Population 188,665 · 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 Saginaw County: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Saginaw County
Household size in Saginaw County
| Period | Saginaw County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.59 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.50 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.36 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.40 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.19 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Saginaw County are small: just 2.40 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 dropped from 2.59, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Saginaw County
| Period | Saginaw County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.6 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.4 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.2 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.6 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
Saginaw County skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.2, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 39.6 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the north and oldest in the southwest.
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 Saginaw County
| Period | Saginaw County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.6% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.5% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.6% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.9% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Saginaw County (12.9%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. Few Michigan counties have a higher share of single-parent households: only three of 83.
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 Saginaw County
Renters in Saginaw County
| Period | Saginaw County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.5% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.2% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.7% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.9% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Saginaw County own their homes; 25.9% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 49.7% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southwest.
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 Saginaw County
| Period | Saginaw County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.7% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.6% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.1% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.1% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Saginaw County is close to the national rate: 10.1% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Vacancy is down 1.7 points from 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 Saginaw County
| Period | Saginaw County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1966 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1966 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1966 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1969 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +3 | +6 |
The housing in Saginaw County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1969, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1966 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the center has the oldest housing.
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 Saginaw County
| Period | Saginaw County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $702 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $756 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $819 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,004 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$302 | +$395 | +$606 |
Rent in Saginaw County runs $1,004 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $302 a month from 2006–10, a 43% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 32.0% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the northwest; the most affordable are in the southwest.
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 Saginaw County
Bachelor's degrees in Saginaw County
| Period | Saginaw County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.6% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.6% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.2% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.3% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.7 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Saginaw County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 24.3%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 5.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the east.
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 Saginaw County
| Period | Saginaw County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.1% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.1% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.6% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.7% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Saginaw County is a bit above the national rate: 91.7% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The picture is much the same across Michigan. The share with a diploma is up 4.6 points from 2006–10, 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 Saginaw County
| Period | Saginaw County | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.7% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.3% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.2% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.7% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.0 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in Saginaw County than nationally: unemployment was 6.7%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 6.0 points, 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).
Saginaw 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saginaw County | 2.40 | 42.2 | 12.9% | 25.9% | 10.1% | 1969 | $1,004 | 24.3% | 91.7% | 6.7% |
| Tuscola County | 2.46 | 45.7 | 8.3% | 13.6% | 10.6% | 1968 | $920 | 16.6% | 92.7% | 6.0% |
| Gratiot County | 2.45 | 40.2 | 11.6% | 21.1% | 8.4% | 1966 | $891 | 20.3% | 92.6% | 4.1% |
| Montcalm County | 2.77 | 40.6 | 9.2% | 16.9% | 11.5% | 1977 | $909 | 15.7% | 88.2% | 4.8% |
| Sanilac County | 2.32 | 44.9 | 9.7% | 17.4% | 14.1% | 1971 | $803 | 16.2% | 90.1% | 5.9% |
| Newaygo County | 2.58 | 42.8 | 10.1% | 13.5% | 18.4% | 1978 | $929 | 17.7% | 89.3% | 4.4% |
| Muskegon County | 2.56 | 40.8 | 15.4% | 21.9% | 10.5% | 1969 | $1,093 | 21.1% | 92.1% | 7.2% |
| Ozaukee County | 2.43 | 44.5 | 7.1% | 27.1% | 5.2% | 1978 | $1,567 | 51.4% | 97.8% | 2.7% |
| Washington County | 2.44 | 44.6 | 7.8% | 21.9% | 4.7% | 1984 | $1,278 | 35.4% | 95.8% | 2.6% |
| Dodge County | 2.39 | 43.6 | 8.4% | 28.7% | 7.5% | 1969 | $1,009 | 20.3% | 92.8% | 3.4% |
| Columbia County | 2.36 | 43.6 | 9.5% | 23.3% | 9.8% | 1975 | $1,019 | 25.9% | 94.0% | 3.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Deschutes County, OR · Sangamon County, IL · Racine County, WI · Sumner County, TN · Minnehaha County, SD · Broome County, NY · Hernando County, FL · Livingston County, MI · Butler County, PA · Ellis County, TX
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 Saginaw 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.