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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

East Lansing

Michigan · 50,677 residents · 13.4 sq mi
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The short version

East Lansing is a city of 50,677 people in Michigan. This is an unusually credentialed place: 71% of adults have a four-year degree. This skews young, with a median age of 21.7. 33% of homes are owner-occupied. The poverty rate is 33.8%, above the 13.2% national rate. Getting to work takes 14 minutes on average.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Younger
median age 21.7
US median: 33.0
More educated
71% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 13%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
50,677
+9%vs 2000
vs 46,525 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
21.7
Unchangedvs 2000
vs 21.7 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
13.4 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
45K46K48K50K51K19902000201020202024East Lansing
202446K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 53.3%(1,660)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 92.8%(1,395)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 142.8%(1,421)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 1921.4%(10,821)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 2437.4%(18,955)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3412.8%(6,466)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 448%(4,036)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 544.6%(2,325)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 642.7%(1,360)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 742.5%(1,256)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 841.3%(682)
US avg: 4%
85 and over0.6%(300)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$24,716
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $28,217 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$11,212
−31%vs 2000
vs $16,333 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
33.8%
−1.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 34.8% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$95,700
−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $144,100 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$451
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $578 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
33.1%
+1.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 32.0% in 2000
66.9% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic79.4%(36,919)
Black7.3%(3,410)
Hispanic / Latino2.7%(1,252)
Asian8.2%(3,814)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic84.5%(42,821)
Black6.7%(3,406)
Hispanic / Latino2.4%(1,193)
Asian7.1%(3,591)
Other1.7%(859)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.8%(1,728)
Puerto Rican1.1%(491)
Argentine0.3%(154)
Cuban0.2%(108)
Peruvian0.2%(89)
Spaniard0.2%(75)
Guatemalan0.2%(69)
Ecuadorian0.1%(63)
Venezuelan0.1%(47)
Paraguayan0.1%(26)
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Chinese4.2%(1,933)
Asian Indian2.2%(1,015)
Korean0.8%(380)
Filipino0.3%(132)
Pakistani0.2%(114)
Vietnamese0.2%(113)
Japanese0.2%(77)
Taiwanese0.1%(60)
Malaysian0.1%(43)
Nepalese0.1%(42)
Indonesian0.1%(27)
Thai0%(13)
+ 2 more asian origin groups with data
Hmong0%(12)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(13)
Ancestry
German14.3%(6,531)
English9.1%(4,171)
Irish8.7%(4,001)
Polish6.6%(3,005)
Italian5.3%(2,406)
Dutch3.4%(1,560)
Swedish1.8%(828)
American1.7%(774)
Scottish1.7%(768)
Arab1.6%(736)
French1.4%(641)
+ 45 more ancestry groups with data
British0.9%(402)
Norwegian0.8%(382)
Greek0.8%(375)
Russian0.8%(345)
Hungarian0.5%(251)
Welsh0.5%(238)
Czech0.5%(207)
Austrian0.4%(205)
Egyptian0.4%(203)
Canadian0.4%(203)
Ukrainian0.4%(196)
Nigerian0.4%(185)
Iranian0.4%(174)
Scotch-Irish0.4%(173)
Danish0.4%(171)
Lithuanian0.3%(145)
Lebanese0.3%(144)
Brazilian0.3%(143)
Swiss0.3%(135)
Serbian0.3%(131)
Somali0.2%(103)
Turkish0.2%(93)
Iraqi0.2%(90)
Slovak0.2%(90)
Finnish0.2%(86)
Croatian0.2%(85)
Romanian0.2%(78)
Armenian0.1%(64)
West Indian0.1%(64)
Bulgarian0.1%(63)
Ethiopian0.1%(52)
Australian0.1%(46)
Jordanian0.1%(45)
Portuguese0.1%(39)
Jamaican0.1%(34)
Slovene0.1%(25)
Ghanaian0%(19)
Israeli0%(18)
Moroccan0%(11)
Latvian0%(11)
Kenyan0%(10)
Haitian0%(9)
Syrian0%(8)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
71.2%
+0.8 ptsvs 2000
vs 70.4% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
96.6%
−0.3 ptsvs 2000
vs 96.9% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
39.6%
+0.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 39.2% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
14.3 min
+36%vs 2000
vs 10.5 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 married75.8%(15,333)
Married19.8%(4,012)
Widowed1.5%(310)
Divorced2.8%(566)
Women 15+
Never married74.6%(16,485)
Married19.4%(4,278)
Widowed3.2%(700)
Divorced2.9%(642)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
6.5%
+0.3 ptssince 2013
from 6.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
68.9%
−1.5 ptssince 2020
from 70.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
19.5%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 21.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
9.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 9.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
9.7%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 9.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
0.5%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 0.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
83.7%
−3.5 ptssince 2020
from 87.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
18.0%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 16.6% 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)17.6%(139)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)4.8%(38)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era33.2%(262)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War30.9%(244)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.5%(12)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 789 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
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare East Lansing to nearby cities

EAST LANSING VS
Haslett
Income$74,031+200%
Home value$286,100+199%
Population18,559−62%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
EAST LANSING VS
Okemos
Income$102,612+315%
Home value$359,200+275%
Population26,396−47%
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EAST LANSING VS
Lansing
Income$54,382+120%
Home value$128,700+34%
Population113,884+131%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
EAST LANSING VS
Waverly
Income$75,700+206%
Home value$234,600+145%
Population23,575−52%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in East Lansing, Michigan?

East Lansing, Michigan has about 50,677 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in East Lansing, Michigan?

The typical household in East Lansing, Michigan earns about $24,716 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is East Lansing, Michigan expensive?

In East Lansing, Michigan, the median home is worth about $95,700, and the typical rent is about $451 a month.

How educated are people in East Lansing, Michigan?

About 71.2% of adults age 25 and over in East Lansing, Michigan hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in East Lansing, Michigan?

About 33.8% of people in East Lansing, 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 →