Manistee County, Michigan Demographics 2026

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

Manistee County, Michigan has a population of 25,350, the 57th most populous county in Michigan. The median household income is $63,516 and the median home value is $182,200. The poverty rate is 12.7%.

Manistee County Quick Facts

Population 25,350

Median Household Income $63,51690% MOE ±$2,576

Median Home Value $182,20090% MOE ±$10,645

Poverty Rate 12.7%90% MOE ±1.7 pts

Unemployment Rate 6.4%90% MOE ±1.2 pts

Median Age 50.3 years90% MOE ±0.3 years

Homeownership Rate 85.8%90% MOE ±1.3 pts

Affordability Ratio 2.9x

Bachelor's Degree+ 24.9%90% MOE ±1.8 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 92.2%

Cities/Places 13

Population 25,350 57th of 83

Median Income $63,516 13% lower than state

Poverty Rate 12.7%

Unemployment 6.4%

How Manistee 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	24,457	25,350	+3.7%
Median household income	$61,603	$63,516	No clear change (+3.1%)
Median home value¹	$154,331	$182,200	+18.1%
Median gross rent	$881	$842	No clear change (-4.4%)

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

Median Household Income

Manistee

$63,516

$72,875

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Manistee

$182,200

$231,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 16.0%

$25K-$50K 22.4%

$50K-$100K 34.6%

$100K+ 27.0%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.8%

$10K-$15K

4.0%

$15K-$20K

3.1%

$20K-$25K

4.1%

$25K-$30K

4.6%

$30K-$35K

5.9%

$35K-$40K

4.3%

$40K-$45K

4.0%

$45K-$50K

3.6%

$50K-$60K

8.2%

$60K-$75K

11.2%

$75K-$100K

15.2%

$100K-$125K

9.5%

$125K-$150K

5.7%

$150K-$200K

5.5%

$200K+

6.2%

Employment

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

49.8% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 85.8%

Renter 14.2%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.9x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $842/mo 15.9% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

16.6%

18-34

17.2%

35-54

22.1%

55-74

32.8%

75+

11.2%

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 Manistee County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Manistee	6,275	$60,541	16.8%	$164,100
Parkdale	573	$45,000	27.1%	$122,100
Kaleva	542	$43,125	34.6%	$94,200
Oak Hill	519	$59,115	2.1%	$126,900
Wellston	353	$53,333	7.4%	$108,200
Brethren	318	$52,083	18.2%	$152,200
Eastlake	318	$50,139	7.5%	$122,400
Onekama	305	$32,969	3.6%	$185,300
Bear Lake (Manistee County)	264	$63,281	5.0%	$155,400
Copemish	255	$46,250	10.2%	$77,400
Filer City	178	$47,083	2.8%	$96,100
Stronach	155	$66,719	4.0%	$109,400
Arcadia	120	$85,694	2.5%	$262,500

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

Manistee County is located in Michigan with a total population of 25,350. It is the 57th most populous county out of 83 in Michigan. The county encompasses 13 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Manistee County is 50.3 years. This is 25% higher than the state median of 40.2 years. 11.2% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Manistee County is $63,516. This is 13% lower than the state median of $72,875. It is also 21% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.7%. This is 4% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.2%. The unemployment rate is 6.4%. This is 12% higher than the state rate of 5.7%. The median home value is $182,200. Housing costs are 21% lower than the state median of $231,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.9x, Manistee County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 85.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 17% higher than the state average of 73.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Manistee County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 87.4% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.6%. The Black or African American population (3.2%) is well below the state average of 13.1%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 3.4%.

Education

24.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 23% 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 92.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Manistee 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 Manistee County, Michigan?

Manistee County has a population of 25,350, making it the 57th most populous county in Michigan.

What is the median income in Manistee County?

The median household income in Manistee County is $63,516 with a poverty rate of 12.7%.

How many cities are in Manistee County, Michigan?

Manistee County contains 13 Census-designated places.