Counties in Michigan by poverty rate

Saginaw County had the highest poverty rate of 83 counties in 2021, at 20.7%. Livingston County had the lowest, at 5.2%. The median was 12.9% and the figure for Michigan was 13%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest20.7Saginaw County
Median12.983 counties
Michigan13History

Top 40 counties, 2021

CSVChart (SVG)

Saginaw CountySaginaw County: 20.7 %20.7Wayne CountyWayne County: 19.6 %19.6Clare CountyClare County: 18.9 %18.9Lake CountyLake County: 18.7 %18.7Luce CountyLuce County: 18.6 %18.6Isabella CountyIsabella County: 18.1 %18.1Roscommon CountyRoscommon County: 17.8 %17.8Chippewa CountyChippewa County: 17.7 %17.7Mecosta CountyMecosta County: 17.6 %17.6Gogebic CountyGogebic County: 17.4 %17.4Ogemaw CountyOgemaw County: 17.4 %17.4Montmorency CountyMontmorency County: 16.9 %16.9Genesee CountyGenesee County: 16.3 %16.3Oscoda CountyOscoda County: 16.3 %16.3Berrien CountyBerrien County: 16.1 %16.1Gladwin CountyGladwin County: 15.9 %15.9Baraga CountyBaraga County: 15.8 %15.8Crawford CountyCrawford County: 15.8 %15.8Ingham CountyIngham County: 15.8 %15.8Gratiot CountyGratiot County: 15.7 %15.7Alpena CountyAlpena County: 15.5 %15.5Iron CountyIron County: 15.4 %15.4Wexford CountyWexford County: 15.2 %15.2Arenac CountyArenac County: 14.9 %14.9Iosco CountyIosco County: 14.5 %14.5Newaygo CountyNewaygo County: 14.5 %14.5Sanilac CountySanilac County: 14.5 %14.5Hillsdale CountyHillsdale County: 14.4 %14.4Muskegon CountyMuskegon County: 14.4 %14.4Oceana CountyOceana County: 14.4 %14.4Houghton CountyHoughton County: 14.1 %14.1Kalamazoo CountyKalamazoo County: 14.1 %14.1Schoolcraft CountySchoolcraft County: 13.9 %13.9Mason CountyMason County: 13.8 %13.8Calhoun CountyCalhoun County: 13.7 %13.7Presque Isle CountyPresque Isle County: 13.5 %13.5Marquette CountyMarquette County: 13.3 %13.3Van Buren CountyVan Buren County: 13.3 %13.3Montcalm CountyMontcalm County: 13.2 %13.2Manistee CountyManistee County: 13 %13
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)Change on 2020
1Saginaw County20.7+4.8 pts
2Wayne County19.6-0.4 pts
3Clare County18.9+0.9 pts
4Lake County18.7-0.5 pts
5Luce County18.6-0.5 pts
6Isabella County18.1+0.7 pts
7Roscommon County17.8+2 pts
8Chippewa County17.7+3.8 pts
9Mecosta County17.6+4 pts
10Gogebic County17.4+4.9 pts
10Ogemaw County17.4+2.3 pts
12Montmorency County16.9+1.4 pts
13Genesee County16.3-2 pts
13Oscoda County16.3+0.8 pts
15Berrien County16.1+1 pts
16Gladwin County15.9-0.7 pts
17Baraga County15.8+3.1 pts
17Crawford County15.8+2.2 pts
17Ingham County15.8+2 pts
20Gratiot County15.7+2 pts
21Alpena County15.5-0.1 pts
22Iron County15.4+1.2 pts
23Wexford County15.2+3.8 pts
24Arenac County14.9+2.1 pts
25Iosco County14.5+0.7 pts
25Newaygo County14.5+2.2 pts
25Sanilac County14.5-0.8 pts
28Hillsdale County14.4+1.8 pts
28Muskegon County14.4+2.1 pts
28Oceana County14.4+1.1 pts
31Houghton County14.1-0.9 pts
31Kalamazoo County14.1+2.1 pts
33Schoolcraft County13.9+2 pts
34Mason County13.8+1.5 pts
35Calhoun County13.7-1.4 pts
36Presque Isle County13.5+0.4 pts
37Marquette County13.3-0.3 pts
37Van Buren County13.3-0.8 pts
39Montcalm County13.2+0.1 pts
40Manistee County13+0.6 pts
40Tuscola County13+1.6 pts
42Cheboygan County12.9+0.2 pts
42Osceola County12.9-1.3 pts
44Alcona County12.6-1.4 pts
44Alger County12.6+0.5 pts
44Bay County12.6-0.1 pts
47Branch County12.5-1.6 pts
48St. Joseph County12.4-0.6 pts
48Washtenaw County12.4+0.4 pts
50Jackson County11.9-0.7 pts
51Delta County11.8+0.5 pts
51Huron County11.8+0.2 pts
51Missaukee County11.8-0.8 pts
54Ontonagon County11.7-3 pts
55Mackinac County11.6-0.9 pts
55Macomb County11.6+2.4 pts
57Cass County11.5+0.4 pts
57Ionia County11.5+1.9 pts
59Dickinson County11.4+1.7 pts
60Lenawee County11.1+1.6 pts
60St. Clair County11.1-1.3 pts
62Kalkaska County10.9-1.1 pts
63Shiawassee County10.8-0.8 pts
64Keweenaw County10.7-0.5 pts
65Menominee County10.6-0.8 pts
65Midland County10.6+0.5 pts
67Antrim County10.2-1.1 pts
68Otsego County10.1+0.8 pts
69Kent County9.9-1.2 pts
70Monroe County9.5-0.2 pts
71Allegan County9.4+2.1 pts
72Benzie County9.3-0.2 pts
72Lapeer County9.3+1.1 pts
74Charlevoix County9.1+0.4 pts
75Barry County8.9+1.3 pts
76Eaton County8.8+1 pts
76Grand Traverse County8.8+0.1 pts
78Emmet County8.6-0.1 pts
79Clinton County7.8-0.1 pts
79Oakland County7.80 pts
81Ottawa County7.5+0.8 pts
82Leelanau County6.7-0.7 pts
83Livingston County5.2-0.1 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/2021/2021-state-and-county/est21all.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?

Saginaw County, with 20.7% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Livingston County, with 5.2% in 2021.

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