Population 10,397 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Alcona County
Household size in Alcona County
| Period | Alcona County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.44 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.11 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.05 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.95 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.49 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Alcona County are small: just 1.95 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.44, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only three of Michigan's 83 counties have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Alcona County
| Period | Alcona County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 53.9 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 56.2 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 57.9 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 58.8 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.9 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
Alcona County skews older: half of its residents are older than 58.8, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 53.9 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. No other Michigan county is older.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Alcona County
| Period | Alcona County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.2% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.8% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.1% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Alcona County: 6.6% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is up 1.4 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Few Michigan counties have a lower share of single-parent households: only seven of 83.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Alcona County
Renters in Alcona County
| Period | Alcona County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.4% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.2% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 10.4% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 10.4% of households in Alcona County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 55.6% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged up 0.6 points, as it has nationally. Few Michigan counties have a lower share of renters: only two of 83.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Alcona County
| Period | Alcona County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 53.9% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 50.2% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 49.6% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 43.9% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −9.9 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 43.9% of the housing in Alcona County, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is down 9.9 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Alcona County
| Period | Alcona County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1974 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1973 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1975 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +3 | +6 |
Homes in Alcona County run a bit older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1975 against 1980. That is in line with the rest of Michigan.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Alcona County
| Period | Alcona County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $611 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $625 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $627 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $892 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$281 | +$395 | +$606 |
Rent in Alcona County runs $892 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $281 a month from 2006–10, a 46% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 29.8% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Alcona County
Bachelor's degrees in Alcona County
| Period | Alcona County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.3% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.1% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.6% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.2% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.9 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Alcona County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 21.2%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 8.9 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the southwest.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Alcona County
| Period | Alcona County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 84.3% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.3% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.9% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.6 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Alcona County is above the national rate: 92.9% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of Michigan. The share with a diploma is up 8.6 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Alcona County
| Period | Alcona County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.4% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.8% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.6% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −11.0 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Alcona County than nationally: unemployment was 4.4%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 11.0 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Alcona County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcona County | 1.95 | 58.8 | 6.6% | 10.4% | 43.9% | 1975 | $892 | 21.2% | 92.9% | 4.4% |
| Oscoda County | 2.28 | 51.9 | 8.4% | 12.8% | 49.1% | 1974 | $798 | 15.7% | 85.6% | 8.1% |
| Crawford County | 2.15 | 49.9 | 10.0% | 20.4% | 31.4% | 1979 | $880 | 20.0% | 91.4% | 8.1% |
| Kalkaska County | 2.34 | 44.5 | 10.1% | 11.8% | 28.0% | 1981 | $945 | 18.7% | 90.5% | 4.0% |
| Grand Traverse County | 2.39 | 44.2 | 9.3% | 22.8% | 12.5% | 1986 | $1,335 | 39.6% | 95.5% | 3.6% |
| Benzie County | 2.35 | 50.1 | 6.2% | 12.2% | 30.1% | 1984 | $1,053 | 36.7% | 94.0% | 3.4% |
| Kewaunee County | 2.47 | 45.1 | 7.5% | 13.5% | 9.9% | 1970 | $877 | 22.1% | 94.5% | 1.5% |
| Shawano County | 2.38 | 45.6 | 8.3% | 22.5% | 14.5% | 1975 | $883 | 19.4% | 93.4% | 2.6% |
| Clark County | 2.74 | 36.5 | 7.8% | 21.5% | 11.7% | 1971 | $846 | 12.8% | 81.8% | 3.7% |
| Eau Claire County | 2.35 | 37.2 | 8.0% | 39.0% | 5.4% | 1978 | $1,091 | 36.7% | 95.6% | 2.8% |
| St. Lawrence County | 2.34 | 40.6 | 11.4% | 28.1% | 18.7% | 1967 | $833 | 26.1% | 89.2% | 5.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Culebra Municipio, PR · Adams County, ND · Bowman County, ND · Dewey County, SD · Cook County, MN · McIntosh County, ND · Sioux County, ND · Keweenaw County, MI · Sierra County, CA · Alpine County, CA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Alcona County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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