Alpena County, Michigan
Use this county page to find the right government office or narrow down to a city or township. The service directory covers common county jobs; the local pages add property-tax context, school-district rate ranges, nearby places, and Porch Notes tied to each community.
County snapshot
Cities
1
Townships
8
School districts
2
Primary home (PRE) rates, for homes with Michigan's Principal Residence Exemption, range from 20.8 mills to 38.7403 mills.
Other property, often called non-homestead, usually means rentals, vacation homes, and second homes. Those rates range from 38.5164 mills to 56.6557 mills.
Rate rows come from the official Michigan Treasury millage-rate reports . Data used: 2025 Michigan Treasury Total Property Tax Rates. Last reviewed July 12, 2026.
Use this carefully: Michigan Porch uses the statewide published rates as a planning aid. The local assessor or treasurer controls parcel-specific values, due dates, and special assessments.
County service directory
Find the office before you make the trip
Some questions stay with the city or township. Others move to the county, a health district, or a court. Start with the job you need done, then confirm hours, fees, and forms with the office.
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Marriage licenses, local vital records, and elections
Alpena County clerk
Start with the clerk for a marriage license, a county-filed birth or death record, election information, and other county records.
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Deeds, mortgages, and recorded land documents
Alpena County register of deeds
Use this office for recorded property documents. It does not decide ownership disputes or tell you whether a deed is legally sufficient.
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Delinquent real-property tax and foreclosure questions
Alpena County treasurer
Current bills usually begin with the city or township treasurer. After the local collection period, delinquent real-property tax moves to the county or the state foreclosing unit.
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Private wells, septic systems, and local health services
Local health department
Michigan has county and multi-county health departments. Use the state finder to see which department serves this county before applying or making an appointment.
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District, circuit, probate, or family-court business
Michigan trial courts serving this county
The court depends on the case type and sometimes the city or district. The judiciary directory lists court locations, websites, and contact information by county.
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Countywide assessment data and equalization
Alpena County equalization
Your local assessor and Board of Review handle an individual parcel first. County equalization studies values across local units and supports assessment administration.
County websites are checked against the State of Michigan county website directory . State and court finders are used where one office or district can serve more than one county. Directory reviewed July 12, 2026. Office roles were checked against Michigan Vital Records, Michigan Treasury taxpayer resources, and State Tax Commission guidance.
Local pages
Places in Alpena County
City
Alpena
1 school district available.
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Township
Alpena Township
1 school district available.
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Township
Green Township
2 school districts available.
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Township
Long Rapids Township
1 school district available.
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Township
Maple Ridge Township
1 school district available.
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Township
Ossineke Township
1 school district available.
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Township
Sanborn Township
1 school district available.
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Township
Wellington Township
2 school districts available.
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Township
Wilson Township
1 school district available.
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Porch Notes
Local notes from Alpena County
Stories, practical notes, and local details tied to places in this county.
Alpena County · History and culture
Dinosaur Gardens in Ossineke
Dinosaur Gardens is a classic Ossineke roadside attraction, with concrete dinosaurs sculpted by Paul Domke beginning in the 1930s.
Read this note ->Alpena County · History and culture
How Alpena became Cement City and home to Besser machines
A Michigan report once called Alpena's Huron plant the world's largest single cement mill. Today, Amrize calls it one of North America's largest, while Besser still builds concrete-product machinery from its Alpena headquarters.
Read this note ->Alpena County · Money and taxes
Is there a city income tax in Alpena County?
Alpena County has no local income tax: Alpena is the county's only city, and it does not levy one.
Read this note ->Alpena County · Outdoors
The Brown Trout Festival
Alpena's Michigan Brown Trout Festival brings a long-running Thunder Bay fishing tournament and summer waterfront events to the city each July.
Read this note ->Alpena County · History and culture
Thunder Bay and the shipwreck sanctuary
Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary protects Lake Huron shipwrecks off Alpena, with museum and glass-bottom-boat access from downtown.
Read this note ->Alpena County · History and culture
Shipwreck Alley, where you can see wrecks without diving
NOAA counts 100 discovered shipwrecks in Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and estimates 100 more await discovery off northeast Michigan.
Read this note ->Next steps
What to check next in Alpena County
Start with a local page, then move into the Michigan rule or tool that matches the question in front of you.
- Tool Estimate a buyer tax bill Use the Michigan homebuyer tax calculator when you have a price, place, and school district. Open calculator ->
- Question Understand uncapping See why a buyer's first full-year tax bill can differ from the seller's old bill. Read the guide ->
- Places Search statewide Look up another city, township, village, county, or school district. Browse places ->
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