Alpena County, Michigan Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Alpena County is located in Michigan with a total population of 28,880. It is the 50th most populous county out of 83 in Michigan. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Alpena County is 47.8 years. This is 19% higher than the state median of 40.2 years. 10.3% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Alpena County is $53,950. This is 26% lower than the state median of $72,875. It is also 33% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 18.0%. This is 36% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.2%. The unemployment rate is 6.2%. This is 8% higher than the state rate of 5.7%. The median home value is $153,900. Housing costs are 34% lower than the state median of $231,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.9x, Alpena County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 80.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 9% higher than the state average of 73.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Alpena County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 92.4% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.7%. The Black or African American population (1.0%) is well below the state average of 13.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.7%) is well below the state average of 5.9%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 3.4%.

Education

18.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 44% lower than the state rate of 32.5%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 92.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Alpena County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Michigan and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.