Caberfae, Michigan


Caberfae (

History

Caberfae was named by Kenneth MacKenzie after the Scottish Gaelic term "cabar-fèidh", meaning "antler". The community served as the Caberfae Ranch, a private hunting club that was eventually sold to the United States during the Great Depression. It became part of the Manistee National Forest. It is now home to the Caberfae Peaks Ski & Golf Resort, a mix of government-owned and private property.
The community of Caberfae was listed as a newly organized census-designated place for the 2010 census, meaning it now has officially defined boundaries and population statistics for the first time.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the community has an area of, all land.

Demographics

As of recent estimates, Caberfae has about 64 residents, a sharp decline from 72 in 2020 — making it one of the smallest census-designated places in Michigan. Its median age is 63.5 years, far higher than average — indicating an older population overall. The residents are overwhelmingly White and U.S.-born, with 100% identifying as non-Hispanic Whiteand 100% citizens.
Economically, the community shows modest but stable conditions: median household income is around $58,000, and per-capita income about $41,252. The poverty rate remains low at just over 3%, well below state and national levels. Homeownership is universal: virtually all housing units are owner-occupied, and the median property value is about $160,700.

Education

Education in Caberfae is shaped by its small population and rural setting, with no schools located within the community itself. Caberfae is served entirely by Cadillac Area Public Schools to the southeast in the city of Cadillac.
The district operates Cadillac High School, Mackinaw Trail Middle School, and multiple elementary schools, providing the full K–12 curriculum and extracurricular programs typical of a mid-sized northern Michigan school system.
Students in Caberfae also fall under the regional support services of the Wexford–Missaukee Intermediate School District, which coordinates special education, early childhood programs, and vocational training for rural communities across the county.