Counties in Michigan by poverty rate

Lake County had the highest poverty rate of 83 counties in 2022, at 22.9%. Livingston County had the lowest, at 5%. The median was 13% and the figure for Michigan was 13.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest22.9Lake County
Median1383 counties
Michigan13.3History

Top 40 counties, 2022

CSVChart (SVG)

Lake CountyLake County: 22.9 %22.9Wayne CountyWayne County: 21.2 %21.2Mecosta CountyMecosta County: 20.4 %20.4Isabella CountyIsabella County: 19.4 %19.4Iosco CountyIosco County: 18.2 %18.2Saginaw CountySaginaw County: 18.1 %18.1Oscoda CountyOscoda County: 18 %18Clare CountyClare County: 17.2 %17.2Gogebic CountyGogebic County: 16.8 %16.8Genesee CountyGenesee County: 16.4 %16.4Ogemaw CountyOgemaw County: 16.4 %16.4Branch CountyBranch County: 16.3 %16.3Ingham CountyIngham County: 16.3 %16.3Montmorency CountyMontmorency County: 16.3 %16.3Roscommon CountyRoscommon County: 16.3 %16.3Oceana CountyOceana County: 16.2 %16.2Luce CountyLuce County: 16.1 %16.1Osceola CountyOsceola County: 15.7 %15.7Alpena CountyAlpena County: 15.6 %15.6Berrien CountyBerrien County: 15 %15Montcalm CountyMontcalm County: 14.8 %14.8Muskegon CountyMuskegon County: 14.5 %14.5Houghton CountyHoughton County: 14.4 %14.4Van Buren CountyVan Buren County: 14.4 %14.4Bay CountyBay County: 14.3 %14.3Mackinac CountyMackinac County: 14.3 %14.3Ontonagon CountyOntonagon County: 14.3 %14.3Sanilac CountySanilac County: 14.3 %14.3Baraga CountyBaraga County: 14.2 %14.2Crawford CountyCrawford County: 14.1 %14.1Gladwin CountyGladwin County: 13.9 %13.9Hillsdale CountyHillsdale County: 13.9 %13.9Calhoun CountyCalhoun County: 13.8 %13.8Arenac CountyArenac County: 13.6 %13.6Washtenaw CountyWashtenaw County: 13.6 %13.6Chippewa CountyChippewa County: 13.4 %13.4Missaukee CountyMissaukee County: 13.3 %13.3Newaygo CountyNewaygo County: 13.3 %13.3St. Joseph CountySt. Joseph County: 13.2 %13.2Dickinson CountyDickinson County: 13 %13
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2022 (%)Change on 2021
1Lake County22.9+4.2 pts
2Wayne County21.2+1.6 pts
3Mecosta County20.4+2.8 pts
4Isabella County19.4+1.3 pts
5Iosco County18.2+3.7 pts
6Saginaw County18.1-2.6 pts
7Oscoda County18+1.7 pts
8Clare County17.2-1.7 pts
9Gogebic County16.8-0.6 pts
10Genesee County16.4+0.1 pts
10Ogemaw County16.4-1 pts
12Branch County16.3+3.8 pts
12Ingham County16.3+0.5 pts
12Montmorency County16.3-0.6 pts
12Roscommon County16.3-1.5 pts
16Oceana County16.2+1.8 pts
17Luce County16.1-2.5 pts
18Osceola County15.7+2.8 pts
19Alpena County15.6+0.1 pts
20Berrien County15-1.1 pts
21Montcalm County14.8+1.6 pts
22Muskegon County14.5+0.1 pts
23Houghton County14.4+0.3 pts
23Van Buren County14.4+1.1 pts
25Bay County14.3+1.7 pts
25Mackinac County14.3+2.7 pts
25Ontonagon County14.3+2.6 pts
25Sanilac County14.3-0.2 pts
29Baraga County14.2-1.6 pts
30Crawford County14.1-1.7 pts
31Gladwin County13.9-2 pts
31Hillsdale County13.9-0.5 pts
33Calhoun County13.8+0.1 pts
34Arenac County13.6-1.3 pts
34Washtenaw County13.6+1.2 pts
36Chippewa County13.4-4.3 pts
37Missaukee County13.3+1.5 pts
37Newaygo County13.3-1.2 pts
39St. Joseph County13.2+0.8 pts
40Dickinson County13+1.6 pts
40Jackson County13+1.1 pts
40Manistee County130 pts
43Alcona County12.9+0.3 pts
44Iron County12.8-2.6 pts
44Schoolcraft County12.8-1.1 pts
44St. Clair County12.8+1.7 pts
44Wexford County12.8-2.4 pts
48Delta County12.5+0.7 pts
49Gratiot County12.3-3.4 pts
49Kalkaska County12.3+1.4 pts
49Presque Isle County12.3-1.2 pts
49Tuscola County12.3-0.7 pts
53Kalamazoo County12.2-1.9 pts
53Menominee County12.2+1.6 pts
55Cass County12.1+0.6 pts
55Ionia County12.1+0.6 pts
55Shiawassee County12.1+1.3 pts
58Cheboygan County12-0.9 pts
58Huron County12+0.2 pts
60Lenawee County11.6+0.5 pts
61Marquette County11.4-1.9 pts
62Alger County11.3-1.3 pts
63Otsego County10.8+0.7 pts
64Kent County10.7+0.8 pts
65Keweenaw County10.4-0.3 pts
66Mason County10.2-3.6 pts
67Benzie County9.9+0.6 pts
67Lapeer County9.9+0.6 pts
69Allegan County9.8+0.4 pts
69Macomb County9.8-1.8 pts
71Monroe County9.6+0.1 pts
72Grand Traverse County9.5+0.7 pts
73Antrim County9.3-0.9 pts
74Clinton County9.1+1.3 pts
75Eaton County9+0.2 pts
76Midland County8.9-1.7 pts
77Emmet County8.8+0.2 pts
78Charlevoix County8.7-0.4 pts
79Barry County8.5-0.4 pts
80Oakland County8.2+0.4 pts
80Ottawa County8.2+0.7 pts
82Leelanau County7.4+0.7 pts
83Livingston County5-0.2 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/2022/2022-state-and-county/est22all.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?

Lake County, with 22.9% in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Livingston County, with 5% in 2022.

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