Clare County, Michigan Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Clare County is located in Michigan with a total population of 31,218. It is the 47th most populous county out of 83 in Michigan. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Clare County is 49.0 years. This is 22% higher than the state median of 40.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Clare County is $49,384. This is 32% lower than the state median of $72,875. It is also 39% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 21.6%. This is 64% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.2%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 9.5%. This is 66% higher than the state rate of 5.7%. The median home value is $133,800. Housing costs are 42% lower than the state median of $231,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.7x, Clare County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 86.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 19% higher than the state average of 73.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Clare County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 92.8% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.3%. The Black or African American population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 13.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.3%) is well below the state average of 5.9%. The Asian population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 3.4%.

Education

12.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 60% 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 88.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Clare 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.