A slowly growing community in rural Richland Township
About 15 miles west of Saginaw, Hemlock is a quaint but slowly changing community in the rural countryside of Mid-Michigan’s Richland Township. “It’s quite a small town, but it’s growing a bit,” says BillieJoe Bluemer, the director of Raucholz Memorial Library in Hemlock. “We just got a Taco Bell last year and some new subdivisions are going in.” Daily life is mostly centered around Saginaw Street, Hemlock’s main thoroughfare, and the town’s single park. Hemlock was founded in the late 1800s as a logging town due to its formerly high number of hemlock pine trees. “The township will plant Hemlock trees in the park,” says Bluemer. “Some people plant them in their yards, too.” While the logging days are long gone, the community celebrates its history every year during the annual Sawdust Days.
Hemlock is a neighborhood at the heart of the greater rural spread of Richland Township.
A recently-built Taco Bell in the center of Hemlock brings another fast food option to the area.
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From early 1900s bungalows to modern housing developments
Residential streets branch out from Saginaw Street. Many are lined with early 1900s bungalows ranging from $140,000 to $175,000 and mid-1900s ranch-style houses that sell for around $180,000 to $320,000. Subdivisions with contemporary ranch-style houses popped up in the late 1900s and continue to do so. They typically have three to four bedrooms and range from around $340,000 to $490,000.
Houses don’t hit the market often, but when they do, they average about 33 days before being sold, which is faster than the national average. Hemlock also has a CAP Index crime score of 2, which is below the national average.
Contemporary ranch homes sit on quiet wooded lots in the north side of Hemlock.
Many of the contemporary ranch homes in Hemlock have been built in the last couple of decades.
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Recreational sports and other outdoor activities at Richland Township Park
Richland Township Park is Hemlock’s hub for outdoor activities. There are five ball fields and a soccer field used for leagues through the parks and recreation department. Under the canopy of mature trees are a picnic pavilion that people rent out to celebrate special occasions and a playground. Locals can also play on the basketball court and sand volleyball court. Some farms lie out in the countryside where locals enjoy picking fruits, including Jacques Orchard and Fisher’s Blueberry Farm.
Locals can hand-pick a veriety of fresh apples at Jaques Orchard during fall season in Hemlock.
Rows and rows of blueberry bushes await Hemlock locals every June at Fisher's Blueberry Farm.
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A small student body and a new STEM center at Hemlock High
Kids attend kindergarten at Hemlock Elementary School, which receives a B grade from Niche. K.C Ling Elementary is rated a B-plus and serves first through fourth-grade students. They go on to Hemlock Middle, rated a B-minus, and Hemlock High, rated a B. This is a small district, as the high school has just over 300 students. Hemlock High unveiled the Lockwood STEM Center in 2024, allowing students to get hands-on experience in STEM fields.
A easy-access entrance makes pickups and drop-offs at Hemlock Elementary School easy.
Hemlock High School boasts an overall B on school ratings site Niche.com.
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Sawdust Days celebrates Hemlock's logging history
Locals look forward to Sawdust Days, a three-day festival held every September. It started in 1978 at a former hardware store that would draw crowds for chainsaw demonstrations. Today, the weekend-long event features cornhole and softball tournaments, a car show, live music and a parade. But it wouldn’t be Sawdust Days without any woodworking. “Lumberjacks will come and do log rolling performances and take chainsaws and carve figures out of tree trunks,” Bluemer says.
A 25-minute drive to Saginaw
While some residents live close enough to Saginaw Street to walk to stores and restaurants, this is primarily a car-dependent community as there is no public transportation. It’s about a 25-minute drive to Saginaw and MBS International Airport. Detroit is about 2 hours away via Interstate 75, which runs through Saginaw.
Local stores and restaurants on Saginaw Street
Just about every store and restaurant can be found along Saginaw Street. Residents shop for groceries at Rosati’s Fresh Market, a regional chain in rural North and Mid-Michigan communities. There’s also a Family Dollar and Chandler’s Market, the local deli and liquor store. Locals have a handful of options for dining out. Farmer’s Home Tavern is the community’s longest-running establishment — an Irish-themed bar decked out in green lights, serving patrons since 1982. Ma Ma Mia’s Pizzeria and Frosty’s Freezer and Pizzeria are Hemlock’s two pizza restaurants, with Frosty’s also serving ice cream. Frosty’s is out in the countryside, as is The Maple Grille, known for its locally grown and raised menu items. “The Maple Grille is farm-to-table, so you usually don’t know what’s going to be on the menu because it changes seasonally based on the local farms,” Bluemer says.
Rosati's Fresh Market has a wide selection of fresh produce and dry goods for Hemlock shoppers.
Farmer’s Home Tavern has served Hemlock patrons in an Irish-themed setting since 1982.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Shelli Kelsey,
an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Parks in this Area
Chipp-A-Waters Park
Riverside Park
Pine River Park
Conservation Park
Fred Meijer Heartland Trail
Alma Riverwalk
Richland Township Park
Transit
Airport
MBS International
33 min drive
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
Hemlock
US
Homicide
2
4
Sexual Assault
1
4
Assault with Weapon
2
4
Robbery
1
4
Burglary
2
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
2
4
Larceny
3
4
Crime Score
2
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Hemlock Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Hemlock, Merrill sell after 57 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Hemlock, Merrill over the last 12 months is $192,500, up 13% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Shelli Kelsey,
an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Owners
Demographics
Total Population
1,219
Median Age
43
Population under 18
22.9%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
19.6%
On par with the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$60,183
Below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$78,418
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
97.3%
Above the national average
89.1%
College Graduates
22.5%
Below the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
6.1%
% Population in Labor Force
70.9%
Area Factors
Somewhat Bikeable
Bike Score®
49/ 100
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
48/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
