2026 Needs Survey Results for Roscommon County
Created 1/12/2026 | Concluded 10/5/2026
Housing Affordability Emerges as Top Priority in Roscommon County, with Two-Thirds of Households Facing Recent Hardship
Executive Summary: The Roscommon County Community Foundation Needs Survey gathered input from 426 residents to identify the most pressing challenges facing the community. Housing Stability and Cost of Living emerged as the dominant concern, with 43% of respondents identifying it as the greatest unmet need and housing-related themes appearing most frequently in open-ended responses.
Two-thirds of households experienced direct hardship in the past year, with storms and power outages, healthcare access difficulties, and food insecurity being the most common impacts. Geographic analysis reveals that housing concerns are particularly acute in Houghton Lake and Roscommon, while healthcare access challenges are consistently widespread across all areas of the county. These findings suggest that addressing housing affordability and stability, alongside improving healthcare infrastructure, should be top priorities for community investment and support.
427 Total Respondents | 43% Top Unmet Need | 66% Households Affected
Needs Survey Participants’ Locations
Key Findings: Housing Stability and Cost of Living Identified as the Greatest Unmet Need
Housing Stability and Cost of Living emerged as the most pressing concern in Roscommon County, with 182 out of 423 respondents (43%) identifying it as the greatest unmet need. This was followed by Healthcare and Mental Health Access at 69 respondents (16%), and Other at 58 respondents (14%). Food Security and Basic Needs garnered 47 responses (11%), while Youth, Education and Family Support received 43 responses (10%). Transportation and Access to Services and Disaster Relief and Emergency Preparedness were the least selected, with 16 responses (4%) and 8 responses (2%) respectively. The dominance of housing concerns suggests that affordability and stability are critical challenges facing the community.
423 responses
Greatest unmet need in Roscommon County
*Other Responses from Most Mentioned to Least: Employment and Economic Opportunity, Youth Activities and Programs, Senior Housing and Support, Property Maintenance and Blight, Winter Sidewalk and Snow Maintenance, Childcare Access and Services, Homelessness and Shelter Services, Illegal Drug Prevention, and Recycling and Trash Services.
Housing Concerns Vary Significantly Across Geographic Areas
Analysis of the greatest unmet need by area of residence reveals notable geographic variation. Houghton Lake residents showed the strongest focus on Housing Stability and Cost of Living, with 59 out of 119 respondents (50%) selecting this as the top need, compared to the overall baseline of 43%. Roscommon residents also prioritized housing at 42 out of 91 respondents (46%). In contrast, St. Helen residents were more evenly distributed across needs, with 28 out of 74 respondents (38%) selecting housing. Higgins Lake and Prudenville residents showed similar patterns to the overall distribution. Healthcare and Mental Health Access was notably higher in Prudenville at 13 out of 55 respondents (24%) compared to the overall 16%. These geographic differences suggest that targeted, area-specific interventions may be more effective than county-wide approaches.
Rental and Housing Availability Dominates Open-Ended Community Concerns
When asked to describe specific issues or needs in their community, 29 out of 211 tagged responses (14%) mentioned Rental and Housing Availability, making it the most frequently cited theme. Affordable Housing Access was a close second at 27 responses (13%), and Healthcare Provider Access was mentioned by 26 responses (12%). Employment and Economic Opportunity appeared in 20 responses (10%), while Youth Activities and Programs was cited by 18 responses (9%). Senior Housing and Support and Grocery and Food Access each received 16 mentions (8%). The prominence of housing-related themes in open-ended responses reinforces the quantitative findings and suggests that housing challenges are top-of-mind for residents when given the opportunity to express concerns in their own words.
Two-Thirds of Households Experienced Direct Hardship in the Past Year
A substantial 277 out of 418 respondents (66%) reported that they or someone in their household was directly affected by at least one hardship in the past year, with only 141 respondents (34%) selecting None of the above. The most commonly reported impacts were storms, power outages, or other disasters at 133 respondents (32%), and difficulty accessing healthcare or mental health services at 107 respondents (26%). Food insecurity or difficulty affording groceries affected 86 respondents (21%), while Utility shut-offs or financial emergencies impacted 59 respondents (14%), and Housing instability or unsafe housing conditions affected 55 respondents (13%). Limited transportation options was reported by 43 respondents (10%). The prevalence of multiple hardships underscores the interconnected nature of community challenges.
418 responses
Direct household impacts in the past year
Healthcare Access Challenges Are Widespread Across All Areas
Difficulty accessing healthcare or mental health services was consistently reported across all geographic areas, affecting between 21% and 29% of households in each location. Houghton Lake reported the highest rate at 34 out of 119 households (29%), followed by Roscommon at 24 out of 91 households (26%), and St. Helen at 19 out of 74 households (26%). Higgins Lake and Prudenville showed similar rates at 13 out of 58 households (22%) and 12 out of 55 households (22%) respectively. The consistency of this challenge across diverse communities indicates a systemic county-wide issue rather than a localized problem, suggesting that healthcare infrastructure improvements would benefit the entire county.
418 responses
Household impacts by area of residence
The survey is part of RCCF’s broader effort to better understand changing needs throughout Roscommon County and use that information to guide charitable resources where they can have the greatest impact. As RCCF continues to analyze community input, the Foundation encourages residents and local organizations to remain engaged in conversations about the future of Roscommon County.
