Population 63,409 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Barry County
Household size in Barry County
| Period | Barry County | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.64 | 2.69 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.60 | 2.70 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.49 | 2.69 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.64 | 2.66 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | −0.03 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Barry County average 2.64 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Households are largest in the southeast and smallest in the southwest. Few Michigan counties have larger households: only six of 83.
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 Barry County
| Period | Barry County | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.2 | 36.0 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.2 | 37.2 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.7 | 37.9 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.3 | 38.3 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.0 | +2.3 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
Barry County skews older than the country: its median age is 43.3, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 40.2 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the oldest in the southwest.
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 Barry County
| Period | Barry County | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.0% | 11.0% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.2% | 10.9% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.2% | 10.5% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.4% | 9.7% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.4% of households in Barry County, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 1.6 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Barry County
Renters in Barry County
| Period | Barry County | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.5% | 24.7% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.1% | 26.9% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.5% | 26.6% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 12.7% | 25.4% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | +0.7 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 12.7% of households in Barry County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Nearly four in ten owners (37.9%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 2.8 points, even as the national share rose.
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 Barry County
| Period | Barry County | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.6% | 9.6% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.9% | 8.8% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.7% | 7.1% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.2% | 6.6% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −3.0 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in Barry County than nationally: 11.2%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has fallen 2.5 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Barry County
| Period | Barry County | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1974 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1972 | 1974 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1976 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1976 | 1978 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +5 | +3 | +6 |
Homes in Barry County are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1976, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1973 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the east.
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 Barry County
| Period | Barry County | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $709 | $800 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $779 | $848 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $890 | $950 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,007 | $1,285 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$299 | +$485 | +$395 | +$606 |
Rent in Barry County runs $1,007 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $299 a month from 2006–10, a 42% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 28.8% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the north; the highest are in the southwest.
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 Barry County
Bachelor's degrees in Barry County
| Period | Barry County | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.7% | 27.1% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.6% | 29.1% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.4% | 31.9% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.6% | 36.9% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.9 pts | +9.8 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Barry County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 24.6%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 7.9 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the southeast.
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 Barry County
| Period | Barry County | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.8% | 88.5% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.5% | 89.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.9% | 91.0% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.2% | 92.2% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | +3.7 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Barry County is above the national rate: 93.2% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. The picture is much the same across the Grand Rapids area. The share with a diploma has risen 2.5 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Barry County
| Period | Barry County | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.1% | 9.2% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 9.0% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.5% | 4.2% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 3.9% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.2 pts | −5.3 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Barry County than nationally: unemployment was 4.0%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 5.2 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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).
Barry 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barry County | 2.64 | 43.3 | 7.4% | 12.7% | 11.2% | 1976 | $1,007 | 24.6% | 93.2% | 4.0% |
| Allegan County | 2.69 | 41.5 | 9.7% | 12.6% | 12.1% | 1980 | $1,163 | 27.0% | 92.5% | 2.9% |
| Eaton County | 2.40 | 42.5 | 8.5% | 25.8% | 5.4% | 1976 | $1,100 | 30.3% | 93.9% | 4.4% |
| Ingham County | 2.34 | 36.4 | 10.1% | 40.5% | 8.2% | 1972 | $1,146 | 43.5% | 93.9% | 6.3% |
| Livingston County | 2.61 | 44.0 | 6.5% | 13.1% | 5.6% | 1989 | $1,365 | 39.9% | 96.3% | 3.4% |
| Oakland County | 2.50 | 42.5 | 8.1% | 27.3% | 6.7% | 1976 | $1,616 | 51.3% | 95.1% | 4.8% |
| Macomb County | 2.53 | 41.8 | 10.3% | 25.0% | 5.1% | 1977 | $1,335 | 27.5% | 90.6% | 5.8% |
| Kenosha County | 2.46 | 40.4 | 12.3% | 33.3% | 8.0% | 1976 | $1,290 | 31.4% | 91.9% | 4.5% |
| Racine County | 2.46 | 42.0 | 13.2% | 29.0% | 7.6% | 1969 | $1,184 | 28.1% | 92.3% | 4.6% |
| Walworth County | 2.41 | 42.7 | 9.0% | 29.4% | 16.6% | 1977 | $1,218 | 32.5% | 92.8% | 2.9% |
| Rock County | 2.45 | 40.7 | 11.6% | 28.8% | 6.3% | 1970 | $1,094 | 25.9% | 92.4% | 3.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Windsor County, VT · Washington County, VT · Elko County, NV · Mason County, WA · Lincoln County, MO · Liberty County, GA · Lake County, CA · Klamath County, OR · Hancock County, ME · Gila County, AZ
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 Barry 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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