Counties in Michigan by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)

Lake County had the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) of 83 counties in 2016, at 40.2%. Livingston County had the lowest, at 6.4%. The median was 22.7% and the figure for Michigan was 20.7%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest40.2Lake County
Median22.783 counties
Michigan20.7History

Map of counties, 2016

Alcona County: 29.6 %Alger County: 19.5 %Allegan County: 11.8 %Alpena County: 24.1 %Antrim County: 20.3 %Arenac County: 25.5 %Baraga County: 24 %Barry County: 12.4 %Bay County: 22.7 %Benzie County: 18.4 %Berrien County: 26.1 %Branch County: 25 %Calhoun County: 25.2 %Cass County: 19.7 %Charlevoix County: 18.2 %Cheboygan County: 31.1 %Chippewa County: 20.9 %Clare County: 34.1 %Clinton County: 9.9 %Crawford County: 34.6 %Delta County: 19 %Dickinson County: 17.3 %Eaton County: 16.4 %Emmet County: 14.7 %Genesee County: 29.1 %Gladwin County: 29.1 %Gogebic County: 30 %Grand Traverse County: 12.9 %Gratiot County: 22.1 %Hillsdale County: 20.1 %Houghton County: 18.1 %Huron County: 23.1 %Ingham County: 23.2 %Ionia County: 19.7 %Iosco County: 31.2 %Iron County: 25.6 %Isabella County: 18.9 %Jackson County: 20.4 %Kalamazoo County: 19.6 %Kalkaska County: 24.7 %Kent County: 14.9 %Keweenaw County: 18.2 %Lake County: 40.2 %Lapeer County: 14.7 %Leelanau County: 13.2 %Lenawee County: 16.5 %Livingston County: 6.4 %Luce County: 28.9 %Mackinac County: 23.9 %Macomb County: 15.9 %Manistee County: 23.4 %Marquette County: 15 %Mason County: 24.3 %Mecosta County: 24.5 %Menominee County: 19.5 %Midland County: 12.1 %Missaukee County: 21.8 %Monroe County: 12.9 %Montcalm County: 22.7 %Montmorency County: 31.1 %Muskegon County: 27.9 %Newaygo County: 24.1 %Oakland County: 10.8 %Oceana County: 25.9 %Ogemaw County: 30.9 %Ontonagon County: 28.6 %Osceola County: 28.9 %Oscoda County: 30.2 %Otsego County: 21.3 %Ottawa County: 8.9 %Presque Isle County: 26.2 %Roscommon County: 32.9 %Saginaw County: 24.6 %St. Clair County: 19.8 %St. Joseph County: 21.6 %Sanilac County: 23.1 %Schoolcraft County: 25.1 %Shiawassee County: 18.3 %Tuscola County: 21.2 %Van Buren County: 24.8 %Washtenaw County: 12.2 %Wayne County: 33.8 %Wexford County: 27 %
  • Under 15
  • 15 to 20
  • 20 to 23
  • 23 to 25
  • 25 to 29
  • 29 and over
%, 2016. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2016

Lake County: 40.2 %Lake County40.2Crawford County: 34.6 %Crawford County34.6Clare County: 34.1 %Clare County34.1Wayne County: 33.8 %Wayne County33.8Roscommon County: 32.9 %Roscommon County32.9Iosco County: 31.2 %Iosco County31.2Cheboygan County: 31.1 %Cheboygan County31.1Montmorency County: 31.1 %Montmorency County31.1Ogemaw County: 30.9 %Ogemaw County30.9Oscoda County: 30.2 %Oscoda County30.2Gogebic County: 30 %Gogebic County30Alcona County: 29.6 %Alcona County29.6Genesee County: 29.1 %Genesee County29.1Gladwin County: 29.1 %Gladwin County29.1Luce County: 28.9 %Luce County28.9Osceola County: 28.9 %Osceola County28.9Ontonagon County: 28.6 %Ontonagon County28.6Muskegon County: 27.9 %Muskegon County27.9Wexford County: 27 %Wexford County27Presque Isle County: 26.2 %Presque Isle County26.2Berrien County: 26.1 %Berrien County26.1Oceana County: 25.9 %Oceana County25.9Iron County: 25.6 %Iron County25.6Arenac County: 25.5 %Arenac County25.5Calhoun County: 25.2 %Calhoun County25.2Schoolcraft County: 25.1 %Schoolcraft County25.1Branch County: 25 %Branch County25Van Buren County: 24.8 %Van Buren County24.8Kalkaska County: 24.7 %Kalkaska County24.7Saginaw County: 24.6 %Saginaw County24.6Mecosta County: 24.5 %Mecosta County24.5Mason County: 24.3 %Mason County24.3Alpena County: 24.1 %Alpena County24.1Newaygo County: 24.1 %Newaygo County24.1Baraga County: 24 %Baraga County24Mackinac County: 23.9 %Mackinac County23.9Manistee County: 23.4 %Manistee County23.4Ingham County: 23.2 %Ingham County23.2Huron County: 23.1 %Huron County23.1Sanilac County: 23.1 %Sanilac County23.1Lake County: 40.2 %Lake County40.2Crawford County: 34.6 %Crawford County34.6Clare County: 34.1 %Clare County34.1Wayne County: 33.8 %Wayne County33.8Roscommon County: 32.9 %Roscommon County32.9Iosco County: 31.2 %Iosco County31.2Cheboygan County: 31.1 %Cheboygan County31.1Montmorency County: 31.1 %Montmorency County31.1Ogemaw County: 30.9 %Ogemaw County30.9Oscoda County: 30.2 %Oscoda County30.2Gogebic County: 30 %Gogebic County30Alcona County: 29.6 %Alcona County29.6Genesee County: 29.1 %Genesee County29.1Gladwin County: 29.1 %Gladwin County29.1Luce County: 28.9 %Luce County28.9Osceola County: 28.9 %Osceola County28.9Ontonagon County: 28.6 %Ontonagon County28.6Muskegon County: 27.9 %Muskegon County27.9Wexford County: 27 %Wexford County27Presque Isle County: 26.2 %Presque Isle County26.2Berrien County: 26.1 %Berrien County26.1Oceana County: 25.9 %Oceana County25.9Iron County: 25.6 %Iron County25.6Arenac County: 25.5 %Arenac County25.5Calhoun County: 25.2 %Calhoun County25.2Schoolcraft County: 25.1 %Schoolcraft County25.1Branch County: 25 %Branch County25Van Buren County: 24.8 %Van Buren County24.8Kalkaska County: 24.7 %Kalkaska County24.7Saginaw County: 24.6 %Saginaw County24.6Mecosta County: 24.5 %Mecosta County24.5Mason County: 24.3 %Mason County24.3Alpena County: 24.1 %Alpena County24.1Newaygo County: 24.1 %Newaygo County24.1Baraga County: 24 %Baraga County24Mackinac County: 23.9 %Mackinac County23.9Manistee County: 23.4 %Manistee County23.4Ingham County: 23.2 %Ingham County23.2Huron County: 23.1 %Huron County23.1Sanilac County: 23.1 %Sanilac County23.1
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2016 (%)Change on 2015
1Lake County40.2-5 pts
2Crawford County34.6+3.4 pts
3Clare County34.1-4.7 pts
4Wayne County33.8-3.2 pts
5Roscommon County32.9-7.4 pts
6Iosco County31.2-1.1 pts
7Cheboygan County31.1+2.7 pts
7Montmorency County31.1-2.8 pts
9Ogemaw County30.9-3.3 pts
10Oscoda County30.2-2.6 pts
11Gogebic County30+2.5 pts
12Alcona County29.6-1.2 pts
13Genesee County29.1-1.1 pts
13Gladwin County29.1-3.1 pts
15Luce County28.9-0.8 pts
15Osceola County28.9-1 pts
17Ontonagon County28.6-1.7 pts
18Muskegon County27.9+4.5 pts
19Wexford County27+1.8 pts
20Presque Isle County26.2+1.2 pts
21Berrien County26.1-0.1 pts
22Oceana County25.9-3 pts
23Iron County25.6+0.1 pts
24Arenac County25.5-5 pts
25Calhoun County25.2+1.2 pts
26Schoolcraft County25.1+0.3 pts
27Branch County25+1.3 pts
28Van Buren County24.8+2 pts
29Kalkaska County24.7-2.8 pts
30Saginaw County24.6-3.1 pts
31Mecosta County24.5-5.1 pts
32Mason County24.3-2.6 pts
33Alpena County24.1-0.5 pts
33Newaygo County24.1+1 pts
35Baraga County24-0.3 pts
36Mackinac County23.9-2.2 pts
37Manistee County23.4-2.4 pts
38Ingham County23.2-0.9 pts
39Huron County23.1+4.2 pts
39Sanilac County23.1-1.7 pts
41Bay County22.7+1.9 pts
41Montcalm County22.7-4.2 pts
43Gratiot County22.1+1.5 pts
44Missaukee County21.8-4.4 pts
45St. Joseph County21.6-0.7 pts
46Otsego County21.3+2.1 pts
47Tuscola County21.2-3.9 pts
48Chippewa County20.9-6.5 pts
49Jackson County20.4-4.8 pts
50Antrim County20.3-3.8 pts
51Hillsdale County20.1-4.5 pts
52St. Clair County19.8+0.9 pts
53Cass County19.7-2.8 pts
53Ionia County19.7+2 pts
55Kalamazoo County19.6+0.6 pts
56Alger County19.5-1.5 pts
56Menominee County19.5-7.3 pts
58Delta County19-1.8 pts
59Isabella County18.9-1.1 pts
60Benzie County18.4-0.7 pts
61Shiawassee County18.3-1.3 pts
62Charlevoix County18.2-0.1 pts
62Keweenaw County18.2-3.2 pts
64Houghton County18.1-0.3 pts
65Dickinson County17.3-0.5 pts
66Lenawee County16.5-4.4 pts
67Eaton County16.4+0.7 pts
68Macomb County15.9-0.9 pts
69Marquette County15-2.9 pts
70Kent County14.9-4.2 pts
71Emmet County14.7-1 pts
71Lapeer County14.70 pts
73Leelanau County13.2-0.2 pts
74Grand Traverse County12.9+0.6 pts
74Monroe County12.9-1.7 pts
76Barry County12.4-1.6 pts
77Washtenaw County12.2-1.2 pts
78Midland County12.1-2.9 pts
79Allegan County11.8-3.3 pts
80Oakland County10.8-0.9 pts
81Clinton County9.9-0.9 pts
82Ottawa County8.9-0.3 pts
83Livingston County6.4-1.4 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People under 18 in families or living alone with income below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people under 18 whose poverty status can be determined. United States: Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) for the nation, states and counties.

A model-based single-year estimate; the national figure is the one-year American Community Survey estimate. The Census Bureau advises comparing years from 2006 on only. Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate. The rate for all ages is poverty_rate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties (Counties in Michigan by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2016) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt

MLA 9

Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties, Counties in Michigan by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2016. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/michigan-counties?period=2016. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Counties in Michigan by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2016. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/michigan-counties?period=2016.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties, Counties in Michigan by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/michigan-counties?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_michigan_by_2016,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties: Counties in Michigan by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2016}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/michigan-counties?period=2016. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties: Counties in Michigan by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2016
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/michigan-counties?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/michigan-counties?period=2016.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Rank Counties in Michigan by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)?

Lake County, with 40.2% in 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)?

Livingston County, with 6.4% in 2016.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure): other rankings

Counties in Michigan: more rankings