Data / Rankings / Population density / Counties in Michigan

Counties in Michigan by population density

Wayne County had the highest population density of 83 counties in 2020, at 1,129.3 inhabitants per km². Keweenaw County had the lowest, at 1.5 inhabitants per km². The median was 23.1 inhabitants per km² and the figure for Michigan was 68.7 inhabitants per km². Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest1,129.3Wayne County
Lowest1.5Keweenaw County
Median23.183 counties
Michigan68.7History

Top 40 counties, 2020

CSVChart (SVG)

Wayne CountyWayne County: 1,129.3 inhabitants per km²1,129.3Macomb CountyMacomb County: 709 inhabitants per km²709Oakland CountyOakland County: 566.4 inhabitants per km²566.4Kent CountyKent County: 299.3 inhabitants per km²299.3Genesee CountyGenesee County: 246 inhabitants per km²246Ottawa CountyOttawa County: 203.4 inhabitants per km²203.4Washtenaw CountyWashtenaw County: 203.3 inhabitants per km²203.3Ingham CountyIngham County: 197.9 inhabitants per km²197.9Kalamazoo CountyKalamazoo County: 179.9 inhabitants per km²179.9Muskegon CountyMuskegon County: 133.9 inhabitants per km²133.9Livingston CountyLivingston County: 132.5 inhabitants per km²132.5Monroe CountyMonroe County: 108.9 inhabitants per km²108.9Berrien CountyBerrien County: 105 inhabitants per km²105Saginaw CountySaginaw County: 91.5 inhabitants per km²91.5Bay CountyBay County: 90.5 inhabitants per km²90.5Jackson CountyJackson County: 88.1 inhabitants per km²88.1St. Clair CountySt. Clair County: 85.8 inhabitants per km²85.8Grand Traverse CountyGrand Traverse County: 79.4 inhabitants per km²79.4Calhoun CountyCalhoun County: 73.4 inhabitants per km²73.4Eaton CountyEaton County: 73.3 inhabitants per km²73.3Midland CountyMidland County: 62.2 inhabitants per km²62.2Allegan CountyAllegan County: 56.4 inhabitants per km²56.4Clinton CountyClinton County: 53.9 inhabitants per km²53.9Lapeer CountyLapeer County: 52.8 inhabitants per km²52.8Lenawee CountyLenawee County: 51.2 inhabitants per km²51.2Shiawassee CountyShiawassee County: 49.4 inhabitants per km²49.4Van Buren CountyVan Buren County: 48 inhabitants per km²48St. Joseph CountySt. Joseph County: 47 inhabitants per km²47Ionia CountyIonia County: 45.2 inhabitants per km²45.2Barry CountyBarry County: 43.7 inhabitants per km²43.7Isabella CountyIsabella County: 43.5 inhabitants per km²43.5Cass CountyCass County: 40.6 inhabitants per km²40.6Montcalm CountyMontcalm County: 36.5 inhabitants per km²36.5Branch CountyBranch County: 34.2 inhabitants per km²34.2Hillsdale CountyHillsdale County: 29.5 inhabitants per km²29.5Gratiot CountyGratiot County: 28.3 inhabitants per km²28.3Emmet CountyEmmet County: 28.2 inhabitants per km²28.2Mecosta CountyMecosta County: 28.1 inhabitants per km²28.1Tuscola CountyTuscola County: 25.6 inhabitants per km²25.6Leelanau CountyLeelanau County: 24.8 inhabitants per km²24.8
inhabitants per km². Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Full ranking

RankCounties2020
inhabitants per km²
1Wayne County1,129.3
2Macomb County709
3Oakland County566.4
4Kent County299.3
5Genesee County246
6Ottawa County203.4
7Washtenaw County203.3
8Ingham County197.9
9Kalamazoo County179.9
10Muskegon County133.9
11Livingston County132.5
12Monroe County108.9
13Berrien County105
14Saginaw County91.5
15Bay County90.5
16Jackson County88.1
17St. Clair County85.8
18Grand Traverse County79.4
19Calhoun County73.4
20Eaton County73.3
21Midland County62.2
22Allegan County56.4
23Clinton County53.9
24Lapeer County52.8
25Lenawee County51.2
26Shiawassee County49.4
27Van Buren County48
28St. Joseph County47
29Ionia County45.2
30Barry County43.7
31Isabella County43.5
32Cass County40.6
33Montcalm County36.5
34Branch County34.2
35Hillsdale County29.5
36Gratiot County28.3
37Emmet County28.2
38Mecosta County28.1
39Tuscola County25.6
40Leelanau County24.8
41Charlevoix County24.2
42Newaygo County23.1
43Wexford County23
44Mason County22.6
45Benzie County21.7
46Clare County21.1
47Gladwin County19.5
48Alpena County19.5
49Oceana County19.2
50Antrim County19
51Otsego County18.8
52Manistee County17.8
53Iosco County17.7
54Roscommon County17.4
55Sanilac County16.2
56Arenac County15.9
57Osceola County15.6
58Huron County14.5
59Houghton County14.3
60Ogemaw County14.2
61Marquette County14.2
62Cheboygan County13.8
63Dickinson County13.1
64Kalkaska County12.4
65Delta County12.2
66Missaukee County10.3
67Chippewa County9.1
68Crawford County9
69Menominee County8.7
70Lake County8.2
71Presque Isle County7.6
72Montmorency County6.5
73Alcona County5.8
74Oscoda County5.6
75Gogebic County5
76Mackinac County4.1
77Iron County3.9
78Alger County3.7
79Baraga County3.5
80Luce County2.8
81Schoolcraft County2.7
82Ontonagon County1.7
83Keweenaw County1.5

Other periods

About this ranking

Resident population divided by land area in km². World Bank figures use mid-year population and land area excluding inland water.

United States: Census Bureau population estimates for 1 July divided by land area (water excluded) from the latest Census Gazetteer files. US tables often give people per square mile; multiply persons per km² by 2.59 to compare.

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. Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km². https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

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Questions

Which county has the highest population density?

Wayne County, with 1,129.3 inhabitants per km² in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population density?

Keweenaw County, with 1.5 inhabitants per km² 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, Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km². Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Population density: other rankings

Counties in Michigan: more rankings