Bolthole Index county-legal census · checked 2026-10-10
14 of Michigan's 83 counties — 17% — set no minimum dwelling size. That is the 7th-largest count of any state. The strongest of them on the Bolthole Index is Houghton County (88/100). Every entry below cites the county’s own official source.
Rules change, and cities inside these counties set their own — treat this as a verified starting point, not legal advice. All 587 counties nationwide → Michigan: no zoning → Michigan: owner-builder → Full Michigan profile →
14 of 83 Michigan counties · sorted by Index score
County-level land-use minimum dwelling-size standards in unincorporated Houghton County. Houghton County has no county-wide zoning; municipal zoning may apply within incorporate…
Building Department | Houghton County, Michigan ↗County land-use minimum dwelling size requirements in unincorporated Missaukee County townships. The county page states that the City of Lake City and the City of McBain have zo…
Building Permitting & Information ↗County zoning rules for minimum dwelling size in unincorporated Antrim County areas without a separate municipal zoning ordinance Antrim County has no county-wide zoning ordinan…
Zoning ↗Countywide zoning-based minimum dwelling-size requirements in unincorporated Osceola County. Osceola County has no countywide zoning ordinance. Townships, villages, and cities w…
Zoning ↗County-level zoning controls on minimum dwelling size in unincorporated Newaygo County. Newaygo County does not oversee zoning. Each municipality in the county is responsible fo…
Newaygo County Hazard Management Plan ↗County-level zoning regulation of minimum dwelling size in unincorporated Marquette County. Marquette County states that it does not have a zoning ordinance. Township and city z…
Local Zoning Analysis ↗Minimum dwelling-size requirements imposed by Dickinson County zoning in unincorporated areas. No county zoning ordinance means no county zoning-based minimum dwelling-size requ…
Dickinson County Master Plan ↗No Montcalm County zoning-based minimum dwelling-size rule was identified for unincorporated areas; local zoning ordinances may impose dwelling-size requirements. This absence a…
Montcalm County General Plan ↗Minimum dwelling-size requirements under Branch County county zoning in unincorporated areas. No Branch County county zoning ordinance supplies a minimum dwelling-size requireme…
Branch County Master Land Use Plan 2021 ↗County zoning minimum dwelling-size standard in unincorporated County areas. This is only the absence of a County zoning standard; locally administered zoning and building-code …
Zoning & Building Inspection Resources | Kalamazoo County, MI ↗County-level zoning minimum dwelling-size requirements in Kent County. Kent County has no unified county zoning ordinance. Minimum dwelling-size requirements, if any, must be ch…
2025 Kent County Fair Housing Analysis and Fair Housing Equity Plan ↗County zoning minimum dwelling-size standards in unincorporated Saginaw County. No county zoning ordinance supplies this dimensional standard; local and state rules may apply.
Request for Proposals: County of Saginaw Master Plan ↗County-administered zoning minimum dwelling size in unincorporated Berrien County. No county zoning minimum dwelling-size rule was identified because the county states it does n…
Request for Proposals — Berrien County Planning Commission Master Plan 2021 ↗County zoning dimensional regulation of dwelling size in unincorporated Eaton County. Building-code minimums and local-government rules may still apply.
Resolution to Repeal the Eaton County Land Development Code ↗Every county here has a full profile — water, land prices, hazard safety, seclusion, and the rest of its building rules. See the Michigan state page for all 83 counties ranked, or go back to the national list.
Off-grid gear
Building on land in one of these Michigan counties? The kit we'd start with:
These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.
General guidance, not legal advice. Off-grid, building, and land-use rules are often set at the county level and change often. Verify with your county and state before acting. Data reviewed 2026-06-26.
