Isabella County, Michigan Demographics 2026

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

Isabella County, Michigan has a population of 64,565, the 31st most populous county in Michigan. The median household income is $55,237 and the median home value is $170,400. The poverty rate is 21.9%.

Isabella County Quick Facts

Population 64,565

Median Household Income $55,23790% MOE ±$2,195

Median Home Value $170,40090% MOE ±$3,660

Poverty Rate 21.9%90% MOE ±1.8 pts

Unemployment Rate 6.4%90% MOE ±1.1 pts

Median Age 30.1 years90% MOE ±0.1 years

Homeownership Rate 61.8%90% MOE ±1.5 pts

Affordability Ratio 3.1x

Bachelor's Degree+ 31.3%90% MOE ±1.6 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 91.9%

Cities/Places 8

Population 64,565 31st of 83

Median Income $55,237 24% lower than state

Poverty Rate 21.9%

Unemployment 6.4%

How Isabella 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	70,688	64,565	-8.7%
Median household income	$55,525	$55,237	No clear change (-0.5%)
Median home value¹	$166,022	$170,400	No clear change (+2.6%)
Median gross rent	$906	$913	No clear change (+0.8%)

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

Median Household Income

Isabella

$55,237

$72,875

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Isabella

$170,400

$231,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 22.4%

$25K-$50K 23.1%

$50K-$100K 30.5%

$100K+ 24.0%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

7.4%

$10K-$15K

5.5%

$15K-$20K

3.5%

$20K-$25K

6.1%

$25K-$30K

5.1%

$30K-$35K

4.7%

$35K-$40K

4.5%

$40K-$45K

4.4%

$45K-$50K

4.4%

$50K-$60K

8.2%

$60K-$75K

9.2%

$75K-$100K

13.2%

$100K-$125K

8.6%

$125K-$150K

5.3%

$150K-$200K

5.5%

$200K+

4.5%

Employment

6.4% Unemployment Rate State: 5.7%|National: 5.2%

62.4% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 61.8%

Renter 38.2%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.1x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $913/mo 19.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

17.8%

18-34

37.8%

35-54

19.8%

55-74

19.4%

75+

5.2%

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 Isabella County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Mount Pleasant	21,236	$44,706	31.4%	$173,100
Lake Isabella	2,085	$77,500	5.8%	$184,000
Shepherd	1,457	$70,156	17.0%	$157,000
Weidman	1,156	N/A	52.3%	N/A
Rosebush	331	$44,750	17.5%	$104,500
Beal City	293	$74,875	5.5%	$197,700
Winn	226	$136,136	2.6%	$209,500
Loomis	200	$71,500	2.0%	$87,600

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

Isabella County is located in Michigan with a total population of 64,565. It is the 31st most populous county out of 83 in Michigan. The county encompasses 8 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Isabella County is 30.1 years. This is 25% lower than the state median of 40.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Isabella County is $55,237. This is 24% lower than the state median of $72,875. It is also 32% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 21.9%. This is 66% 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 6.4%. This is 12% higher than the state rate of 5.7%. The median home value is $170,400. Housing costs are 26% lower than the state median of $231,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.1x. 61.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 16% lower than the state average of 73.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Isabella County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 83.0% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 5.1%. The Black or African American population (2.4%) is well below the state average of 13.1%. The Asian population (1.6%) is well below the state average of 3.4%.

Education

31.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 3% 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 91.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Isabella 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 Isabella County, Michigan?

Isabella County has a population of 64,565, making it the 31st most populous county in Michigan.

What is the median income in Isabella County?

The median household income in Isabella County is $55,237 with a poverty rate of 21.9%.

How many cities are in Isabella County, Michigan?

Isabella County contains 8 Census-designated places.