Client Challenge". www.cadillacschools.org. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
- ^ "Client Challenge". www.wmisd.org. Retrieved December 1, 2025.