Hardwood Acres, Michigan Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 611, Hardwood Acres's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Hardwood Acres is a small community located in Michigan, within Benzie County. The total population is 611. It ranks as the 517th most populous out of 745 Census-designated places in Michigan.

Age Demographics

The median age in Hardwood Acres is 39.4 years. This is 2% lower than the state median of 40.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Hardwood Acres is $109,196. This is 50% higher than the state median of $72,875. It is also 35% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 3.4%. This is 74% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.2%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Hardwood Acres, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $276,700. Housing costs are 19% higher than the state median of $231,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.5x, Hardwood Acres is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 79.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 9% higher than the state average of 73.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Every resident counted in Hardwood Acres was recorded as White (non-Hispanic). A figure of exactly 100.0% reflects a survey sample too small to capture the community's full composition rather than a precise measurement.

Education

46.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 42% higher 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 demographic data for Hardwood Acres, Michigan is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Michigan state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 745 Census-designated places in Michigan. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.