Population 8,764 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in West Branch
Household size in West Branch
| Period | West Branch | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.70 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.21 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.25 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.18 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.52 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in West Branch are small: just 2.18 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 2.70, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only 29 of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people have smaller 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 West Branch
| Period | West Branch | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.7 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 48.0 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 48.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.2 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.5 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 48.2, West Branch is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 43.7 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the northwest.
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 West Branch
| Period | West Branch | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.5% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.7% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.5% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in West Branch than nationally: 9.5%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 1.0 points, mirroring the country.
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 West Branch
Renters in West Branch
| Period | West Branch | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.8% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.7% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.0% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 23.0% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.1 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
West Branch is largely a place of homeowners: only 23.0% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 50.7% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 3.1 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 West Branch
| Period | West Branch | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.0% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.0% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 26.2% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.6% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −11.4 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 22.6% of the housing in West 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. Vacancy is down 11.4 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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 West Branch
| Period | West Branch | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1981 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1976 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +3 | +6 |
The typical home in West Branch was built around 1976, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). The median year built has moved up from 1973 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the center.
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 West Branch
| Period | West Branch | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $584 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $772 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $751 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $847 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$263 | +$395 | +$606 |
Rent in West Branch runs $847 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $263 a month from 2006–10, a 45% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 29.8% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the northwest and lowest in the southeast.
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 West Branch
Bachelor's degrees in West Branch
| Period | West Branch | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.9% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.2% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.0% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.4% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.4 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in West Branch have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 20.4%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 6.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 West Branch
| Period | West Branch | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 84.9% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.2% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.6% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.1% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.2 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in West Branch is above the national rate: 93.1% 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 8.2 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 West Branch
| Period | West Branch | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.9% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.5% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.6 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in West Branch is the same as the national rate: 5.4% of the labor force. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 5.6 points, mirroring the country. 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).
West 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Branch | 2.18 | 48.2 | 9.5% | 23.0% | 22.6% | 1976 | $847 | 20.4% | 93.1% | 5.4% |
| Greenwood | 2.26 | 50.2 | 9.6% | 14.4% | 33.6% | 1978 | $807 | 18.0% | 93.3% | 5.2% |
| Selkirk | 2.03 | 51.4 | 4.4% | 10.4% | 32.6% | 1977 | $554 | 15.5% | 92.5% | 2.5% |
| Prescott | 2.44 | 46.7 | 13.5% | 9.8% | 45.2% | 1975 | $783 | 12.3% | 87.2% | 9.8% |
| Alger | 2.22 | 53.9 | 8.4% | 4.1% | 35.8% | 1984 | $813 | 15.2% | 90.0% | 10.9% |
| Rose City | 2.23 | 54.1 | 8.6% | 16.6% | 42.2% | 1974 | $762 | 17.7% | 87.6% | 8.3% |
| Skidway Lake | 2.03 | 52.6 | 9.6% | 18.0% | 42.6% | 1973 | $851 | 11.5% | 86.8% | 7.1% |
| St. Helen | 2.19 | 54.8 | 7.4% | 13.0% | 47.4% | 1974 | $790 | 11.3% | 86.6% | 9.7% |
| Lupton | 2.00 | 59.5 | 4.9% | 8.2% | 51.3% | 1975 | $865 | 17.9% | 90.1% | 5.6% |
| Sugar Rapids | 2.04 | 58.9 | 3.7% | 4.5% | 41.1% | 1983 | $810 | 15.2% | 91.0% | 6.7% |
| Hockaday | 1.99 | 59.4 | 2.0% | 2.4% | 25.2% | 1991 | $701 | 17.3% | 91.4% | 3.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Torrington, WY · Brigantine, NJ · Broadview, IL · Brookeville, MD · Brookville, PA · Brunswick, MD · Bryans Road, MD · Bryson City, NC · Toronto, OH · Brewerton, NY
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 West 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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