Houghton County, MI zoning map, flood zone and property lines by address
Free, no account. Or open the Michigan map and tap a lot.
Towns in Houghton County: Houghton, Hancock, Laurium.
Flood zone by address
ParcelSheet reads FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer at the lot: the zone, whether it is a high risk area where lenders ask for flood insurance, and the base flood elevation where FEMA lists one. FEMA has 16 FIRM panels covering Houghton County, the newest effective September 2024; no coastal V zones are mapped in it.
The official panel and any Letter of Map Amendment are at FEMA's Map Service Center. An elevation certificate for a Houghton house comes from a licensed surveyor and is often on file with the county or city building office.
Property lines
The parcel outline, parcel number and mapped size come from the Michigan county parcel layers (each county publishes its own), so a Houghton lot shows the same lines the township or city assessor draws. Houghton County covers about 645,826 acres of land and 315,145 acres of water.
Mapped lines are approximate. The Houghton County township or city assessor keeps the parcel record (Houghton County website); a licensed surveyor sets the true corners.
Zoning
In Michigan zoning is set by the county, the township, or the city or village, depending on where the lot is: in Houghton County, Houghton, Hancock, Laurium each zone the land inside their limits. ParcelSheet shows the use code on the lot's parcel record and the municipality it sits in; the township or city zoning office has the district, the uses it allows and the lot size it needs. The Houghton County website lists the county's municipalities.
ADU and guest houses
Under Michigan Zoning Enabling Act (Public Act 110 of 2006, MCL 125.3101 and following), the county, the township, or the city or village, depending on where the lot is can allow an accessory dwelling unit on a lot with a house. Whether a Houghton lot can add one depends on its district; the township or city zoning office has the rule. ParcelSheet shows the mapped lot size and the ground's slope, the first two things the question turns on.
Septic and soil
ParcelSheet reads the USDA soil survey at the lot: the soil's name, its septic absorption rating and whether it is prime farmland. Houghton County is soil survey area MI061, Houghton County, Michigan, last updated August 2026, on Web Soil Survey.
A new or changed septic system in Houghton County needs a permit from the Houghton County health department (local health department, under Michigan EGLE onsite wastewater rules).
Setbacks
Setbacks in Houghton County come from the zoning district: the front, side and rear distances a house must keep. ParcelSheet does not draw setback lines; the township or city zoning office gives them for the lot's district, and Houghton, Hancock, Laurium for land inside their limits.
Hazards that apply
- Wetlands and wildfire. ParcelSheet shows the National Wetlands Inventory near a Houghton lot and the Forest Service wildfire hazard rating at it.
Questions
Is my house in a flood zone in Houghton County?
Type the address in the box above and ParcelSheet reads FEMA's flood zone at the lot's center. FEMA has 16 flood map panels covering Houghton County, the newest effective September 2024. A lender or insurer uses the official FIRM panel; FEMA's Map Service Center has it.
How do I find property lines in Houghton County?
Open the Michigan map, type the address, and the parcel outline from the Houghton County township or city assessor shows on the map with its parcel number and mapped size. Mapped lines are approximate; only a licensed surveyor sets the true corners.
What is my property zoned in Houghton County?
Zoning in Houghton County is set by the county, the township, or the city or village, depending on where the lot is (such as Houghton, Hancock). ParcelSheet shows the use code on the parcel record and names the municipality; the township or city zoning office has the final word.
Can I build an ADU in Houghton County?
Under Michigan Zoning Enabling Act (Public Act 110 of 2006, MCL 125.3101 and following), the county, the township, or the city or village, depending on where the lot is can allow an accessory dwelling unit, and each sets its own rules. In Houghton County ask the township or city zoning office for the lot's district first; ParcelSheet shows the lot size as mapped so you can see the room you have.
Do I need a septic permit in Houghton County?
Yes. A new or changed septic system in Houghton County needs a permit from the Houghton County health department (local health department, under Michigan EGLE onsite wastewater rules). ParcelSheet shows the USDA soil survey's septic rating at the lot, from survey area MI061 (Houghton County, Michigan).
What can I build on 5 acres in Houghton County?
Zoning in Houghton County is set by the county, the township, or the city or village, depending on where the lot is (such as Houghton, Hancock). The zoning district decides the uses, how many homes and the smallest lot it allows on 5 acres. ParcelSheet shows the lot size as mapped and the use code on the parcel record; the township or city zoning office has the district and its rules. See the Houghton County website.
What are the residential setbacks in Houghton County (2026)?
Setbacks in Houghton County come from the zoning code of the municipality the lot sits in: the front, side and rear distances depend on the lot's district. ParcelSheet does not draw setback lines or give a number it did not read; the township or city zoning office gives them for the district. See the Houghton County website.
Next to Houghton County: Baraga County, Iron County, Keweenaw County, Marquette County, Ontonagon County.
The Michigan map · All Michigan counties · Flood zones explained · FIRM panels and LOMAs · All 50 states