Cass County, Michigan Demographics 2026

Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology

Cass County, Michigan has a population of 51,520, the 35th most populous county in Michigan. The median household income is $70,443 and the median home value is $218,000. The poverty rate is 11.9%.

Cass County Quick Facts

Population 51,520

Median Household Income $70,44390% MOE ±$3,549

Median Home Value $218,00090% MOE ±$9,705

Poverty Rate 11.9%90% MOE ±1.7 pts

Unemployment Rate 5.0%90% MOE ±1.0 pts

Median Age 45.5 years90% MOE ±0.3 years

Homeownership Rate 81.6%90% MOE ±1.6 pts

Affordability Ratio 3.1x

Bachelor's Degree+ 21.8%90% MOE ±1.4 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 90.0%

Cities/Places 5

Population 51,520 35th of 83

Median Income $70,443 3% lower than state

Poverty Rate 11.9%

Unemployment 5.0%

How Cass County Changed

Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.

Metric	2015–2019	2020–2024	Change
Population	51,523	51,520	-0.0%
Median household income	$67,821	$70,443	No clear change (+3.9%)
Median home value¹	$175,745	$218,000	+24.0%
Median gross rent	$908	$916	No clear change (+0.9%)

¹ The Census Bureau changed its home-value inflation adjustment beginning with the 2022 ACS; interpret that comparison with additional caution.

Median Household Income

Cass

$70,443

$72,875

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Cass

$218,000

$231,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 15.2%

$25K-$50K 20.7%

$50K-$100K 31.6%

$100K+ 32.6%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.1%

$10K-$15K

2.8%

$15K-$20K

3.5%

$20K-$25K

3.8%

$25K-$30K

3.8%

$30K-$35K

4.3%

$35K-$40K

3.8%

$40K-$45K

4.9%

$45K-$50K

3.8%

$50K-$60K

7.5%

$60K-$75K

9.3%

$75K-$100K

14.8%

$100K-$125K

8.3%

$125K-$150K

6.2%

$150K-$200K

9.5%

$200K+

8.6%

Employment

5.0% Unemployment Rate State: 5.7%|National: 5.2%

58.8% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 81.6%

Renter 18.4%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.1x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $916/mo 15.6% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

20.2%

18-34

18.2%

35-54

23.7%

55-74

29.0%

75+

8.9%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 45 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Cass County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Dowagiac	5,732	$48,166	21.4%	$130,800
Cassopolis	1,834	$40,781	20.5%	$110,000
Edwardsburg	1,472	$52,500	18.0%	$122,200
Marcellus	1,112	$52,917	16.4%	$120,400
Vandalia	366	$70,268	3.9%	$77,500

Explore Michigan Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Cass County is located in Michigan with a total population of 51,520. It is the 35th most populous county out of 83 in Michigan. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cass County is 45.5 years. This is 13% higher than the state median of 40.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Cass County is $70,443. This is 3% lower than the state median of $72,875. It is also 13% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.9%. This is 10% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.2%. The unemployment rate is 5.0%. This is 12% lower than the state rate of 5.7%. The median home value is $218,000. Housing costs are 6% lower than the state median of $231,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.1x. 81.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 12% higher than the state average of 73.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Cass County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 84.0% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 4.5%. The Black or African American population (4.0%) is well below the state average of 13.1%. The Asian population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 3.4%.

Education

21.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 33% 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 90.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Cass 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Cass County, Michigan?

Cass County has a population of 51,520, making it the 35th most populous county in Michigan.

What is the median income in Cass County?

The median household income in Cass County is $70,443 with a poverty rate of 11.9%.

How many cities are in Cass County, Michigan?

Cass County contains 5 Census-designated places.