Population 155,505 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Monroe County: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Monroe County
Household size in Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.62 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.58 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.49 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.51 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.11 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
The average household in Monroe County has 2.51 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.62, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northeast.
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 Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.5 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.4 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.0 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.6 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.1 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Monroe County is 43.6 years old, older than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 39.5, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the west and oldest in the north.
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 Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.9% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.3% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Monroe County (10.3%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. The picture is much the same across Michigan. Compared with other Michigan counties, though, Monroe County has a higher share of single-parent households than most.
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 Monroe County
Renters in Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.3% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 20.8% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.3% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 18.3% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Monroe County is largely a place of homeowners: only 18.3% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. About four in ten owners (39.4%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. The renter share is down 1.0 points from 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 Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.8% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.5% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.7% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Monroe County: 6.7% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Vacancy is down 1.7 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Monroe County has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five Michigan counties.
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 Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1972 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1972 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1972 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1975 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +3 | +6 |
Homes in Monroe County run a bit older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1975 against 1980. Michigan as a whole looks much the same. The median year built has moved up from 1972 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
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 Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $826 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $844 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $890 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,076 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$251 | +$395 | +$606 |
Rent in Monroe County runs $1,076 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $251 a month from 2006–10, a 30% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 32.4% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the east; the highest are in the west.
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 Monroe County
Bachelor's degrees in Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.2% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.3% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.5% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 23.5% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.2 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Monroe County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 23.5%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 6.2 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the west 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 Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.0% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.4% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.8% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Monroe County have finished high school (91.8%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of Michigan. The share with a diploma has risen 3.8 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.0% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.8% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.3 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Monroe County is close to the national rate: 5.1% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is lower than in Michigan overall (5.9%). Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 5.3 points, as it has nationally.
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).
Monroe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County | 2.51 | 43.6 | 10.3% | 18.3% | 6.7% | 1975 | $1,076 | 23.5% | 91.8% | 5.1% |
| Lenawee County | 2.45 | 42.9 | 11.1% | 20.4% | 10.3% | 1966 | $1,014 | 22.8% | 91.3% | 4.6% |
| Hillsdale County | 2.48 | 43.9 | 10.1% | 18.0% | 16.0% | 1967 | $884 | 21.3% | 90.9% | 4.5% |
| Branch County | 2.66 | 41.3 | 11.0% | 22.3% | 16.2% | 1965 | $971 | 16.8% | 88.0% | 5.7% |
| St. Joseph County | 2.59 | 40.0 | 9.5% | 23.9% | 12.0% | 1969 | $867 | 16.6% | 86.5% | 5.8% |
| Cass County | 2.41 | 45.2 | 9.8% | 18.4% | 14.6% | 1971 | $959 | 21.1% | 89.4% | 5.2% |
| Berrien County | 2.41 | 43.3 | 12.2% | 27.2% | 13.1% | 1967 | $1,052 | 30.8% | 92.3% | 6.2% |
| Erie County | 2.37 | 41.5 | 12.7% | 31.9% | 9.7% | 1965 | $991 | 30.4% | 92.7% | 5.5% |
| Warren County | 2.35 | 46.9 | 8.1% | 20.5% | 20.5% | 1958 | $768 | 20.1% | 93.2% | 4.2% |
| Cook County | 2.58 | 39.4 | 12.3% | 42.3% | 8.4% | 1961 | $1,567 | 41.7% | 88.1% | 7.4% |
| DuPage County | 2.69 | 41.3 | 8.0% | 26.9% | 5.6% | 1978 | $1,826 | 52.0% | 92.9% | 4.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Fairfield County, OH · Mesa County, CO · Schenectady County, NY · Santa Fe County, NM · Kaufman County, TX · Johnson County, IA · Penobscot County, ME · Portage County, OH · Houston County, GA · Hampshire County, MA
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 Monroe 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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.