Population 64,565 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Isabella County
Household size in Isabella County
| Period | Isabella County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.55 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.59 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.67 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.44 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.10 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Isabella County run small, averaging 2.44 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.55, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southwest.
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 Isabella County
| Period | Isabella County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.4 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.8 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.0 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.8 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.5 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
Isabella County is young: half of its residents are under 35.8, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 32.4, in line with the national trend. Isabella County has the youngest population of any Michigan county.
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 Isabella County
| Period | Isabella County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.4% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.3% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.2% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Isabella County than nationally: 9.2%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has barely moved since 2006–10, while the national share fell.
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 Isabella County
Renters in Isabella County
| Period | Isabella County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.6% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 40.7% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.9% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 38.2% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Isabella County than nationally: 38.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among owners, 42.7% have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. The renter share is down 2.5 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose. Of Michigan's 83 counties, only two have 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 Isabella County
| Period | Isabella County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.3% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.6% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.1% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.3% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Isabella County: 13.3% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones.
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 Isabella County
| Period | Isabella County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1982 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +3 | +6 |
Homes in Isabella County are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1982, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in Michigan as a whole, where the median home dates to 1972. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the center has the oldest housing. Few Michigan counties have newer homes: only seven of 83.
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 Isabella County
| Period | Isabella County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $658 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $737 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $755 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $955 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$297 | +$395 | +$606 |
Rent in Isabella County runs $955 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $297 a month from 2006–10, a 45% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 28.2% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the northwest; the most affordable are in the southeast.
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 Isabella County
Bachelor's degrees in Isabella County
| Period | Isabella County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.5% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 28.8% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.4% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 34.4% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.9 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Isabella County as nationally: 34.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 7.9 points, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the northeast.
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 Isabella County
| Period | Isabella County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.2% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.5% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.5% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.0% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Isabella County is a bit above the national rate: 92.0% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The picture is much the same across Michigan. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 1.8 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Isabella County
| Period | Isabella County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.8% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.0% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.8% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.2% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.7 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in Isabella County: 6.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 6.7 points from 2006–10, as it has 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).
Isabella 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isabella County | 2.44 | 35.8 | 9.2% | 38.2% | 13.3% | 1982 | $955 | 34.4% | 92.0% | 6.2% |
| Midland County | 2.42 | 42.5 | 7.7% | 21.9% | 6.5% | 1977 | $1,057 | 36.8% | 95.6% | 4.4% |
| Mecosta County | 2.41 | 42.6 | 10.1% | 23.1% | 18.1% | 1979 | $903 | 22.6% | 90.9% | 3.8% |
| Bay County | 2.30 | 45.2 | 10.7% | 23.0% | 8.5% | 1963 | $916 | 22.3% | 91.8% | 4.4% |
| 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% |
| Mower County | 2.59 | 39.3 | 11.4% | 22.4% | 7.5% | 1959 | $953 | 22.3% | 85.4% | 3.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Kauai County, HI · St. Joseph County, MI · St. Francois County, MO · Spalding County, GA · Somerset County, PA · Shiawassee County, MI · Seneca County, OH · Scott County, KY · Scioto County, OH · Sauk County, WI
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 Isabella 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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