Population 738 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in South Branch
Household size in South Branch
| Period | South Branch | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.37 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.95 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.96 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.93 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.44 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
South Branch is a place of small households, averaging 1.93 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.37 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 South Branch
| Period | South Branch | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.1 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 52.9 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 60.0 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 60.3 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +10.2 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 60.3, South Branch is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees.
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 South Branch
| Period | South Branch | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.6% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.3% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.4% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.8% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in twelve households in South Branch (8.8%), below the national share of 11.6%.
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 South Branch
Renters in South Branch
| Period | South Branch | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.9% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.2% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.8% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 12.0% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 12.0% of households in South Branch rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About two-thirds of owners (65.0%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%.
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 South Branch
| Period | South Branch | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 62.0% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 62.5% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 63.9% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 57.9% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.1 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 57.9% of the housing in South Branch, 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.
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 South Branch
| Period | South Branch | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1971 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1966 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1974 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +3 | +6 |
Housing in South Branch leans a little older: the median home dates to 1974, against 1980 nationally. That is in line with the rest of Michigan.
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 South Branch
| Period | South Branch | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $750 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $578 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $704 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $825 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$76 | +$395 | +$606 |
Rent in South Branch runs $825 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent takes 35.0% of the typical renter's income, 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 South Branch
Bachelor's degrees in South Branch
| Period | South Branch | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.6% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.4% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.0% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.3 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in South Branch: 14.0% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
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 South Branch
| Period | South Branch | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.7% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 85.0% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 81.0% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.4% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.8 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in South Branch have finished high school as nationally: 89.4%, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in Michigan overall (91.8%).
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 South Branch
| Period | South Branch | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.9% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 19.9% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.1% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.1% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −9.8 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs high in South Branch: 7.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. 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).
South Branch 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Branch | 1.93 | 60.3 | 8.8% | 12.0% | 57.9% | 1974 | $825 | 14.0% | 89.4% | 7.1% |
| Long Lake | 2.06 | 56.6 | 4.9% | 9.2% | 58.3% | 1971 | $817 | 15.3% | 85.5% | 5.5% |
| Hale | 2.12 | 54.8 | 4.3% | 11.0% | 48.5% | 1973 | $834 | 16.6% | 85.5% | 4.9% |
| Glennie | 1.80 | 60.1 | 7.1% | 16.7% | 58.7% | 1974 | $910 | 11.0% | 85.8% | 5.2% |
| Lupton | 2.00 | 59.5 | 4.9% | 8.2% | 51.3% | 1975 | $865 | 17.9% | 90.1% | 5.6% |
| Kurtz | 1.81 | 63.2 | 5.5% | 16.5% | 63.0% | 1975 | $849 | 8.0% | 84.2% | 3.1% |
| McKinley | 1.91 | 56.4 | 7.5% | 16.8% | 56.4% | 1971 | $733 | 16.6% | 87.6% | 7.9% |
| Rose City | 2.23 | 54.1 | 8.6% | 16.6% | 42.2% | 1974 | $762 | 17.7% | 87.6% | 8.3% |
| National City | 2.34 | 55.7 | 7.6% | 7.8% | 50.6% | 1974 | $727 | 18.5% | 89.3% | 7.3% |
| Curran | 1.89 | 57.5 | 4.9% | 7.9% | 61.8% | 1976 | $938 | 14.5% | 94.2% | 4.8% |
| Selkirk | 2.03 | 51.4 | 4.4% | 10.4% | 32.6% | 1977 | $554 | 15.5% | 92.5% | 2.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Mayhill, NM · Roxbury, VT · Rowena, TX · Meyers Lake, OH · Mettawa, IL · Merritt, NC · Meadow Vale, KY · Alliance, NC · McElhany, MO · Rule, 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 South Branch. 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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