Population 1,521 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Bark River
Household size in Bark River
| Period | Bark River | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.42 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.59 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.24 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.36 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.06 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Bark River are small: just 2.36 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.
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 Bark River
| Period | Bark River | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.8 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.2 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.0 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 51.1 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +6.2 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 51.1, Bark River is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 44.8, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Bark River
| Period | Bark River | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.7% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.5% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 4.5% of households in Bark River, well below the national share of 11.6%.
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 Bark River
Renters in Bark River
| Period | Bark River | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.2% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 9.6% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Bark River is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 9.6% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. About half of owners (50.7%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%.
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 Bark River
| Period | Bark River | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.5% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.6% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 19.2% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.4% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 19.4% of the housing in Bark River, 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.
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 Bark River
| Period | Bark River | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1972 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1975 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1975 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1975 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +3 | +6 |
Housing in Bark River leans a little older: the median home dates to 1975, against 1980 nationally. Michigan as a whole looks much the same.
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 Bark River
| Period | Bark River | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $539 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $540 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $608 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $783 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$244 | +$395 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Bark River costs $783 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 31.8% of the typical renter's income, just over 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 Bark River
Bachelor's degrees in Bark River
| Period | Bark River | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.8% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.6% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.9% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 23.1% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.4 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Bark River: 23.1% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
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 Bark River
| Period | Bark River | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.2% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.7% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.0% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Bark River: 96.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
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 Bark River
| Period | Bark River | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.0% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Bark River is close to the national rate: 5.0% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is lower than in Michigan overall (5.9%). Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Bark River compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bark River | 2.36 | 51.1 | 4.5% | 9.6% | 19.4% | 1975 | $783 | 23.1% | 96.0% | 5.0% |
| Tesch | 2.52 | 46.8 | 5.3% | 8.0% | 20.6% | 1970 | $622 | 18.5% | 93.6% | 3.9% |
| Harris | 2.63 | 46.5 | 9.6% | 20.0% | 33.3% | 1986 | $581 | 18.4% | 90.7% | 7.4% |
| Schaffer | 2.55 | 48.1 | 4.6% | 5.3% | 29.9% | 1976 | $549 | 16.6% | 93.5% | 4.4% |
| Island View | 2.25 | 53.1 | 4.2% | 11.4% | 14.1% | 1976 | $941 | 26.9% | 98.0% | 5.7% |
| Ford River | 2.21 | 57.5 | 3.1% | 11.6% | 20.8% | 1979 | $795 | 24.8% | 96.7% | 6.2% |
| Riverland | 2.37 | 52.5 | 4.0% | 3.9% | 24.7% | 1977 | $576 | 16.9% | 92.9% | 2.7% |
| Wilson | 2.63 | 47.0 | 9.7% | 15.1% | 31.1% | 1985 | $617 | 15.4% | 89.8% | 5.7% |
| Whitney | 2.48 | 52.1 | 3.0% | 4.3% | 38.3% | 1985 | $536 | 19.0% | 94.2% | 5.8% |
| Escanaba | 2.19 | 46.1 | 7.7% | 30.4% | 11.9% | 1958 | $734 | 18.7% | 91.3% | 4.7% |
| Wells | 2.59 | 43.7 | 6.7% | 8.5% | 9.5% | 1971 | $916 | 20.6% | 95.4% | 2.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Villisca, IA · Richfield Center, MI · Subiaco, AR · St. Bonaventure, NY · South Dayton, NY · East Nassau, NY · Krotz Springs, LA · Elgin, MN · Julian, PA · Smock, PA
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 Bark River. 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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