Population 1,772,259 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Wayne County
Household size in Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.72 | 2.63 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.72 | 2.63 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.63 | 2.58 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.64 | 2.57 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.08 | −0.07 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Wayne County average 2.64 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.72, as it has nationally. Of Michigan's 83 counties, only five have larger households.
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 Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.5 | 39.0 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.3 | 40.1 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.0 | 40.9 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.8 | 41.0 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.3 | +2.1 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
At 38.8, the median age in Wayne County is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The population here is younger than in the Detroit area as a whole, where the median age is 41.0. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.5, mirroring the country. Of Michigan's 83 counties, only seven are younger.
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 Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.2% | 12.1% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.0% | 12.3% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 15.1% | 11.3% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.5% | 11.2% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are more common in Wayne County than nationally: 14.5%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 1.7 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of Michigan's 83 counties, only two have a higher share of single-parent households.
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 Wayne County
Renters in Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.8% | 26.7% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 36.1% | 30.2% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.0% | 31.0% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 35.2% | 28.8% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over a third of households in Wayne County rent their homes (35.2%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in the Detroit area as a whole (28.8%). Just over half of owners (51.8%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 2.5 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.1% | 11.3% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.9% | 11.2% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.2% | 10.0% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.4% | 8.3% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.6 pts | −3.1 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in Wayne County than nationally: 11.4%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has fallen 3.6 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1958 | 1968 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1959 | 1969 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1959 | 1969 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1960 | 1970 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +2 | +3 | +6 |
Wayne County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1960, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the northeast. Few Michigan counties have older homes: only two 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 Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $875 | $952 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $929 | $1,005 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,002 | $1,123 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,257 | $1,373 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$382 | +$421 | +$395 | +$606 |
The median renter in Wayne County pays $1,257 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $382 a month since 2006–10, up 44%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 33.5% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the east; the highest are in the northwest.
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 Wayne County
Bachelor's degrees in Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.4% | 27.8% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.1% | 28.8% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.0% | 31.1% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.2% | 34.5% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | +6.7 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than a quarter of adults 25 and older in Wayne County (27.2%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 5.8 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Compared with other Michigan counties, though, Wayne County has a higher share of college graduates than most.
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 Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 83.7% | 87.7% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.3% | 88.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.0% | 89.8% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.4% | 90.9% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.7 pts | +3.2 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Wayne County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma has risen 3.7 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Few Michigan counties have a lower share of high school graduates: only three of 83.
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 Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.1% | 12.7% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 17.0% | 12.8% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.5% | 6.8% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.1% | 6.7% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −7.0 pts | −5.9 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Wayne County runs well above the national rate: 9.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Only one other Michigan county has higher unemployment. Unemployment has fallen 7.0 points since 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).
Wayne 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne County | 2.64 | 38.8 | 14.5% | 35.2% | 11.4% | 1960 | $1,257 | 27.2% | 87.4% | 9.1% |
| Washtenaw County | 2.44 | 38.2 | 8.0% | 38.4% | 6.8% | 1979 | $1,610 | 58.5% | 95.5% | 4.7% |
| Jackson County | 2.49 | 41.4 | 10.7% | 25.0% | 9.8% | 1968 | $1,032 | 23.7% | 92.5% | 5.2% |
| Calhoun County | 2.51 | 41.0 | 12.4% | 27.3% | 11.0% | 1963 | $1,006 | 22.7% | 91.3% | 6.5% |
| Kalamazoo County | 2.47 | 37.5 | 10.8% | 35.5% | 7.6% | 1975 | $1,167 | 40.8% | 94.3% | 5.3% |
| Van Buren County | 2.48 | 42.5 | 11.8% | 19.4% | 15.2% | 1977 | $958 | 22.7% | 89.8% | 4.3% |
| Chautauqua County | 2.33 | 43.2 | 12.7% | 31.1% | 17.2% | 1955 | $830 | 24.9% | 89.5% | 6.2% |
| Cattaraugus County | 2.34 | 43.5 | 11.9% | 24.8% | 17.2% | 1961 | $799 | 21.1% | 89.1% | 5.0% |
| Lake County | 2.77 | 39.5 | 10.0% | 25.2% | 5.8% | 1980 | $1,746 | 45.6% | 90.5% | 4.9% |
| McHenry County | 2.71 | 41.4 | 9.3% | 17.3% | 4.3% | 1985 | $1,557 | 35.3% | 93.6% | 4.6% |
| Allegany County | 2.40 | 40.3 | 9.0% | 20.7% | 22.0% | 1964 | $782 | 27.7% | 91.9% | 7.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Miami-Dade County, FL · Kings County, NY · Dallas County, TX · Riverside County, CA · Multnomah County, OR · Pinellas County, FL · Pima County, AZ · Oklahoma County, OK · New York County, NY · New Haven County, CT
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 Wayne 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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