Clarkston is a city in Oakland County, Michigan, United States. A northern suburb of Detroit, located about 34 mi northwest of downtown Detroit, Clarkston is surrounded by Independence Township, but administered independently since its incorporation in 1992. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 928. With a total land area of 0.44 square miles, Clarkston is the smallest city by land area in the state of Michigan.