Data / Rankings / Population density / Counties in Michigan

Counties in Michigan by population density

Wayne County had the highest population density of 83 counties in 2021, at 1,120.4 inhabitants per km². Keweenaw County had the lowest, at 1.5 inhabitants per km². The median was 23.2 inhabitants per km² and the figure for Michigan was 68.5 inhabitants per km². Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest1,120.4Wayne County
Lowest1.5Keweenaw County
Median23.283 counties
Michigan68.5History

Top 40 counties, 2021

CSVChart (SVG)

Wayne CountyWayne County: 1,120.4 inhabitants per km²1,120.4Macomb CountyMacomb County: 707.1 inhabitants per km²707.1Oakland CountyOakland County: 566.7 inhabitants per km²566.7Kent CountyKent County: 299.5 inhabitants per km²299.5Genesee CountyGenesee County: 245.3 inhabitants per km²245.3Ottawa CountyOttawa County: 204.4 inhabitants per km²204.4Washtenaw CountyWashtenaw County: 199.6 inhabitants per km²199.6Ingham CountyIngham County: 188.7 inhabitants per km²188.7Kalamazoo CountyKalamazoo County: 179 inhabitants per km²179Muskegon CountyMuskegon County: 134.5 inhabitants per km²134.5Livingston CountyLivingston County: 133.4 inhabitants per km²133.4Monroe CountyMonroe County: 109.4 inhabitants per km²109.4Berrien CountyBerrien County: 104.4 inhabitants per km²104.4Saginaw CountySaginaw County: 91.4 inhabitants per km²91.4Bay CountyBay County: 90 inhabitants per km²90Jackson CountyJackson County: 88.1 inhabitants per km²88.1St. Clair CountySt. Clair County: 85.8 inhabitants per km²85.8Grand Traverse CountyGrand Traverse County: 79.8 inhabitants per km²79.8Calhoun CountyCalhoun County: 73.2 inhabitants per km²73.2Eaton CountyEaton County: 73.1 inhabitants per km²73.1Midland CountyMidland County: 62.2 inhabitants per km²62.2Allegan CountyAllegan County: 56.6 inhabitants per km²56.6Clinton CountyClinton County: 54.1 inhabitants per km²54.1Lapeer CountyLapeer County: 52.9 inhabitants per km²52.9Lenawee CountyLenawee County: 51.1 inhabitants per km²51.1Shiawassee CountyShiawassee County: 49.4 inhabitants per km²49.4Van Buren CountyVan Buren County: 48.1 inhabitants per km²48.1St. Joseph CountySt. Joseph County: 46.9 inhabitants per km²46.9Ionia CountyIonia County: 45.2 inhabitants per km²45.2Barry CountyBarry County: 44.1 inhabitants per km²44.1Isabella CountyIsabella County: 43.3 inhabitants per km²43.3Cass CountyCass County: 40.6 inhabitants per km²40.6Montcalm CountyMontcalm County: 36.9 inhabitants per km²36.9Branch CountyBranch County: 34.5 inhabitants per km²34.5Hillsdale CountyHillsdale County: 29.5 inhabitants per km²29.5Emmet CountyEmmet County: 28.3 inhabitants per km²28.3Mecosta CountyMecosta County: 28.3 inhabitants per km²28.3Gratiot CountyGratiot County: 28 inhabitants per km²28Tuscola CountyTuscola County: 25.5 inhabitants per km²25.5Leelanau CountyLeelanau County: 25.2 inhabitants per km²25.2
inhabitants per km². Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021
inhabitants per km²		Change on 2020
1Wayne County1,120.4-0.8%
2Macomb County707.1-0.3%
3Oakland County566.70%
4Kent County299.5+0.1%
5Genesee County245.3-0.3%
6Ottawa County204.4+0.5%
7Washtenaw County199.6-1.8%
8Ingham County188.7-4.7%
9Kalamazoo County179-0.5%
10Muskegon County134.5+0.5%
11Livingston County133.4+0.7%
12Monroe County109.4+0.4%
13Berrien County104.4-0.5%
14Saginaw County91.4-0.2%
15Bay County90-0.6%
16Jackson County88.1-0%
17St. Clair County85.8-0.1%
18Grand Traverse County79.8+0.6%
19Calhoun County73.2-0.2%
20Eaton County73.1-0.3%
21Midland County62.20%
22Allegan County56.6+0.3%
23Clinton County54.1+0.4%
24Lapeer County52.9+0.1%
25Lenawee County51.1-0.2%
26Shiawassee County49.40%
27Van Buren County48.1+0.2%
28St. Joseph County46.9-0.1%
29Ionia County45.2-0%
30Barry County44.1+0.9%
31Isabella County43.3-0.4%
32Cass County40.6-0%
33Montcalm County36.9+1.1%
34Branch County34.5+0.7%
35Hillsdale County29.5-0.2%
36Emmet County28.3+0.6%
37Mecosta County28.3+0.6%
38Gratiot County28-0.9%
39Tuscola County25.5-0.5%
40Leelanau County25.2+1.4%
41Charlevoix County24.3+0.6%
42Newaygo County23.2+0.6%
43Wexford County23.2+0.6%
44Mason County22.9+1.1%
45Benzie County22+1.4%
46Clare County21.3+1%
47Gladwin County19.6+0.4%
48Alpena County19.5+0.2%
49Antrim County19.4+1.8%
50Oceana County19.3+0.6%
51Otsego County19+0.8%
52Manistee County18+1.1%
53Iosco County17.8+0.7%
54Roscommon County17.6+0.8%
55Sanilac County16.3+0.1%
56Arenac County16+0.1%
57Osceola County15.8+1.3%
58Huron County14.5-0.1%
59Houghton County14.4+0.8%
60Ogemaw County14.20%
61Marquette County14.2-0.3%
62Cheboygan County13.9+0.6%
63Dickinson County13.1-0.3%
64Kalkaska County12.4+0.4%
65Delta County12.1-0.1%
66Missaukee County10.4+0.7%
67Crawford County9.2+2.3%
68Chippewa County8.9-2.6%
69Menominee County8.6-0.5%
70Lake County8.3+1.5%
71Presque Isle County7.7+1.4%
72Montmorency County6.6+1.5%
73Alcona County5.9+1%
74Oscoda County5.7+1%
75Gogebic County5+0.2%
76Mackinac County4.1+0.9%
77Iron County3.8-0.1%
78Alger County3.7-0.8%
79Baraga County3.5+1.1%
80Schoolcraft County2.6-0.2%
81Luce County2.6-6.7%
82Ontonagon County1.7+1.2%
83Keweenaw County1.5+2.3%

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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Rank Counties in Michigan by population density using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest population density?

Wayne County, with 1,120.4 inhabitants per km² in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population density?

Keweenaw County, with 1.5 inhabitants per km² 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, 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