Rose City, Michigan Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 575, Rose City'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

Rose City is a small community located in Michigan, within Ogemaw County. The total population is 575. It ranks as the 527th most populous out of 745 Census-designated places in Michigan.

Age Demographics

The median age in Rose City is 41.9 years. This is 4% higher than the state median of 40.2 years. 12.7% 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 Rose City is $25,179. This is 65% lower than the state median of $72,875. It is also 69% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 32.2%. This is 144% 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 12.4%. This is 118% higher than the state rate of 5.7%. The median home value is $101,700. Housing costs are 56% lower than the state median of $231,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.0x. 53.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 27% lower than the state average of 73.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Rose City has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.4% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.8%. The Black or African American population (1.2%) is well below the state average of 13.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.8%) is well below the state average of 5.9%.

Education

9.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 71% 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 79.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Rose City, 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.