Population 49,473 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in East Lansing
Household size in East Lansing
| Period | East Lansing | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.40 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.48 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.58 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.27 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.14 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
East Lansing is a place of small households, averaging 2.27 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.40, a much bigger shift than nationally. East Lansing has smaller households than at least four in five Michigan cities.
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 East Lansing
| Period | East Lansing | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.5 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 28.3 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 28.6 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 28.5 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.1 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 28.5, East Lansing is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The youngest areas are in the south, the oldest in the northeast. Only two of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people are younger.
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 East Lansing
| Period | East Lansing | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.1% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.0% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.1% of households in East Lansing, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 1.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. East Lansing has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five Michigan cities.
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 East Lansing
Renters in East Lansing
| Period | East Lansing | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 57.2% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 62.5% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 61.8% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 59.7% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in East Lansing: 59.7% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 39.9% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share is up 2.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. No other Michigan city with 5,000+ people has a higher share of renters.
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 East Lansing
| Period | East Lansing | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.7% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.1% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.9% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.7% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.0 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in East Lansing as nationally: 10.7%, against 9.6%. Vacancy is down 4.0 points from 2006–10, as it has 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 East Lansing
| Period | East Lansing | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1969 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1973 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1976 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1980 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +3 | +6 |
The typical home in East Lansing was built around 1980, the same vintage as the country's housing overall. Homes here are newer than in Michigan overall, where the median home dates to 1972. The median year built has moved up from 1969 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the west has the oldest housing.
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 East Lansing
| Period | East Lansing | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $898 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $931 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,015 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,164 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$266 | +$395 | +$606 |
Rent in East Lansing runs $1,164 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $266 a month since 2006–10, up 30%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 40.8% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the east and lowest 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 East Lansing
Bachelor's degrees in East Lansing
| Period | East Lansing | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 61.9% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 65.2% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 60.5% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 62.4% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
East Lansing is highly educated: just over six in ten adults 25 and older (62.4%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the south. Only 17 of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of college graduates.
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 East Lansing
| Period | East Lansing | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.6% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.9% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.9% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.8% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in East Lansing: 97.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 2.2 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only 18 of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of high school graduates.
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 East Lansing
| Period | East Lansing | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in East Lansing is close to the national rate: 5.8% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 0.9 points from 2006–10, a smaller 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).
East Lansing 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Lansing | 2.27 | 28.5 | 6.1% | 59.7% | 10.7% | 1980 | $1,164 | 62.4% | 97.8% | 5.8% |
| Haslett | 2.10 | 42.5 | 6.8% | 38.2% | 5.8% | 1980 | $1,120 | 56.6% | 97.9% | 4.1% |
| Okemos | 2.53 | 35.5 | 6.3% | 35.3% | 9.2% | 1984 | $1,243 | 69.1% | 98.1% | 3.9% |
| Lansing | 2.28 | 36.2 | 13.5% | 43.1% | 8.7% | 1963 | $1,101 | 31.0% | 90.5% | 7.7% |
| Bath | 2.33 | 42.2 | 12.1% | 25.7% | 5.7% | 1986 | $1,397 | 38.2% | 94.7% | 4.7% |
| Holt | 2.43 | 39.8 | 10.5% | 32.9% | 8.2% | 1987 | $1,456 | 40.7% | 94.9% | 5.3% |
| Waverly | 2.10 | 43.7 | 9.0% | 44.5% | 4.3% | 1979 | $1,130 | 43.5% | 93.3% | 5.6% |
| Dewitt | 2.59 | 42.8 | 7.5% | 14.5% | 2.1% | 1989 | $1,279 | 49.6% | 96.3% | 2.5% |
| Shaftsburg | 2.42 | 48.5 | 4.1% | 10.5% | 5.3% | 1980 | $1,046 | 32.8% | 93.5% | 2.3% |
| Williamston | 2.47 | 45.9 | 6.1% | 16.1% | 6.9% | 1980 | $1,039 | 47.5% | 97.6% | 3.9% |
| Dimondale | 2.51 | 46.7 | 7.2% | 5.4% | 5.1% | 1981 | $1,088 | 39.7% | 97.4% | 3.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Azusa, CA · Yorktown, VA · Wheaton, MD · Wayne, NJ · Urbana, IL · Tuckahoe, VA · St. Louis Park, MN · Southaven, MS · Snohomish, WA · Sherman Oaks, 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 East Lansing. 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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