Houghton County, MI

County

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2021 Population

37,485

4.44% 1-year growth

US Senator

Debbie Stabenow

Democratic Party

US Senator

Gary Peters

Democratic Party

2021 Median Age

32.8

1.2% 1-year decrease

2021 Poverty Rate

17.2%

9.67% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$48,623

8.44% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$115,300

1.41% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

16,455

8.1% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Houghton County, MI had a population of 37.5k people with a median age of 32.8 and a median household income of $48,623. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Houghton County, MI grew from 35,890 to 37,485, a 4.44% increase and its median household income grew from $44,839 to $48,623, a 8.44% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Houghton County, MI are White (Non-Hispanic) (92%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (2.75%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (1.81%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (0.966%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (0.728%).

None of the households in Houghton County, MI reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

96.7% of the residents in Houghton County, MI are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Houghton County, MI are Michigan Technological University (1,820 degrees awarded in 2021) and Finlandia University (60 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Houghton County, MI was $115,300, and the homeownership rate was 68.7%.

Most people in Houghton County, MI drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 16.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Houghton County, MI was 2 cars per household.

Houghton County, MI borders Baraga County, MI, Iron County, MI, Keweenaw County, MI, Marquette County, MI, and Ontonagon County, MI.

United States Michigan Houghton, MI

Population & Diversity

Houghton County, MI is home to a population of 37.5k people, from which 96.7% are citizens. As of 2021, 5.06% of Houghton County, MI residents were born outside of the country (1.9k people).

In 2021, there were 33.4 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (34.5k people) in Houghton County, MI than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.03k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 678 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.7%

2021 Citizenship

96.4%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 96.7% of Houghton County, MI residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Houghton County, MI was 96.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Houghton County, MI compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Houghton County, MI

White (Non-Hispanic)
34.5k ± 89
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
1.03k ± 95
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
678 ± 149

1.74%

Hispanic Population

654 people

1.74% of the people in Houghton County, MI are hispanic (654 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Houghton County, MI as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Michigan.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
79,412 ± 6,891 people
India
76,245 ± 6,753 people
Iraq
59,562 ± 5,974 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Michigan was Mexico, the natal country of 79,412 Michigan residents, followed by India with 76,245 and Iraq with 59,562.

Foreign-Born Population

5.06%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

1.9k people

5.17%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

1.86k people

As of 2021, 5.06% of Houghton County, MI residents (1.9k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Houghton County, MI was 5.17%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Houghton County, MI compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
765 ± 113
Gulf War (2001-)
349 ± 122
Gulf War (1990s)
243 ± 73

Houghton County, MI has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.19 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Houghton County, MI employs 16.5k people. The largest industries in Houghton County, MI are Educational Services (3,232 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (2,442 people), and Retail Trade (1,952 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($85,000), Wholesale Trade ($56,125), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($53,750).

Males in Michigan have an average income that is 1.36 times higher than the average income of females, which is $53,616. The income inequality in Michigan (measured using the Gini index) is 0.468, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

16.5k

2021 Value

± 751

8.1%

1 Year growth

± 6.06%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Houghton County, MI grew at a rate of 8.1%, from 15.2k employees to 16.5k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Houghton County, MI, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,658 people), Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (1,641 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (1,553 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Houghton County, MI.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Michigan (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

16.5k

2021 Value

± 751

8.1%

1 Year growth

± 6.06%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Houghton County, MI grew at a rate of 8.1%, from 15.2k employees to 16.5k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Houghton County, MI, are Educational Services (3,232 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (2,442 people), and Retail Trade (1,952 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Houghton County, MI, though some of these residents may live in Houghton County, MI and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$32,515

Median earning men ± $3,465

$23,755

Median earning women ± $2,374

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Wholesale Trade ($61,250), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($60,192), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($51,271).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Wholesale Trade ($55,109), Public Administration ($41,000), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($30,846).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Michigan. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Michigan.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

345
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
198
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
180
Manufacturing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$127k
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$122k
Manufacturing
$66.2k
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Michigan to other states, or from other states to Michigan.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Michigan product (by dollars) was Motorized vehicles with $217B, followed by Machinery ($58.2B) and Mixed freight ($51.2B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Michigan products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Michigan.

$667B

2020 Value in Michigan

$1.16T

Projected 2050 Value in Michigan

74% growth

In 2020, total outbound Michigan trade was $667B. This is expected to increase 74% to $1.16T by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Michigan trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Michigan to other states, or from other states to Michigan.

Most Common Trade Partners

Ohio
$37.2B
Indiana
$33.2B
Texas
$31.6B

In 2020, the top outbound Michigan domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Ohio with $37.2B, followed by Indiana with $33.2B and Texas and $31.6B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Michigan shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Houghton County, MI went to Donald J. Trump with 56.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (41.9%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.54%).

Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters are the senators currently representing the state of Michigan. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Michigan is currently represented by 13 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (56.1%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (41.9%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.54%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Houghton County, MI for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Michigan

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Michigan.

Debbie Stabenow

Senator from Michigan

Assumed office on January 3, 2001

Gary Peters

Senator from Michigan

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters are the senators currently representing Michigan.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Michigan over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Michigan

Michigan is currently represented by 13 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Michigan have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Houghton County, MI awarded 1,880 degrees. The student population of Houghton County, MI in 2021 is skewed towards men, with 5,196 male students and 2,236 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Houghton County, MI are White (1,375 and 88.8%), followed by Two or More Races (53 and 3.42%), Unknown (44 and 2.84%), and Asian (30 and 1.94%).

The largest universities in Houghton County, MI by number of degrees awarded are Michigan Technological University (1,820 and 96.8%) and Finlandia University (60 and 3.19%).

The most popular majors in Houghton County, MI are Mechanical Engineering (429 and 22.8%), Electrical & Electronics Engineering (152 and 8.09%), and Chemical Engineering (119 and 6.33%).

The median tuition costs in Houghton County, MI are $23,976 for private four year colleges, and $17,903 and $39,411 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Houghton County, MI, the percentage of applicants admitted was 84.3%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 19.3%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 7,432 (69.9% men and 30.1% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 7,432 students enrolled in Houghton County, MI, 69.9% men and 30.1% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 5,754 records, of which 29.8% were women and 70.2% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Mechanical Engineering
263 degrees awarded
Electrical & Electronics Engineering
113 degrees awarded
Chemical Engineering
103 degrees awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Houghton County, MI was Mechanical Engineering with 263 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Houghton County, MI according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Michigan Technological University
1,820 degrees awarded
Finlandia University
60 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Michigan Technological University with 1,820 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 1,331 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Houghton County, MI, which is 2.42 times more than the 549 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 1,375 degrees mean that there were 25.9 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Two or More Races, with 53 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($23,976) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($600) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,500) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Michigan.

Measure

In 2021, 0.763% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.76% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Michigan.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (2.3M), Some college (1.94M), and Bachelors Degree (1.38M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Houghton County, MI was $115,300 in 2021, which is 0.471 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $113,700 to $115,300, a 1.41% increase. The homeownership rate in Houghton County, MI is 68.7%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Houghton County, MI have an average commute time of 16.5 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Houghton County, MI is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Houghton County, MI is $48,623. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Houghton County, MI was Census Tract 9 with a value of $68,835, followed by Census Tract 5 and Census Tract 10, with respective values of $63,969 and $61,950.

In 2022, 16.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Houghton County, MI. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 1.96%.

Housing

Property

$115,300

Median Property Value 2021

±$8,290

$9,545

Median Property Taxes

±$484

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Houghton County, MI the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Houghton County, MI compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

68.7%

Homeownership

2021

62.8%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 68.7% of the housing units in Houghton County, MI were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 66.7%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Houghton County, MI compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 9
Census Tract 5
Census Tract 10

In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Houghton County, MI was Census Tract 9 with a value of $68,835, followed by Census Tract 5 and Census Tract 10, with respective values of $63,969 and $61,950.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Houghton County, MI colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$48,623

Median Household Income

± $1,943

13.9k

Number of Households

± 614

In 2021, the median household income of the 13.9k households in Houghton County, MI grew to $48,623 from the previous year's value of $44,839.

The following chart displays the households in Houghton County, MI distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Houghton County, MI is from Michigan.

0.468

2021 Wage GINI in Michigan

0.471

2020 Wage GINI in Michigan

In 2021, the income inequality in Michigan was 0.468 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.592% decline from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Michigan was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Michigan in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Michigan across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (69.9%)
Walked (10.4%)
Carpooled (9.62%)

In 2021, 69.9% of workers in Houghton County, MI drove alone to work, followed by those who walked to work (10.4%) and those who carpooled to work (9.62%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

16.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Houghton County, MI have a shorter commute time (16.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 2.04% of the workforce in Houghton County, MI have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Houghton County, MI compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Houghton County, MI distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Houghton County, MI have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2022, 16.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Houghton County, MI. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 1.96%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

17.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Houghton County, MI (5.95k out of 34.6k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 18 - 24, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Males 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Houghton County, MI is White, followed by Asian and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2022, 13.6% of the children was living in poverty in Houghton County, MI. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 7.5%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 156 in Houghton County, MI. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 60.8 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

92.4% of the population of Houghton County, MI has health coverage, with 45.8% on employee plans, 17.2% on Medicaid, 11.9% on Medicare, 15.6% on non-group plans, and 1.9% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Houghton County, MI see 1427 patients per year on average, which represents a 5.43% decrease from the previous year (1509 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1527 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 509 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 52.9% were men and 47.1% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,427 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Houghton County, MI

Primary care physicians in Houghton County, MI see an average of 1,427 patients per year. This represents a 5.43% decrease from the previous year (1,509 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Houghton County, MI in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.3% under 18 years, 29.2% between 18 and 34 years, 31% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 52.9% were men and 47.1% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

7.6%

Uninsured

45.8%

Employer Coverage

17.2%

Medicaid

11.9%

Medicare

15.6%

Non-Group

1.9%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Houghton County, MI grew by 8.97% from 6.98% to 7.6%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Houghton County, MI changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 44.9 in Houghton County, MI.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Houghton County, MI.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 36.1% in Houghton County, MI.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Houghton County, MI.

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