Population 9,786 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Houghton
Household size in Houghton
| Period | Houghton | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.21 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.74 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.47 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.28 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.07 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Houghton are small: just 2.28 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 crept up from 2.21, even as the national average fell.
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
| Period | Houghton | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.1 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 25.0 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 24.0 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 24.2 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.9 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
Houghton is young: half of its residents are under 24.2, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults in their twenties. The median age has edged down from 25.1 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Houghton has the youngest population of any Michigan city with 5,000+ people.
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
| Period | Houghton | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.7% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.7% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.0% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.0% of households in Houghton, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 2.3 points, even as the national share fell. Houghton has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of 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 Houghton
Renters in Houghton
| Period | Houghton | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 60.0% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 53.5% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 60.4% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 58.5% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Houghton: 58.5% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. More than four in ten owners (45.8%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged down 1.5 points, even as the national share rose. Only one 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 Houghton
| Period | Houghton | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.4% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.4% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.3% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.9% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.5 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Houghton: 14.9% of homes are empty, 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. Vacancy is up 3.5 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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
| Period | Houghton | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1965 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1968 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1971 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1976 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +11 | +3 | +6 |
The typical home in Houghton was built around 1976, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in Michigan as a whole, where the median home dates to 1972. The median year built has moved up from 1965 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the center.
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
| Period | Houghton | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $711 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $731 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $822 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,088 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$377 | +$395 | +$606 |
The median renter in Houghton pays $1,088 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $377 a month from 2006–10, a 53% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 43.9% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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
Bachelor's degrees in Houghton
| Period | Houghton | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 53.7% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 51.8% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 52.0% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 65.3% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.7 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Houghton is highly educated: about two-thirds of adults 25 and older (65.3%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 11.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people, only 13 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
| Period | Houghton | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.7% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.1% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.0% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Houghton is above the national rate: 93.0% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of Michigan. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has fallen 2.7 points, even as the national rate rose.
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
| Period | Houghton | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.5% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.5% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Houghton: 9.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people, only 18 have higher unemployment. 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).
Houghton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houghton | 2.28 | 24.2 | 6.0% | 58.5% | 14.9% | 1976 | $1,088 | 65.3% | 93.0% | 9.5% |
| Hancock | 2.44 | 34.7 | 7.5% | 36.2% | 14.1% | 1962 | $977 | 43.6% | 97.0% | 1.2% |
| Dodgeville | 2.41 | 36.0 | 15.0% | 23.9% | 14.3% | 1969 | $1,005 | 41.2% | 97.3% | 4.0% |
| Dollar Bay | 2.50 | 35.1 | 5.6% | 17.9% | 27.2% | 1972 | $873 | 41.7% | 97.6% | 3.1% |
| Atlantic Mine | 2.74 | 37.6 | 8.3% | 16.1% | 16.0% | 1970 | $1,319 | 44.9% | 95.8% | 3.8% |
| South Range | 2.13 | 44.1 | 11.1% | 17.5% | 22.1% | 1942 | $916 | 27.2% | 96.8% | 5.3% |
| Schmidt Corner | 2.94 | 39.2 | 7.5% | 11.8% | 21.4% | 1981 | $1,173 | 42.9% | 96.0% | 3.1% |
| Chassell | 2.14 | 47.3 | 6.5% | 12.3% | 27.6% | 1968 | $862 | 39.1% | 98.7% | 2.9% |
| Senter | 2.38 | 44.8 | 4.6% | 10.5% | 41.1% | 1975 | $955 | 34.4% | 97.0% | 1.1% |
| Trimountain | 2.21 | 39.6 | 13.8% | 12.7% | 23.0% | 1938 | $927 | 29.7% | 96.2% | 5.6% |
| Oskar | 2.89 | 40.3 | 9.3% | 8.7% | 23.5% | 1981 | $1,059 | 37.2% | 95.5% | 2.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Indian Orchard, MA · Hudson, NC · Hughson, CA · Hull, MA · Huntingburg, IN · Huntington, VA · Hyrum, UT · Incline Village, NV · Independence, KS · Indian Harbour Beach, FL
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. 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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