Counties in Michigan by poverty rate

Wayne County had the highest poverty rate of 83 counties in 2020, at 20%. Livingston County had the lowest, at 5.3%. The median was 12.5% and the figure for Michigan was 12.6%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest20Wayne County
Median12.583 counties
Michigan12.6History

Top 40 counties, 2020

CSVChart (SVG)

Wayne CountyWayne County: 20 %20Lake CountyLake County: 19.2 %19.2Luce CountyLuce County: 19.1 %19.1Genesee CountyGenesee County: 18.3 %18.3Clare CountyClare County: 18 %18Isabella CountyIsabella County: 17.4 %17.4Gladwin CountyGladwin County: 16.6 %16.6Saginaw CountySaginaw County: 15.9 %15.9Roscommon CountyRoscommon County: 15.8 %15.8Alpena CountyAlpena County: 15.6 %15.6Montmorency CountyMontmorency County: 15.5 %15.5Oscoda CountyOscoda County: 15.5 %15.5Sanilac CountySanilac County: 15.3 %15.3Berrien CountyBerrien County: 15.1 %15.1Calhoun CountyCalhoun County: 15.1 %15.1Ogemaw CountyOgemaw County: 15.1 %15.1Houghton CountyHoughton County: 15 %15Ontonagon CountyOntonagon County: 14.7 %14.7Iron CountyIron County: 14.2 %14.2Osceola CountyOsceola County: 14.2 %14.2Branch CountyBranch County: 14.1 %14.1Van Buren CountyVan Buren County: 14.1 %14.1Alcona CountyAlcona County: 14 %14Chippewa CountyChippewa County: 13.9 %13.9Ingham CountyIngham County: 13.8 %13.8Iosco CountyIosco County: 13.8 %13.8Gratiot CountyGratiot County: 13.7 %13.7Crawford CountyCrawford County: 13.6 %13.6Marquette CountyMarquette County: 13.6 %13.6Mecosta CountyMecosta County: 13.6 %13.6Oceana CountyOceana County: 13.3 %13.3Montcalm CountyMontcalm County: 13.1 %13.1Presque Isle CountyPresque Isle County: 13.1 %13.1St. Joseph CountySt. Joseph County: 13 %13Arenac CountyArenac County: 12.8 %12.8Baraga CountyBaraga County: 12.7 %12.7Bay CountyBay County: 12.7 %12.7Cheboygan CountyCheboygan County: 12.7 %12.7Hillsdale CountyHillsdale County: 12.6 %12.6Jackson CountyJackson County: 12.6 %12.6
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2020 (%)Change on 2019
1Wayne County20+0.2 pts
2Lake County19.2-1 pts
3Luce County19.1-0.1 pts
4Genesee County18.3+1.7 pts
5Clare County18-1.6 pts
6Isabella County17.4-5.5 pts
7Gladwin County16.6+3.1 pts
8Saginaw County15.9-2.7 pts
9Roscommon County15.8+0.5 pts
10Alpena County15.6+1.7 pts
11Montmorency County15.5+1.1 pts
11Oscoda County15.5+0.1 pts
13Sanilac County15.3+1.7 pts
14Berrien County15.1-0.8 pts
14Calhoun County15.1+1.2 pts
14Ogemaw County15.1-3.1 pts
17Houghton County15+0.3 pts
18Ontonagon County14.7+1.4 pts
19Iron County14.2+0.5 pts
19Osceola County14.2-0.4 pts
21Branch County14.1+0.9 pts
21Van Buren County14.1+1.1 pts
23Alcona County14-4 pts
24Chippewa County13.9-4.4 pts
25Ingham County13.8-3.5 pts
25Iosco County13.8-0.4 pts
27Gratiot County13.7-0.6 pts
28Crawford County13.6-0.4 pts
28Marquette County13.6+1.8 pts
28Mecosta County13.6-6.3 pts
31Oceana County13.3-1.5 pts
32Montcalm County13.1+0.7 pts
32Presque Isle County13.1+2.3 pts
34St. Joseph County13+0.1 pts
35Arenac County12.8-4.4 pts
36Baraga County12.7-1 pts
36Bay County12.7-0.7 pts
36Cheboygan County12.7-2.2 pts
39Hillsdale County12.6-2.7 pts
39Jackson County12.6-1.1 pts
39Missaukee County12.6+1.7 pts
42Gogebic County12.5-4.6 pts
42Mackinac County12.5-1.6 pts
44Manistee County12.4+0.1 pts
44St. Clair County12.4+2 pts
46Mason County12.3-1.6 pts
46Muskegon County12.3-1.2 pts
46Newaygo County12.3-3.4 pts
49Alger County12.1-0.5 pts
50Kalamazoo County12-1.3 pts
50Kalkaska County12-1.9 pts
50Washtenaw County12-1 pts
53Schoolcraft County11.9-2.4 pts
54Huron County11.6-2.1 pts
54Shiawassee County11.6+0.7 pts
56Menominee County11.4-2.1 pts
56Tuscola County11.4-0.2 pts
56Wexford County11.4-1 pts
59Antrim County11.3+1.7 pts
59Delta County11.3-2.5 pts
61Keweenaw County11.2+0.9 pts
62Cass County11.1-3.7 pts
62Kent County11.1-0.1 pts
64Midland County10.1+0.4 pts
65Dickinson County9.7-0.2 pts
65Monroe County9.7-0.5 pts
67Ionia County9.6-1.9 pts
68Benzie County9.5-0.1 pts
68Lenawee County9.5-2.3 pts
70Otsego County9.3-0.7 pts
71Macomb County9.2+0.6 pts
72Charlevoix County8.7-1 pts
72Emmet County8.7-0.5 pts
72Grand Traverse County8.7+1.5 pts
75Lapeer County8.2-1.9 pts
76Clinton County7.9+0.1 pts
77Eaton County7.8+0.3 pts
77Oakland County7.80 pts
79Barry County7.6-0.2 pts
80Leelanau County7.4+0.3 pts
81Allegan County7.3-3.5 pts
82Ottawa County6.7-1.1 pts
83Livingston County5.3+0.9 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/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.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?

Wayne County, with 20% in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Livingston County, with 5.3% in 2020.

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