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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Battle Creek

Michigan · 53,540 residents · 42.6 sq mi
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The short version

Battle Creek is home to 53,540 people in Michigan. Median home value sits at $38,500. Getting to work takes 14 minutes on average. Households here earn about 18% less than in Michigan as a whole. The poverty rate is 18.3%, above the 13.2% national rate. 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Mid-age
median age 33.1
US median: 33.0
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 28%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

53,540
Unchangedvs 2000
vs 53,364 in 2000
1990 – 2025
33.1
−5%vs 2000
vs 34.7 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
42.6 sq mi
Population, 19902024
51K52K52K53K54K19902000201020202024Battle Creek
202452K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 58.4%(4,488)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 97.9%(4,224)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.2%(3,865)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 196.8%(3,629)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 246.3%(3,357)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3416.7%(8,947)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4414.9%(7,967)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 549.2%(4,928)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 648.3%(4,437)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 747.9%(4,232)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 844.9%(2,648)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.5%(818)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$25,306
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $35,491 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
$12,963
−30%vs 2000
vs $18,424 in 2000
US average: $14,340
18.3%
+3.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 14.4% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

$38,500
−28%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $70,800 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
$381
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $488 in 2000
US average: $450
62.9%
−2.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 65.8% in 2000
37.1% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic72.6%(38,761)
Black17.7%(9,440)
Hispanic / Latino4.6%(2,475)
Asian1.9%(1,024)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic80.9%(43,308)
Black16.2%(8,657)
Hispanic / Latino1.7%(914)
Asian1.3%(670)
Other1.7%(905)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican6.7%(3,535)
Puerto Rican0.6%(298)
Cuban0.2%(103)
Spaniard0.2%(95)
Dominican0.1%(57)
Costa Rican0.1%(54)
Paraguayan0.1%(35)
Colombian0.1%(33)
Chilean0%(20)
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Burmese2.9%(1,521)
Asian Indian0.7%(379)
Filipino0.3%(166)
Bangladeshi0.2%(130)
Korean0.2%(98)
Japanese0.2%(96)
Chinese0.1%(62)
Malaysian0.1%(35)
Taiwanese0%(16)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.1%(29)
Samoan0.1%(28)
Ancestry
German13.3%(6,987)
English10%(5,222)
Irish8%(4,201)
American3.5%(1,810)
Polish3.1%(1,621)
Dutch3%(1,582)
French2.5%(1,293)
Scottish2.1%(1,120)
Italian1.7%(905)
Swedish1.2%(609)
+ 32 more ancestry groups with data
British0.6%(312)
Scotch-Irish0.5%(257)
Finnish0.4%(222)
Danish0.4%(217)
Croatian0.4%(200)
Kenyan0.3%(173)
Norwegian0.3%(166)
Welsh0.2%(127)
Greek0.2%(126)
Hungarian0.2%(125)
Swiss0.2%(110)
Portuguese0.2%(103)
Ukrainian0.1%(75)
Russian0.1%(72)
Canadian0.1%(61)
Lithuanian0.1%(59)
Czech0.1%(37)
Romanian0.1%(30)
Arab0%(20)
Slovene0%(17)
Jamaican0%(13)
Serbian0%(12)
Turkish0%(12)
Israeli0%(11)
Belgian0%(8)
Slovak0%(3)
Section 05

Education

15.8%
−1.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 17.2% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
76.6%
−5.8 ptsvs 2000
vs 82.4% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
5.2%
−0.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 5.7% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

14.5 min
+21%vs 2000
vs 11.9 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married41.8%(8,477)
Married38.8%(7,861)
Widowed3.4%(695)
Divorced16%(3,250)
Women 15+
Never married36%(7,902)
Married38.6%(8,460)
Widowed9.5%(2,087)
Divorced15.9%(3,487)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

5.3%
−8.2 ptssince 2013
from 13.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
54.3%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 55.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
8.7%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 7.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
20.6%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 19.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
32.3%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 31.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.1%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 2.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
61.0%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 61.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
47.4%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 46.0% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)18.5%(492)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)27.5%(729)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era26%(691)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War1.9%(51)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1%(26)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 2,655 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Battle Creek, Michigan?

Battle Creek, Michigan has about 53,540 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Battle Creek, Michigan?

The typical household in Battle Creek, Michigan earns about $25,306 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Battle Creek, Michigan expensive?

In Battle Creek, Michigan, the median home is worth about $38,500, and the typical rent is about $381 a month.

How educated are people in Battle Creek, Michigan?

About 15.8% of adults age 25 and over in Battle Creek, Michigan hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Battle Creek, Michigan?

About 18.3% of people in Battle Creek, Michigan live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →