Population 103,008 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Bay County
Household size in Bay County
| Period | Bay County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.43 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.44 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.34 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.30 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.12 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Bay County are small: just 2.30 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 2.43, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Bay County
| Period | Bay County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.3 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.3 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.2 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.2 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.9 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
Bay County skews older: half of its residents are older than 45.2, 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 41.3 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Bay County
| Period | Bay County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.7% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.2% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.0% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.7% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in ten households in Bay County (10.7%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Bay County has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Michigan counties.
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 Bay County
Renters in Bay County
| Period | Bay County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.2% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.9% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.2% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 23.0% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.8 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Bay County is largely a place of homeowners: only 23.0% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 48.5% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 2.8 points, as it has nationally.
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 Bay County
| Period | Bay County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.0% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.5% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Bay County as nationally: 8.5%, against 9.6%. The rate is lower than in Michigan as a whole (10.2%).
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 Bay County
| Period | Bay County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1961 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1962 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1962 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1963 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +3 | +6 |
The housing in Bay County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1963, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the center has the oldest housing. Of Michigan's 83 counties, only seven have older homes.
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 Bay County
| Period | Bay County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $654 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $717 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $757 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $916 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$262 | +$395 | +$606 |
The median renter in Bay County pays $916 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $262 a month since 2006–10, up 40%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 28.9% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the south; the highest are in the west.
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 Bay County
Bachelor's degrees in Bay County
| Period | Bay County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.1% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.4% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.3% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.3% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Bay County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 22.3%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 4.1 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Bay County
| Period | Bay County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.3% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.0% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.4% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.8% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Bay County have finished high school (91.8%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The picture is much the same across Michigan. The share with a diploma has risen 4.5 points since 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 Bay County
| Period | Bay County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.5% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.6% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.1 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Bay County than nationally: unemployment was 4.4%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 5.1 points since 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).
Bay 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay County | 2.30 | 45.2 | 10.7% | 23.0% | 8.5% | 1963 | $916 | 22.3% | 91.8% | 4.4% |
| Midland County | 2.42 | 42.5 | 7.7% | 21.9% | 6.5% | 1977 | $1,057 | 36.8% | 95.6% | 4.4% |
| Isabella County | 2.44 | 35.8 | 9.2% | 38.2% | 13.3% | 1982 | $955 | 34.4% | 92.0% | 6.2% |
| Mecosta County | 2.41 | 42.6 | 10.1% | 23.1% | 18.1% | 1979 | $903 | 22.6% | 90.9% | 3.8% |
| Oceana County | 2.55 | 44.5 | 10.8% | 15.5% | 24.8% | 1975 | $827 | 20.6% | 90.2% | 6.4% |
| Sheboygan County | 2.36 | 42.4 | 8.6% | 28.5% | 6.6% | 1968 | $1,009 | 27.5% | 93.4% | 2.8% |
| Fond du Lac County | 2.37 | 42.1 | 8.0% | 29.3% | 6.8% | 1969 | $975 | 22.4% | 92.9% | 3.2% |
| Vernon County | 2.55 | 41.2 | 6.4% | 19.7% | 11.7% | 1975 | $844 | 24.6% | 89.3% | 2.3% |
| Houston County | 2.28 | 45.7 | 7.6% | 16.6% | 7.4% | 1969 | $868 | 30.2% | 95.4% | 1.7% |
| Fillmore County | 2.44 | 43.5 | 6.6% | 17.4% | 9.8% | 1966 | $846 | 24.1% | 93.2% | 2.7% |
| Lewis County | 2.39 | 42.2 | 9.1% | 19.8% | 22.1% | 1968 | $929 | 18.4% | 92.1% | 5.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Yamhill County, OR · Kankakee County, IL · Madison County, MS · Craven County, NC · Cowlitz County, WA · Cecil County, MD · Cape May County, NJ · Burleigh County, ND · Benton County, OR · Wicomico County, MD
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 Bay 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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