Counties in Michigan by poverty rate

Isabella County had the highest poverty rate of 83 counties in 2017, at 23.8%. Livingston County had the lowest, at 5.3%. The median was 14% and the figure for Michigan was 14.1%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest23.8Isabella County
Median1483 counties
Michigan14.1History

Top 40 counties, 2017

CSVChart (SVG)

Isabella CountyIsabella County: 23.8 %23.8Wayne CountyWayne County: 22.6 %22.6Clare CountyClare County: 22.3 %22.3Lake CountyLake County: 22.1 %22.1Mecosta CountyMecosta County: 20.3 %20.3Ingham CountyIngham County: 19.8 %19.8Gratiot CountyGratiot County: 19.5 %19.5Calhoun CountyCalhoun County: 19.1 %19.1Luce CountyLuce County: 19 %19Roscommon CountyRoscommon County: 18.8 %18.8Gogebic CountyGogebic County: 18.7 %18.7Genesee CountyGenesee County: 18.3 %18.3Oscoda CountyOscoda County: 18 %18Saginaw CountySaginaw County: 17.5 %17.5Berrien CountyBerrien County: 17.3 %17.3Kalkaska CountyKalkaska County: 17.1 %17.1Chippewa CountyChippewa County: 17 %17Iosco CountyIosco County: 17 %17Baraga CountyBaraga County: 16.7 %16.7Marquette CountyMarquette County: 16.7 %16.7Crawford CountyCrawford County: 16.6 %16.6Gladwin CountyGladwin County: 16.6 %16.6Ogemaw CountyOgemaw County: 16.2 %16.2Arenac CountyArenac County: 15.7 %15.7Ontonagon CountyOntonagon County: 15.6 %15.6Presque Isle CountyPresque Isle County: 15.4 %15.4Muskegon CountyMuskegon County: 15.2 %15.2Houghton CountyHoughton County: 14.9 %14.9Montcalm CountyMontcalm County: 14.9 %14.9Osceola CountyOsceola County: 14.7 %14.7Alcona CountyAlcona County: 14.6 %14.6Oceana CountyOceana County: 14.6 %14.6Schoolcraft CountySchoolcraft County: 14.6 %14.6Bay CountyBay County: 14.5 %14.5Sanilac CountySanilac County: 14.5 %14.5Newaygo CountyNewaygo County: 14.4 %14.4Cheboygan CountyCheboygan County: 14.3 %14.3Mackinac CountyMackinac County: 14.3 %14.3Missaukee CountyMissaukee County: 14.2 %14.2Tuscola CountyTuscola County: 14.2 %14.2
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2017 (%)Change on 2016
1Isabella County23.8+0.4 pts
2Wayne County22.6-0.3 pts
3Clare County22.3+0.6 pts
4Lake County22.1+0.2 pts
5Mecosta County20.3-0.4 pts
6Ingham County19.8-0.3 pts
7Gratiot County19.5+0.7 pts
8Calhoun County19.1+2.3 pts
9Luce County19-1.9 pts
10Roscommon County18.8+1.1 pts
11Gogebic County18.7-1.7 pts
12Genesee County18.3-2 pts
13Oscoda County18-0.6 pts
14Saginaw County17.5-0.3 pts
15Berrien County17.3+0.6 pts
16Kalkaska County17.1+1.8 pts
17Chippewa County17+1 pts
17Iosco County17-1.2 pts
19Baraga County16.7+0.2 pts
19Marquette County16.7+1.6 pts
21Crawford County16.6-4.8 pts
21Gladwin County16.6-1.4 pts
23Ogemaw County16.2-1.1 pts
24Arenac County15.7-0.8 pts
25Ontonagon County15.6-0.2 pts
26Presque Isle County15.4+0.7 pts
27Muskegon County15.2-3.6 pts
28Houghton County14.9-5.3 pts
28Montcalm County14.9-0.7 pts
30Osceola County14.7-4.4 pts
31Alcona County14.6-1.6 pts
31Oceana County14.6-3.4 pts
31Schoolcraft County14.6-0.2 pts
34Bay County14.5-0.7 pts
34Sanilac County14.5-1 pts
36Newaygo County14.4-2.8 pts
37Cheboygan County14.3-3.7 pts
37Mackinac County14.3+0.6 pts
39Missaukee County14.2-0.5 pts
39Tuscola County14.2+0.6 pts
41Montmorency County14.1-2.9 pts
42Hillsdale County14-0.5 pts
42Kalamazoo County14-2.6 pts
44Alpena County13.8-1.7 pts
45Iron County13.5-1.9 pts
45Manistee County13.5-0.7 pts
45Wexford County13.5-4.3 pts
48Huron County13.4-0.8 pts
49Jackson County13.3-0.3 pts
49Mason County13.3-2 pts
51Alger County13-0.9 pts
51St. Joseph County13-1.9 pts
53Washtenaw County12.9-1.7 pts
54Van Buren County12.8-3.7 pts
55Branch County12.6-4.2 pts
55Delta County12.6-1.7 pts
57St. Clair County12.4-1.4 pts
58Keweenaw County12.2-0.1 pts
59Dickinson County12.1-0.7 pts
60Cass County12-0.9 pts
60Otsego County12-2 pts
62Menominee County11.8-1.2 pts
63Monroe County11.7+1.7 pts
64Ionia County11.6-2.9 pts
65Macomb County11.2+0.2 pts
66Antrim County11.1-0.6 pts
66Shiawassee County11.1-0.9 pts
68Midland County10.7+1.2 pts
69Kent County10.4-1.7 pts
69Lenawee County10.4-2.1 pts
71Charlevoix County10.1-1.4 pts
72Allegan County9.5+0.5 pts
73Benzie County9.4-1.4 pts
74Grand Traverse County9.3-0.7 pts
75Barry County8.8+0.4 pts
76Eaton County8.7-2.5 pts
76Lapeer County8.7-2.1 pts
78Emmet County8.5-3.3 pts
79Ottawa County8.2-0.8 pts
80Oakland County7.8-0.9 pts
81Clinton County7.4-1 pts
82Leelanau County7.1-1 pts
83Livingston County5.3-0.5 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/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.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?

Isabella County, with 23.8% in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Livingston County, with 5.3% in 2017.

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