Population 19,658 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Ionia
Household size in Ionia
| Period | Ionia | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.49 | 2.69 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.63 | 2.70 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.52 | 2.69 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.59 | 2.66 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.10 | −0.03 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
At 2.59 people per household, Ionia sits close to the national average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.49, 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 Ionia
| Period | Ionia | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.6 | 36.0 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.0 | 37.2 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.9 | 37.9 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.3 | 38.3 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.7 | +2.3 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Ionia are younger than 41.3 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is older than in the Grand Rapids area as a whole, where the median age is 38.3. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 35.6, 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 Ionia
| Period | Ionia | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.4% | 11.0% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.5% | 10.9% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.7% | 10.5% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.5% | 9.7% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Ionia (12.5%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in the Grand Rapids area as a whole (9.7%). Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 1.8 points, 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 Ionia
Renters in Ionia
| Period | Ionia | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.3% | 24.7% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.0% | 26.9% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.7% | 26.6% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 30.3% | 25.4% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.0 pts | +0.7 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
About three in ten households in Ionia rent their homes (30.3%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Still, renters make up a bigger share here than in the Grand Rapids area overall (25.4%). More than a third of owners (36.4%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 3.0 points, mirroring the country.
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 Ionia
| Period | Ionia | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.0% | 9.6% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 8.8% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.6% | 7.1% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.9% | 6.6% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | −3.0 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Ionia: 5.9% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. That is in line with the rest of the Grand Rapids area. Vacancy has fallen 3.0 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 Ionia
| Period | Ionia | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1965 | 1974 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1964 | 1974 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1966 | 1976 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1962 | 1978 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | −3 | +5 | +3 | +6 |
The housing in Ionia is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1962, 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 south, while the center has the oldest housing. Ionia has older homes than at least four in five Michigan cities.
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 Ionia
| Period | Ionia | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $634 | $800 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $659 | $848 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $794 | $950 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $876 | $1,285 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$242 | +$485 | +$395 | +$606 |
The median renter in Ionia pays $876 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $242 a month since 2006–10, up 38%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 29.1% 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 northeast; the highest are in the south.
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 Ionia
Bachelor's degrees in Ionia
| Period | Ionia | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.0% | 27.1% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.0% | 29.1% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.7% | 31.9% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.1% | 36.9% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +9.8 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Ionia: 12.1% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 2.1 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people, only eight have a lower 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 Ionia
| Period | Ionia | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.7% | 88.5% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.6% | 89.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.7% | 91.0% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.5% | 92.2% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.8 pts | +3.7 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Ionia never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.5% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 2.8 points, mirroring the country. Of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people, only 15 have a lower 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 Ionia
| Period | Ionia | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.7% | 9.2% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 16.4% | 9.0% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.8% | 4.2% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 3.9% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −7.5 pts | −5.3 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Ionia runs below the national rate: 4.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 7.5 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).
Ionia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ionia | 2.59 | 41.3 | 12.5% | 30.3% | 5.9% | 1962 | $876 | 12.1% | 85.5% | 4.2% |
| Smyrna | 2.57 | 38.1 | 16.6% | 34.8% | 4.4% | 1991 | $1,380 | 14.8% | 94.2% | 3.7% |
| Tremaine Corners | 2.69 | 38.2 | 13.2% | 31.5% | 3.9% | 1987 | $1,357 | 18.4% | 95.0% | 2.7% |
| Orleans | 2.68 | 41.6 | 11.9% | 20.9% | 11.6% | 1979 | $853 | 11.5% | 88.7% | 1.6% |
| Lyons | 2.71 | 40.9 | 10.6% | 19.3% | 9.1% | 1970 | $1,008 | 21.4% | 91.2% | 8.1% |
| Muir | 2.90 | 42.0 | 11.1% | 24.5% | 3.1% | 1974 | $711 | 6.3% | 91.5% | 3.8% |
| Saranac | 2.81 | 38.6 | 9.0% | 18.6% | 2.9% | 1981 | $841 | 25.5% | 95.2% | 4.5% |
| Shiloh | 2.61 | 40.6 | 10.3% | 24.7% | 10.9% | 1985 | $873 | 15.0% | 89.1% | 1.5% |
| Palo | 3.01 | 39.0 | 10.2% | 14.5% | 7.3% | 1974 | $845 | 13.1% | 89.6% | 4.1% |
| West Sebewa | 3.10 | 35.0 | 7.7% | 15.8% | 7.0% | 1971 | $1,212 | 16.7% | 94.6% | 3.5% |
| Belding | 2.63 | 41.7 | 14.8% | 24.9% | 10.8% | 1963 | $864 | 16.9% | 90.2% | 3.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: East Hemet, CA · Fort Bragg, NC · Valencia West, AZ · Walled Lake, MI · Warrington, PA · Florida Ridge, FL · Florida City, FL · Floral Park, NY · West Pensacola, FL · East Providence, RI
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 Ionia. 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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