Counties in Michigan by poverty rate

Isabella County had the highest poverty rate of 83 counties in 2018, at 23.4%. Livingston County had the lowest, at 5%. The median was 13.8% and the figure for Michigan was 14%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest23.4Isabella County
Median13.883 counties
Michigan14History

Top 40 counties, 2018

CSVChart (SVG)

Isabella CountyIsabella County: 23.4 %23.4Lake CountyLake County: 22.3 %22.3Wayne CountyWayne County: 21.7 %21.7Luce CountyLuce County: 20.7 %20.7Clare CountyClare County: 20.6 %20.6Alcona CountyAlcona County: 19.5 %19.5Houghton CountyHoughton County: 19 %19Genesee CountyGenesee County: 18.8 %18.8Mecosta CountyMecosta County: 18.4 %18.4Montmorency CountyMontmorency County: 18.2 %18.2Ingham CountyIngham County: 18.1 %18.1Osceola CountyOsceola County: 17.6 %17.6Gogebic CountyGogebic County: 17.5 %17.5Calhoun CountyCalhoun County: 17.3 %17.3Chippewa CountyChippewa County: 17.1 %17.1Oscoda CountyOscoda County: 17.1 %17.1Roscommon CountyRoscommon County: 17.1 %17.1Saginaw CountySaginaw County: 17 %17Gratiot CountyGratiot County: 16.2 %16.2Arenac CountyArenac County: 15.9 %15.9Ogemaw CountyOgemaw County: 15.9 %15.9Sanilac CountySanilac County: 15.9 %15.9Muskegon CountyMuskegon County: 15.7 %15.7Bay CountyBay County: 15.6 %15.6Gladwin CountyGladwin County: 15.6 %15.6Newaygo CountyNewaygo County: 15.6 %15.6Oceana CountyOceana County: 15.5 %15.5Baraga CountyBaraga County: 15.4 %15.4Alpena CountyAlpena County: 15.3 %15.3Berrien CountyBerrien County: 15.3 %15.3Van Buren CountyVan Buren County: 15.3 %15.3Iosco CountyIosco County: 15.1 %15.1Washtenaw CountyWashtenaw County: 15 %15Branch CountyBranch County: 14.5 %14.5Kalamazoo CountyKalamazoo County: 14.4 %14.4Montcalm CountyMontcalm County: 14.3 %14.3Iron CountyIron County: 14.2 %14.2Presque Isle CountyPresque Isle County: 14.2 %14.2Kalkaska CountyKalkaska County: 14.1 %14.1Marquette CountyMarquette County: 14.1 %14.1
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2018 (%)Change on 2017
1Isabella County23.4-0.4 pts
2Lake County22.3+0.2 pts
3Wayne County21.7-0.9 pts
4Luce County20.7+1.7 pts
5Clare County20.6-1.7 pts
6Alcona County19.5+4.9 pts
7Houghton County19+4.1 pts
8Genesee County18.8+0.5 pts
9Mecosta County18.4-1.9 pts
10Montmorency County18.2+4.1 pts
11Ingham County18.1-1.7 pts
12Osceola County17.6+2.9 pts
13Gogebic County17.5-1.2 pts
14Calhoun County17.3-1.8 pts
15Chippewa County17.1+0.1 pts
15Oscoda County17.1-0.9 pts
15Roscommon County17.1-1.7 pts
18Saginaw County17-0.5 pts
19Gratiot County16.2-3.3 pts
20Arenac County15.9+0.2 pts
20Ogemaw County15.9-0.3 pts
20Sanilac County15.9+1.4 pts
23Muskegon County15.7+0.5 pts
24Bay County15.6+1.1 pts
24Gladwin County15.6-1 pts
24Newaygo County15.6+1.2 pts
27Oceana County15.5+0.9 pts
28Baraga County15.4-1.3 pts
29Alpena County15.3+1.5 pts
29Berrien County15.3-2 pts
29Van Buren County15.3+2.5 pts
32Iosco County15.1-1.9 pts
33Washtenaw County15+2.1 pts
34Branch County14.5+1.9 pts
35Kalamazoo County14.4+0.4 pts
36Montcalm County14.3-0.6 pts
37Iron County14.2+0.7 pts
37Presque Isle County14.2-1.2 pts
39Kalkaska County14.1-3 pts
39Marquette County14.1-2.6 pts
39Ontonagon County14.1-1.5 pts
42St. Clair County13.8+1.4 pts
43Jackson County13.7+0.4 pts
44Crawford County13.6-3 pts
44St. Joseph County13.6+0.6 pts
46Hillsdale County13.5-0.5 pts
47Cheboygan County13.4-0.9 pts
47Mackinac County13.4-0.9 pts
49Schoolcraft County13.2-1.4 pts
50Manistee County13.1-0.4 pts
50Wexford County13.1-0.4 pts
52Missaukee County12.9-1.3 pts
53Tuscola County12.7-1.5 pts
54Alger County12.6-0.4 pts
54Huron County12.6-0.8 pts
56Delta County12.4-0.2 pts
56Menominee County12.4+0.6 pts
58Mason County12.1-1.2 pts
59Keweenaw County12-0.2 pts
60Otsego County11.4-0.6 pts
61Kent County11.3+0.9 pts
61Midland County11.3+0.6 pts
63Cass County11.2-0.8 pts
64Macomb County11-0.2 pts
65Dickinson County10.8-1.3 pts
65Shiawassee County10.8-0.3 pts
67Allegan County10.7+1.2 pts
68Antrim County10.6-0.5 pts
68Charlevoix County10.6+0.5 pts
70Lenawee County10.40 pts
71Benzie County10.3+0.9 pts
72Lapeer County10.1+1.4 pts
73Monroe County10-1.7 pts
74Ionia County9.9-1.7 pts
75Grand Traverse County9.5+0.2 pts
76Eaton County9.3+0.6 pts
77Barry County8.5-0.3 pts
78Emmet County8.3-0.2 pts
79Oakland County8.2+0.4 pts
80Clinton County7.5+0.1 pts
81Leelanau County7-0.1 pts
82Ottawa County6.8-1.4 pts
83Livingston County5-0.3 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/2018/2018-state-and-county/est18all.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 23.4% in 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Livingston County, with 5% in 2018.

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