Schools
Clarkston's name carries a premium for its lakes and acreage. The entire ZIP is served by Clarkston Community Schools. All feed into Clarkston Community Schools.
Oakland County, Michigan
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Buying a home in Clarkston
Tucked into northern Oakland County, Clarkston wears its "up north" small-town character close to the city: a historic downtown village of boutiques, breweries, and the Mill Pond sits just minutes from the I-75 corridor and the roar of Pine Knob Music Theatre, one of the busiest outdoor amphitheaters in the country. ZIP 48346 is home to roughly 23,000 people across the lake-dotted Independence Charter Township, with a tiny incorporated Village of Clarkston of fewer than 1,000 at its core. The local economy leans on metro-Detroit professional and automotive commuters, the Clarkston Community Schools, healthcare employers like McLaren Oakland, hometown manufacturer Pontiac Coil, and Pine Knob's seasonal tourism draw. Median household income runs near $101,000 for the ZIP.
By the numbers
Clarkston housing and mortgage snapshot
Values move. Treat these as orientation and let us pull current figures for the address you are considering.
$416,000
Typical home value, from the market research on this page
+55%
Typical rise in taxable value the year after a home sells, 2026 Uncapping Study
2
Residential ZIP codes: 48346, 48348
What financing looks like in Clarkston
To comfortably carry the $425,000 median home with Independence Township taxes, plan on roughly $120,000 to $135,000 in annual income, depending on your down payment and rate. That sits above the ZIP's about $101,000 median income, so dual incomes and larger down payments are common here. Watch the tax line carefully: Independence Township homestead millage runs roughly 32 to 33 mills (an effective about 1.4 to 1.7% of market value), while the incorporated Village of Clarkston is taxed higher near 45 mills. First-time buyers should ask about MSHDA down-payment assistance. Many lakefront and estate homes in 48346 sell well above $500,000, and the largest can need loans above the 2026 conforming limit of $832,750, so jumbo financing is a real option here, not just a footnote.
You do not start with the product. You start with the goal.
Sub-markets
Clarkston housing market by ZIP code
Clarkston spans 2 residential ZIP codes, and they are different sub-markets.
ZIP 48346, near $425,000
Pricing in 48346 depends heavily on which metric you read: the median list price sits around $425,000 in spring 2026, recorded sale prices land roughly between $382,000 and $454,000, and Zillow's typical-value index for the ZIP is closer to $333,000. Year-over-year, values are roughly flat to slightly down (Zillow shows about -1%). The bigger story is pace: homes are now sitting a median of roughly 98 to 110 days on market, up sharply from about 33 days a year earlier. Demand is driven by lake access, acreage, and the school district, but the cooling has handed buyers real negotiating room.
ZIP 48348, near $500,000
The typical 48348 home sits around $500,000 to $520,000 (Zillow's ZIP value is near $503,000; Redfin's recent median sale price is about $520,000). Redfin's short-window figure shows roughly -8.8% year over year, but that number is volatile here, a few luxury lakefront closings can swing it sharply. The real story is speed: homes move at a median of about 13 days on market, and well-priced listings routinely draw multiple offers. Demand is driven by Clarkston Community Schools, the historic downtown, lake access, and easy freeway commuting. Buyers should expect competition and come pre-approved.
Schools and commute
Commute
Downtown Detroit is about 42 miles, or 45 to 55 minutes via I-75.
Michigan property taxes
Clarkston property taxes after you buy
The year after a Michigan home sells, its taxable value resets to half of the assessor's market value, so the seller's tax bill is not your tax bill.
In the City of Clarkston, our 2026 Uncapping Study found taxable value typically rises about 55% the year after a sale. On a $425,000 home, near the typical Clarkston value, that is roughly $2,730 more in first-year tax at the local median homestead millage. We build your payment on that post-sale number.
Looking at a Clarkston address? Our Michigan property tax calculator finds that property's published 2025 millage and works out the tax to plan for after you buy.
In Samantha's words
I'd much rather somebody ask me, "Why are your taxes higher than what I'm seeing online?" than have them build a housing budget around the wrong assumption.
Local resources
Check Clarkston records yourself
The official offices behind the tax and school details on this page.
- Independence Township Assessing Department, for parcel records and current taxable value
- Clarkston Community Schools, for district boundaries and enrollment
- Oakland County Treasurer, property taxes, for county property tax records
What our clients say
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Individual experiences. Results vary.
Clarkston mortgage questions
If yours is not here, ask it on the call. There are no dumb questions.
What is the typical home price in Clarkston, MI 48346?
As of spring 2026, the median list price in ZIP 48346 is around $425,000, with recorded sale prices generally landing between about $382,000 and $454,000 depending on the source and month. Prices have been roughly flat to slightly down year-over-year (Zillow shows about -1% for the ZIP). The market spans widely, from sub-$200,000 condos to multi-million-dollar lakefront estates.
How much income do I need to buy a median-priced Clarkston home?
Roughly $120,000 to $135,000 a year to comfortably carry the $425,000 median home with Independence Township taxes; the exact figure depends on your down payment, rate and other debts, and Samantha can work it out. The ZIP’s median household income is about $101,000, so many buyers stretch with dual incomes or larger down payments. Smaller down payments push the required income higher.
What are property taxes like in Clarkston / Independence Township?
Most 48346 homes sit in Independence Charter Township, where the principal-residence (homestead) millage is roughly 32 to 33 mills. On Samantha’s planning number for a buyer, half the price times the homestead millage, that works out to roughly 1.4 to 1.7% of the price a year. The small incorporated Village of Clarkston is taxed higher, around 45 mills, so the same house can cost noticeably more in the village than in the township.
How long are homes taking to sell in 48346?
The market has cooled considerably. In spring 2026, homes were sitting a median of roughly 98 to 110 days on the market, up sharply from around 33 days a year earlier. That gives buyers more negotiating room and time than during the frenzied seller’s market of recent years, though well-priced homes in top subdivisions still move faster.
Which school district serves the 48348 ZIP code?
Clarkston Community Schools serves the area.
What are the best-known neighborhoods in Clarkston 48346?
Standout areas include Deer Lake Farms (private beach access on all-sports Deer Lake, often $500,000 to $1,000,000+), the Waldon Creek and Pine Knob subdivisions (about $350,000 to $550,000), and luxury estate communities like The Manors of Clarkston and The Manors of Deerwood, where custom homes on 1+ acre wooded lots run $600,000 and well above. Heather Lake Estates and the Clarkston Hunt Club / Oak Valley estates round out the popular acreage options.
What makes Clarkston 48348 a desirable place to buy?
It blends established neighborhoods with a historic downtown village and big recreation draws, the Pine Knob Music Theatre and Ski Resort plus Independence Oaks, Oakland County’s largest park. Homes sell fast (median about 13 days on market) and often draw multiple offers, so buyers should be prepared to move quickly.
Communities near Clarkston
Oakland County overviewTalk with a local mortgage expert
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Align Lending LLC, NMLS #2041154. Samantha Shelton, NMLS 1647301. Equal Housing Opportunity. Licensed in Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina, Florida, Louisiana and Texas. Figures on this page are market research for orientation, not a quote. This page is for educational purposes only. It is not a credit decision, a preapproval, a commitment to lend, or an offer of credit.
