Lake County, Michigan Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Lake County is located in Michigan with a total population of 12,563. It is the 72nd most populous county out of 83 in Michigan. The county encompasses 2 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Lake County is 50.5 years. This is 26% higher than the state median of 40.2 years. Only 14.8% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Lake County is $50,805. This is 30% lower than the state median of $72,875. It is also 37% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 20.5%. This is 55% 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 7.4%. This is 30% higher than the state rate of 5.7%. The median home value is $133,900. Housing costs are 42% lower than the state median of $231,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.6x, Lake County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 82.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 12% higher than the state average of 73.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Lake County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 75.5% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 9.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (9.3% vs 5.9%). The Asian population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 3.4%.

Education

12.7% 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 61% 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 85.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Lake 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.