Kalkaska County, Michigan Demographics 2026

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

Kalkaska County, Michigan has a population of 18,239, the 66th most populous county in Michigan. The median household income is $68,578 and the median home value is $188,900. The poverty rate is 12.2%.

Kalkaska County Quick Facts

Population 18,239

Median Household Income $68,57890% MOE ±$3,573

Median Home Value $188,90090% MOE ±$7,800

Poverty Rate 12.2%90% MOE ±1.9 pts

Unemployment Rate 3.9%90% MOE ±0.7 pts

Median Age 44.4 years90% MOE ±0.4 years

Homeownership Rate 88.2%90% MOE ±1.4 pts

Affordability Ratio 2.8x

Bachelor's Degree+ 19.0%90% MOE ±2.0 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 90.5%

Cities/Places 5

Population 18,239 66th of 83

Median Income $68,578 6% lower than state

Poverty Rate 12.2%

Unemployment 3.9%

How Kalkaska 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	17,585	18,239	+3.7%
Median household income	$57,718	$68,578	+18.8%
Median home value¹	$142,639	$188,900	+32.4%
Median gross rent	$864	$853	No clear change (-1.3%)

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

Median Household Income

Kalkaska

$68,578

$72,875

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Kalkaska

$188,900

$231,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 13.9%

$25K-$50K 22.3%

$50K-$100K 35.3%

$100K+ 28.5%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.0%

$10K-$15K

3.2%

$15K-$20K

3.3%

$20K-$25K

3.4%

$25K-$30K

5.2%

$30K-$35K

4.8%

$35K-$40K

3.7%

$40K-$45K

3.6%

$45K-$50K

5.0%

$50K-$60K

7.3%

$60K-$75K

11.9%

$75K-$100K

16.2%

$100K-$125K

13.1%

$125K-$150K

7.8%

$150K-$200K

3.8%

$200K+

3.7%

Employment

3.9% Unemployment Rate State: 5.7%|National: 5.2%

55.5% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 88.2%

Renter 11.8%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.8x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $853/mo 14.9% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

20.1%

18-34

17.9%

35-54

24.1%

55-74

29.5%

75+

8.3%

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 Kalkaska County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Kalkaska	2,539	$57,143	13.3%	$155,600
Rapid City	1,328	$73,021	12.7%	$214,700
South Boardman	553	$83,750	11.4%	$193,300
Manistee Lake	412	$56,250	9.7%	$175,000
Bear Lake (Kalkaska County)	343	$67,188	8.2%	$201,500

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

Kalkaska County is located in Michigan with a total population of 18,239. It is the 66th most populous county out of 83 in Michigan. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Kalkaska County is 44.4 years. This is 10% higher than the state median of 40.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Kalkaska County is $68,578. This is 6% lower than the state median of $72,875. It is also 15% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.2%. This is 7% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.2%. The unemployment rate is 3.9%. This is 32% lower than the state rate of 5.7%. The median home value is $188,900. Housing costs are 18% lower than the state median of $231,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.8x, Kalkaska County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 88.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 20% higher than the state average of 73.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Kalkaska County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 92.3% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.3%. The Black or African American population (0.8%) 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 (0.5%) is well below the state average of 3.4%.

Education

19.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 41% 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 90.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Kalkaska 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 Kalkaska County, Michigan?

Kalkaska County has a population of 18,239, making it the 66th most populous county in Michigan.

What is the median income in Kalkaska County?

The median household income in Kalkaska County is $68,578 with a poverty rate of 12.2%.

How many cities are in Kalkaska County, Michigan?

Kalkaska County contains 5 Census-designated places.