Houghton County, Michigan Demographics 2026

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

Houghton County, Michigan has a population of 37,693, the 42nd most populous county in Michigan. The median household income is $58,899 and the median home value is $159,900. The poverty rate is 16.5%.

Houghton County Quick Facts

Population 37,693

Median Household Income $58,89990% MOE ±$3,371

Median Home Value $159,90090% MOE ±$7,874

Poverty Rate 16.5%90% MOE ±1.5 pts

Unemployment Rate 5.7%90% MOE ±1.6 pts

Median Age 32.2 years90% MOE ±0.5 years

Homeownership Rate 71.8%90% MOE ±2.6 pts

Affordability Ratio 2.7x

Bachelor's Degree+ 37.2%90% MOE ±2.5 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 94.5%

Cities/Places 15

Population 37,693 42nd of 83

Median Income $58,899 19% lower than state

Poverty Rate 16.5%

Unemployment 5.7%

How Houghton 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	36,070	37,693	+4.5%
Median household income	$53,146	$58,899	+10.8%
Median home value¹	$133,778	$159,900	+19.5%
Median gross rent	$788	$840	No clear change (+6.6%)

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

Median Household Income

Houghton

$58,899

$72,875

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Houghton

$159,900

$231,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 20.7%

$25K-$50K 22.3%

$50K-$100K 30.5%

$100K+ 26.6%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.9%

$10K-$15K

5.2%

$15K-$20K

5.5%

$20K-$25K

4.0%

$25K-$30K

3.8%

$30K-$35K

5.1%

$35K-$40K

4.4%

$40K-$45K

4.9%

$45K-$50K

4.1%

$50K-$60K

7.7%

$60K-$75K

8.3%

$75K-$100K

14.4%

$100K-$125K

8.7%

$125K-$150K

4.6%

$150K-$200K

6.7%

$200K+

6.6%

Employment

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

57.8% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 71.8%

Renter 28.2%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.7x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $840/mo 17.1% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

19.8%

18-34

33.0%

35-54

18.5%

55-74

21.0%

75+

7.6%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very 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 Houghton County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Houghton	8,474	$43,456	40.1%	$254,500
Hancock	4,574	$59,519	19.1%	$165,600
Laurium	1,509	$54,167	16.0%	$126,100
Dollar Bay	1,049	$61,250	13.5%	$153,100
Lake Linden	1,020	$43,472	13.8%	$97,000
Chassell	899	$54,148	17.0%	$167,600
Hubbell	881	$53,333	4.4%	$85,400
Calumet	645	$26,667	42.6%	$84,400
Atlantic Mine	491	$55,481	16.5%	$103,500
South Range	482	$58,542	23.6%	$101,100
Painesdale	416	$63,750	13.3%	$92,800
Dodgeville	409	N/A	12.3%	$217,300
Copper City	253	$51,250	15.4%	$103,400
Trimountain	196	$44,673	0.0%	$104,000
Hurontown	134	$61,354	22.4%	N/A

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

Houghton County is located in Michigan with a total population of 37,693. It is the 42nd most populous county out of 83 in Michigan. The county encompasses 15 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Houghton County is 32.2 years. This is 20% lower than the state median of 40.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Houghton County is $58,899. This is 19% lower than the state median of $72,875. It is also 27% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 16.5%. This is 25% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.2%. The unemployment rate is 5.7%. The median home value is $159,900. Housing costs are 31% lower than the state median of $231,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.7x, Houghton County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 71.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 2% lower than the state average of 73.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Houghton County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 90.9% of all residents. Asian residents account for 2.9%. The Black or African American population (1.1%) is well below the state average of 13.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.8%) is well below the state average of 5.9%.

Education

37.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 15% 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 94.5%. Notably, 16.6% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Houghton 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 Houghton County, Michigan?

Houghton County has a population of 37,693, making it the 42nd most populous county in Michigan.

What is the median income in Houghton County?

The median household income in Houghton County is $58,899 with a poverty rate of 16.5%.

How many cities are in Houghton County, Michigan?

Houghton County contains 15 Census-designated places.