Houghton Lake is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Roscommon County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,294 during the 2020 census, making it the largest unincorporated community in Northern Michigan. The CDP is located within Denton, Lake, and Roscommon townships. The community of Houghton Lake is named after and situated upon Houghton Lake, the largest inland lake in Michigan. It includes the unincorporated community of Houghton Lake Heights.