Population 160,221 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in St. Clair County
Household size in St. Clair County
| Period | St. Clair County | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.57 | 2.63 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.52 | 2.63 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.46 | 2.58 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.38 | 2.57 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.20 | −0.07 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
St. Clair County is a place of small households, averaging 2.38 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 2.57 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the center.
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 St. Clair County
| Period | St. Clair County | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.3 | 39.0 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.0 | 40.1 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.4 | 40.9 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.6 | 41.0 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.3 | +2.1 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
St. Clair County skews older: half of its residents are older than 44.6, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 40.3 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 St. Clair County
| Period | St. Clair County | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.2% | 12.1% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.2% | 12.3% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.3% | 11.3% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.4% | 11.2% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in St. Clair County (10.4%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. The Detroit area as a whole looks much the same. Compared with other Michigan counties, though, St. Clair 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 St. Clair County
Renters in St. Clair County
| Period | St. Clair County | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.1% | 26.7% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.5% | 30.2% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.7% | 31.0% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 19.2% | 28.8% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
St. Clair County is largely a place of homeowners: only 19.2% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 42.9% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 1.9 points, 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 St. Clair County
| Period | St. Clair County | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.7% | 11.3% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.1% | 11.2% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.5% | 10.0% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.5% | 8.3% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | −3.1 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in St. Clair County than nationally: 6.5%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Vacancy is down 3.3 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only six of Michigan's 83 counties have a lower vacancy rate.
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 St. Clair County
| Period | St. Clair County | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1972 | 1968 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1972 | 1969 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1969 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1975 | 1970 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +2 | +3 | +6 |
Homes in St. Clair County run a bit older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1975 against 1980. Still, homes here are newer than in the wider Detroit area, where the median home dates to 1970. The median year built has moved up from 1972 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the east.
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 St. Clair County
| Period | St. Clair County | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $759 | $952 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $811 | $1,005 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $887 | $1,123 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,066 | $1,373 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$307 | +$421 | +$395 | +$606 |
Rent in St. Clair County runs $1,066 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $307 a month from 2006–10, a 40% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 30.1% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 St. Clair County
Bachelor's degrees in St. Clair County
| Period | St. Clair County | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.9% | 27.8% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.6% | 28.8% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.4% | 31.1% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.3% | 34.5% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | +6.7 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in St. Clair County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 20.3%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 5.4 points, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the northwest.
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 St. Clair County
| Period | St. Clair County | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.6% | 87.7% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.1% | 88.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.7% | 89.8% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.9% | 90.9% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in St. Clair County have finished high school (91.9%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The Detroit area as a whole looks much the same. The share with a diploma is up 4.3 points from 2006–10, 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 St. Clair County
| Period | St. Clair County | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.5% | 12.7% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.0% | 12.8% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.4% | 6.8% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 6.7% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −7.9 pts | −5.9 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.6%, unemployment in St. Clair County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is lower than in the Detroit area overall (6.7%). Unemployment is down 7.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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).
St. Clair 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Clair County | 2.38 | 44.6 | 10.4% | 19.2% | 6.5% | 1975 | $1,066 | 20.3% | 91.9% | 5.6% |
| Lapeer County | 2.53 | 45.2 | 9.9% | 14.0% | 7.4% | 1979 | $1,141 | 20.6% | 92.2% | 4.9% |
| Genesee County | 2.47 | 41.3 | 14.9% | 29.3% | 8.6% | 1972 | $1,119 | 23.7% | 91.6% | 8.3% |
| Shiawassee County | 2.43 | 43.9 | 10.2% | 19.9% | 7.8% | 1967 | $959 | 20.3% | 92.6% | 3.8% |
| Clinton County | 2.54 | 41.1 | 8.8% | 17.8% | 5.8% | 1981 | $1,160 | 35.8% | 95.4% | 3.6% |
| Ionia County | 2.69 | 39.8 | 11.0% | 22.7% | 7.1% | 1969 | $941 | 18.6% | 90.8% | 3.8% |
| Kent County | 2.63 | 37.4 | 10.6% | 29.7% | 5.8% | 1976 | $1,388 | 40.7% | 92.0% | 4.1% |
| Ottawa County | 2.68 | 38.3 | 8.0% | 20.7% | 6.2% | 1987 | $1,285 | 40.0% | 93.8% | 3.4% |
| Erie County | 2.34 | 41.6 | 11.5% | 34.2% | 8.3% | 1959 | $1,156 | 37.3% | 91.9% | 5.2% |
| Genesee County | 2.32 | 43.0 | 9.1% | 26.2% | 5.8% | 1955 | $924 | 23.9% | 92.9% | 4.7% |
| Ontario County | 2.28 | 45.1 | 9.2% | 26.3% | 8.5% | 1973 | $1,220 | 38.2% | 93.5% | 3.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Charles County, MD · Paulding County, GA · Davidson County, NC · Pueblo County, CO · Chittenden County, VT · Beaver County, PA · Merrimack County, NH · Mesa County, CO · Middlesex County, CT · Midland 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 St. Clair 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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