Population 37,693 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Houghton County
Household size in Houghton County
| Period | Houghton County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.36 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.54 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.39 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.03 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Houghton County is a place of small households, averaging 2.39 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has crept up from 2.36 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the west.
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 Houghton County
| Period | Houghton County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.3 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.4 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.1 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
Houghton County is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 36.4, against 40.1 nationally. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the southwest. Few Michigan counties are younger: only two of 83.
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 Houghton County
| Period | Houghton County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.0% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.1% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.1% of households in Houghton County, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 1.0 points, even as the national share fell. Houghton County has a lower 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 Houghton County
Renters in Houghton County
| Period | Houghton County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.0% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 30.9% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.1% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.2% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly three in ten households in Houghton County rent their homes (28.2%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 49.8% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the southwest. The renter share has fallen 1.8 points since 2006–10, 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 Houghton County
| Period | Houghton County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.6% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.2% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 24.0% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.0% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 21.0% of the housing in Houghton 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.
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 Houghton County
| Period | Houghton County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1954 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1955 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1959 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1962 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +3 | +6 |
Houghton County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1962, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the northeast has the oldest housing. Only four of Michigan's 83 counties 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 Houghton County
| Period | Houghton County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $583 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $639 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $724 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $995 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$412 | +$395 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Houghton County costs $995 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $412 a month from 2006–10, a 71% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 34.3% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the west; the most affordable are in the northeast.
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 Houghton County
Bachelor's degrees in Houghton County
| Period | Houghton County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.1% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 33.0% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.6% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 41.4% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.3 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over four in ten adults 25 and older in Houghton County (41.4%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 9.3 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of Michigan's 83 counties, only five 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 Houghton County
| Period | Houghton County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.9% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.1% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.1% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.1% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Houghton County is above the national rate: 94.1% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 3.3 points, 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 Houghton County
| Period | Houghton County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.9% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Houghton County is close to the national rate: 5.9% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.2 points, 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).
Houghton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houghton County | 2.39 | 36.4 | 7.1% | 28.2% | 21.0% | 1962 | $995 | 41.4% | 94.1% | 5.9% |
| Keweenaw County | 1.85 | 54.3 | 7.4% | 9.3% | 43.3% | 1954 | $770 | 38.2% | 95.5% | 2.4% |
| Baraga County | 2.10 | 47.2 | 7.7% | 21.5% | 27.2% | 1971 | $617 | 15.3% | 92.0% | 5.0% |
| Ontonagon County | 1.84 | 58.6 | 4.2% | 12.9% | 37.0% | 1961 | $555 | 18.4% | 94.5% | 5.3% |
| Lake County | 2.21 | 49.4 | 8.0% | 16.5% | 25.2% | 1965 | $1,098 | 25.9% | 94.7% | 2.4% |
| Douglas County | 2.27 | 44.0 | 8.2% | 28.1% | 14.5% | 1966 | $1,021 | 28.7% | 94.4% | 3.0% |
| St. Louis County | 2.26 | 42.6 | 8.4% | 28.8% | 12.8% | 1962 | $1,197 | 34.2% | 95.0% | 4.9% |
| Carlton County | 2.40 | 41.1 | 10.2% | 20.0% | 10.5% | 1974 | $1,034 | 27.2% | 93.6% | 5.1% |
| Itasca County | 2.40 | 47.9 | 8.0% | 17.0% | 22.8% | 1978 | $1,007 | 26.0% | 95.0% | 5.6% |
| Cass County | 2.44 | 48.2 | 8.9% | 13.8% | 38.9% | 1990 | $976 | 25.7% | 94.0% | 6.9% |
| Beltrami County | 2.53 | 37.1 | 14.6% | 29.9% | 15.3% | 1986 | $1,028 | 30.7% | 92.2% | 4.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Jefferson County, IN · Lake County, MT · Lafayette County, MO · Knox County, KY · Kleberg County, TX · Kandiyohi County, MN · Juneau City and Borough, AK · Juana Diaz Municipio, PR · Jennings County, IN · Jefferson Davis Parish, LA
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 Houghton 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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