Counties in Michigan by poverty rate, 2024

Lake County had the highest poverty rate of 83 counties in 2024, at 24.2%. Livingston County had the lowest, at 5.4%. The median was 13% and the figure for Michigan was 13.4%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest24.2Lake County
Median1383 counties
Michigan13.4History

Top 40 counties, 2024

CSVChart (SVG)

Lake CountyLake County: 24.2 %24.2Wayne CountyWayne County: 22.1 %22.1Luce CountyLuce County: 19.4 %19.4Clare CountyClare County: 19.3 %19.3Mecosta CountyMecosta County: 19.3 %19.3Isabella CountyIsabella County: 19 %19Ingham CountyIngham County: 18.1 %18.1Genesee CountyGenesee County: 18 %18Gogebic CountyGogebic County: 17.5 %17.5Houghton CountyHoughton County: 17.4 %17.4Gladwin CountyGladwin County: 16.9 %16.9Muskegon CountyMuskegon County: 16.8 %16.8Saginaw CountySaginaw County: 16.8 %16.8Alpena CountyAlpena County: 16.7 %16.7Sanilac CountySanilac County: 16.6 %16.6Oscoda CountyOscoda County: 16.5 %16.5Roscommon CountyRoscommon County: 16.3 %16.3Ogemaw CountyOgemaw County: 15.7 %15.7Osceola CountyOsceola County: 15.6 %15.6Montmorency CountyMontmorency County: 15.3 %15.3Alcona CountyAlcona County: 15.1 %15.1Baraga CountyBaraga County: 14.6 %14.6Gratiot CountyGratiot County: 14.6 %14.6Wexford CountyWexford County: 14.6 %14.6Calhoun CountyCalhoun County: 14.5 %14.5Oceana CountyOceana County: 14.5 %14.5Chippewa CountyChippewa County: 14.4 %14.4Crawford CountyCrawford County: 14.4 %14.4Iosco CountyIosco County: 14.4 %14.4Ontonagon CountyOntonagon County: 14.3 %14.3Huron CountyHuron County: 14.2 %14.2Iron CountyIron County: 14.2 %14.2Montcalm CountyMontcalm County: 14.2 %14.2Washtenaw CountyWashtenaw County: 13.9 %13.9Schoolcraft CountySchoolcraft County: 13.8 %13.8Manistee CountyManistee County: 13.7 %13.7Van Buren CountyVan Buren County: 13.6 %13.6Berrien CountyBerrien County: 13.4 %13.4Marquette CountyMarquette County: 13.4 %13.4Branch CountyBranch County: 13.2 %13.2
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2024 (%)Change on 2023
1Lake County24.2+3 pts
2Wayne County22.1+1.5 pts
3Luce County19.4-0.8 pts
4Clare County19.3-1.8 pts
4Mecosta County19.3+0.9 pts
6Isabella County19-2 pts
7Ingham County18.1+1.9 pts
8Genesee County18+0.1 pts
9Gogebic County17.5+0.2 pts
10Houghton County17.4+0.3 pts
11Gladwin County16.9+2.7 pts
12Muskegon County16.8+2.8 pts
12Saginaw County16.8+0.6 pts
14Alpena County16.7+0.8 pts
15Sanilac County16.6+3.3 pts
16Oscoda County16.5-2.2 pts
17Roscommon County16.3+0.6 pts
18Ogemaw County15.70 pts
19Osceola County15.6-1.2 pts
20Montmorency County15.3-2.4 pts
21Alcona County15.1-0.7 pts
22Baraga County14.6-1 pts
22Gratiot County14.6-1.7 pts
22Wexford County14.6+1.2 pts
25Calhoun County14.5+0.5 pts
25Oceana County14.5-0.3 pts
27Chippewa County14.4+0.8 pts
27Crawford County14.4+0.4 pts
27Iosco County14.4-4.4 pts
30Ontonagon County14.3+1.3 pts
31Huron County14.2-0.1 pts
31Iron County14.2-3.7 pts
31Montcalm County14.2+0.4 pts
34Washtenaw County13.9-0.7 pts
35Schoolcraft County13.8-0.7 pts
36Manistee County13.7-0.4 pts
37Van Buren County13.6-1.1 pts
38Berrien County13.4-0.2 pts
38Marquette County13.4-0.9 pts
40Branch County13.2-1.7 pts
40Presque Isle County13.2+0.1 pts
42Menominee County13-1.8 pts
43Hillsdale County12.8-2 pts
44Cass County12.7+0.4 pts
45Cheboygan County12.5-1.5 pts
46Shiawassee County12.4+0.2 pts
47St. Joseph County12.3+0.6 pts
48Alger County12.2-0.7 pts
49Delta County12.1-2 pts
49Missaukee County12.1+0.6 pts
51Mackinac County12-1.6 pts
52Bay County11.8-1 pts
52Keweenaw County11.8-0.2 pts
54Arenac County11.7-3.3 pts
54Mason County11.7-2.9 pts
54Newaygo County11.7-2.3 pts
57Kalamazoo County11.6-1.4 pts
58Jackson County11.3-2.4 pts
58Tuscola County11.3-3 pts
60Dickinson County11.2-0.6 pts
61Kalkaska County11.1-2.9 pts
62St. Clair County10.9-0.8 pts
63Macomb County10.8+0.2 pts
64Antrim County10.7+0.6 pts
65Ionia County10.5-2.8 pts
66Charlevoix County9.9+0.8 pts
67Monroe County9.7-1.6 pts
68Lenawee County9.6-1 pts
69Midland County9.5-2.6 pts
70Benzie County9.2-0.5 pts
70Kent County9.2-1.3 pts
72Barry County9+0.7 pts
72Lapeer County9-0.4 pts
74Ottawa County8.8-0.2 pts
75Otsego County8.5-1.9 pts
76Clinton County8.4+1.4 pts
76Emmet County8.4-1 pts
76Grand Traverse County8.4+1 pts
79Allegan County8.2-1.7 pts
79Eaton County8.2-1.9 pts
81Oakland County7.6-0.7 pts
82Leelanau County6.5-0.7 pts
83Livingston County5.4-0.2 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

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

Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_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 of all ages in poverty, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Use this data in your AI agent

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Rank Counties in Michigan by poverty rate using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate?

Lake County, with 24.2% in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Livingston County, with 5.4% in 2024.

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 of all ages in poverty, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Poverty rate (US official measure): other rankings

Counties in Michigan: more rankings