Data / Rankings / Poverty rate (US official measure) / Counties in Michigan

Counties in Michigan by poverty rate

Isabella County had the highest poverty rate of 83 counties in 2015, at 26.1%. Livingston County had the lowest, at 6.5%. The median was 15.8% and the figure for Michigan was 15.7%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest26.1Isabella County
Lowest6.5Livingston County
Median15.883 counties
Michigan15.7History

Top 40 counties, 2015

CSVChart (SVG)

Isabella CountyIsabella County: 26.1 %26.1Lake CountyLake County: 24.8 %24.8Wayne CountyWayne County: 24.8 %24.8Clare CountyClare County: 24.7 %24.7Mecosta CountyMecosta County: 21.3 %21.3Ingham CountyIngham County: 21 %21Genesee CountyGenesee County: 20.5 %20.5Oscoda CountyOscoda County: 20.5 %20.5Arenac CountyArenac County: 20.1 %20.1Gladwin CountyGladwin County: 19.8 %19.8Chippewa CountyChippewa County: 19.7 %19.7Luce CountyLuce County: 19.6 %19.6Ogemaw CountyOgemaw County: 19.4 %19.4Roscommon CountyRoscommon County: 19.2 %19.2Osceola CountyOsceola County: 18.7 %18.7Gogebic CountyGogebic County: 18.6 %18.6Saginaw CountySaginaw County: 18.6 %18.6Montmorency CountyMontmorency County: 18.2 %18.2Montcalm CountyMontcalm County: 17.9 %17.9Cheboygan CountyCheboygan County: 17.6 %17.6Missaukee CountyMissaukee County: 17.5 %17.5Houghton CountyHoughton County: 17.4 %17.4Baraga CountyBaraga County: 17.3 %17.3Crawford CountyCrawford County: 17.2 %17.2Oceana CountyOceana County: 17.2 %17.2Berrien CountyBerrien County: 17.1 %17.1Menominee CountyMenominee County: 16.9 %16.9Mason CountyMason County: 16.8 %16.8Sanilac CountySanilac County: 16.7 %16.7Hillsdale CountyHillsdale County: 16.6 %16.6Gratiot CountyGratiot County: 16.5 %16.5Kalkaska CountyKalkaska County: 16.5 %16.5Newaygo CountyNewaygo County: 16.3 %16.3Alpena CountyAlpena County: 16.2 %16.2Jackson CountyJackson County: 16.2 %16.2Calhoun CountyCalhoun County: 16.1 %16.1Iosco CountyIosco County: 16.1 %16.1Mackinac CountyMackinac County: 16.1 %16.1Muskegon CountyMuskegon County: 16.1 %16.1Kalamazoo CountyKalamazoo County: 16 %16
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2015 (%)
1Isabella County26.1
2Lake County24.8
2Wayne County24.8
4Clare County24.7
5Mecosta County21.3
6Ingham County21
7Genesee County20.5
7Oscoda County20.5
9Arenac County20.1
10Gladwin County19.8
11Chippewa County19.7
12Luce County19.6
13Ogemaw County19.4
14Roscommon County19.2
15Osceola County18.7
16Gogebic County18.6
16Saginaw County18.6
18Montmorency County18.2
19Montcalm County17.9
20Cheboygan County17.6
21Missaukee County17.5
22Houghton County17.4
23Baraga County17.3
24Crawford County17.2
24Oceana County17.2
26Berrien County17.1
27Menominee County16.9
28Mason County16.8
29Sanilac County16.7
30Hillsdale County16.6
31Gratiot County16.5
31Kalkaska County16.5
33Newaygo County16.3
34Alpena County16.2
34Jackson County16.2
36Calhoun County16.1
36Iosco County16.1
36Mackinac County16.1
36Muskegon County16.1
40Kalamazoo County16
41Schoolcraft County15.9
42Alcona County15.8
43Van Buren County15.7
44Tuscola County15.5
45Manistee County15
45Marquette County15
47Branch County14.9
48Cass County14.8
48Delta County14.8
48Wexford County14.8
51St. Joseph County14.7
52Alger County14.6
52Iron County14.6
52Ontonagon County14.6
55Bay County14.5
55Kent County14.5
57Lenawee County14.3
58Antrim County14.2
58Ionia County14.2
58Washtenaw County14.2
61Presque Isle County13.6
62Keweenaw County13.4
63St. Clair County12.8
64Shiawassee County12.4
65Dickinson County12.3
66Otsego County12.1
67Huron County11.7
67Macomb County11.7
69Charlevoix County11.6
70Midland County11.5
71Allegan County11.2
72Emmet County11
73Eaton County10.9
74Monroe County10.6
75Benzie County10.5
76Clinton County10
76Lapeer County10
78Barry County9.3
78Oakland County9.3
80Ottawa County8.6
81Grand Traverse County8.5
82Leelanau County7.9
83Livingston County6.5

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/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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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?

Isabella County, with 26.1% in 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Livingston County, with 6.5% in 2015.

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