Rapid River, Michigan Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 223, Rapid River's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Rapid River is a small community located in Michigan, within Delta County. The total population is 223. It ranks as the 667th most populous out of 745 Census-designated places in Michigan.

Age Demographics

The median age in Rapid River is 40.3 years. This is about the same as the state median of 40.2 years. 13.0% 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 Rapid River is $51,500. This is 29% lower than the state median of $72,875. It is also 36% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 9.9%. This is 25% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.2%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Rapid River, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $122,500. Housing costs are 47% lower than the state median of $231,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.4x, Rapid River is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 88.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 21% higher than the state average of 73.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Rapid River has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 88.3% of all residents.

Education

13.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 59% 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 95.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Rapid River, Michigan is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Michigan state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 745 Census-designated places in Michigan. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.