Arenac 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
3
Townships
12
School districts
4
Primary home (PRE) rates, for homes with Michigan's Principal Residence Exemption, range from 24.5781 mills to 43.1935 mills.
Other property, often called non-homestead, usually means rentals, vacation homes, and second homes. Those rates range from 42.5781 mills to 61.1935 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
Arenac 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
Arenac 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
Arenac 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
Arenac 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 Arenac County
City
Au Gres
1 school district available.
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City
Omer
1 school district available.
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City
Standish
1 school district available.
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Township
Adams Township
1 school district available.
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Township
Arenac Township
2 school districts available.
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Township
Au Gres Township
1 school district available.
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Township
Clayton Township
2 school districts available.
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Township
Deep River Township
1 school district available.
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Township
Lincoln Township
1 school district available.
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Township
Mason Township
2 school districts available.
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Township
Moffatt Township
1 school district available.
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Township
Sims Township
1 school district available.
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Township
Standish Township
1 school district available.
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Township
Turner Township
1 school district available.
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Township
Whitney Township
2 school districts available.
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Porch Notes
Local notes from Arenac County
Stories, practical notes, and local details tied to places in this county.
Arenac County · History and culture
The Standish prison that was almost the home for Guantanamo's detainees
When Standish Maximum Correctional Facility was slated to close in 2009, the town briefly volunteered it to house detainees moved from Guantanamo Bay — a plan that fell apart, leaving the prison empty.
Read this note ->Arenac County · History and culture
Standish's stone depot, built from fieldstones farmers hauled by wagon
The 1889 Michigan Central depot in Standish was built from fieldstones local farmers carted to the site by wagon, and now serves as the welcome center at the south end of the US-23 Heritage Route.
Read this note ->Arenac County · History and culture
Arenac: a county name a man invented from Latin and Ojibwe
The name 'Arenac' isn't old or native to the place — Henry Schoolcraft built it from the Latin word for sand and an Ojibwe ending, to mean 'a sandy place for good footing.'
Read this note ->Arenac County · Outdoors
Au Gres: a French name for sandstone, and a walleye port on Saginaw Bay
Au Gres takes its name from French voyageurs who called the sandy point 'aux grès,' for sandstone — and today its river mouth is a busy walleye and perch port on Saginaw Bay.
Read this note ->Arenac County · Outdoors
Charity Island: a 1857 lighthouse and a bird sanctuary out in Saginaw Bay
Big Charity Island sits alone in the middle of Saginaw Bay with an 1857 lighthouse, and most of it is now a national wildlife refuge where colonial waterbirds nest by the thousands.
Read this note ->Arenac County · History and culture
Omer's old courthouse: built fast after a fire, lost the county seat, sold to the Masons for $500
Omer rebuilt its courthouse in 1890 right after the first one burned, then lost the county seat to Standish a year later — so the empty building went to the Masons for $500 and still stands.
Read this note ->Next steps
What to check next in Arenac 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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