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CITY · 2000 CENSUS

Portage

Michigan · 44,897 residents · 32.3 sq mi
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The short version

With 44,897 people, Portage is a city in Michigan. 37% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 24% nationally. Poverty is uncommon here, at 4.8% of people here. Getting to work takes 12 minutes on average. Households take in $49,410 a year at the median, 16% more than the country as a whole. Headcount has barely moved since 1990.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $42,589
Mid-age
median age 35.8
US median: 35.2
More educated
37% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Less affordable
home values up 25%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
44,897
+9%since 1990
from 41,042 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
35.8
+8%since 1990
from 33.2 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
32.3 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
40K43K45K48K50K19902000201020202024Portage
202449K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 56.9%(3,098)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 97.3%(3,263)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.8%(3,487)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 196.8%(3,069)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 246.2%(2,775)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3413.8%(6,207)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4416%(7,201)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5414.7%(6,596)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 648.7%(3,910)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 746.5%(2,918)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 844.1%(1,829)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.2%(544)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$49,410
−4%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $39,045 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$25,414
+44%since 1990
from $17,602 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
4.8%
+0.6 ptssince 1990
from 4.2% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$118,700
+25%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $72,000 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$541
−5%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $434 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
68.9%
−2.7 ptssince 1990
from 71.6% in 1990
31.1% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic94.6%(38,830)
Black2.6%(1,061)
Hispanic / Latino1.5%(597)
Asian2.1%(850)
2000
White, non-Hispanic89.6%(40,220)
Black3.7%(1,649)
Hispanic / Latino1.9%(868)
Asian2.6%(1,185)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.6%(1,763)
Puerto Rican0.5%(235)
Spaniard0.3%(157)
Ecuadorian0.2%(80)
Colombian0.2%(77)
Peruvian0.1%(51)
Nicaraguan0.1%(44)
Salvadoran0.1%(34)
Cuban0.1%(27)
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Asian Indian2.2%(1,072)
Vietnamese0.4%(207)
Chinese0.2%(81)
Korean0.2%(77)
Burmese0.1%(60)
Pakistani0.1%(43)
Filipino0.1%(41)
Taiwanese0.1%(34)
Hmong0.1%(26)
Japanese0.1%(26)
Nepalese0%(10)
+ 2 more asian origin groups with data
Thai0%(1)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
German20.7%(10,181)
English16.6%(8,177)
Irish11.5%(5,663)
Dutch9.5%(4,661)
American5.1%(2,536)
Polish5.1%(2,509)
French2.9%(1,449)
Italian2.9%(1,436)
Scottish2.4%(1,168)
Norwegian2.1%(1,040)
Swedish1.5%(760)
+ 39 more ancestry groups with data
Finnish1.1%(530)
Greek0.7%(362)
Hungarian0.7%(352)
Arab0.5%(254)
Welsh0.5%(227)
Scotch-Irish0.5%(226)
Lebanese0.3%(168)
Belgian0.3%(155)
Nigerian0.3%(155)
Danish0.3%(144)
Czech0.3%(132)
Swiss0.3%(130)
Slovak0.2%(111)
Russian0.2%(109)
British0.2%(107)
Brazilian0.2%(106)
Serbian0.2%(106)
Romanian0.2%(101)
Lithuanian0.2%(99)
Canadian0.2%(98)
Portuguese0.2%(87)
Croatian0.2%(81)
Latvian0.2%(78)
Ethiopian0.1%(57)
Austrian0.1%(53)
Ukrainian0.1%(50)
Macedonian0.1%(47)
Syrian0.1%(35)
Egyptian0.1%(31)
Armenian0.1%(31)
Bulgarian0.1%(25)
Ghanaian0%(21)
Jamaican0%(19)
Iranian0%(15)
Kenyan0%(11)
Israeli0%(10)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
36.8%
+5.5 ptssince 1990
from 31.3% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
92.6%
+3.9 ptssince 1990
from 88.6% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
13.5%
+1.3 ptssince 1990
from 12.1% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
12.5 min
−23%since 1990
from 16.3 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married26.6%(4,427)
Married63%(10,498)
Widowed2.4%(398)
Divorced8.1%(1,342)
Women 15+
Never married22.3%(4,096)
Married56.6%(10,385)
Widowed9.6%(1,752)
Divorced11.5%(2,111)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
4.9%
−4.4 ptssince 2013
from 9.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
70.1%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 70.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.9%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 13.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
19.0%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 17.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
10.8%
−2.2 ptssince 2020
from 13.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.4%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 1.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
81.3%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 80.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
28.6%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 29.2% 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)18.7%(472)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)27.4%(691)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era37.6%(948)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War7.1%(178)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.6%(40)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 2,519 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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Frequently asked

How many people live in Portage, Michigan?

Portage, Michigan has about 44,897 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Portage, Michigan?

The typical household in Portage, Michigan earns about $49,410 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Portage, Michigan expensive?

In Portage, Michigan, the median home is worth about $118,700, and the typical rent is about $541 a month.

How educated are people in Portage, Michigan?

About 36.8% of adults age 25 and over in Portage, Michigan hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Portage, Michigan?

About 4.8% of people in Portage, Michigan live below the federal poverty line.

Has Portage, Michigan grown since 1990?

Yes, Portage, Michigan has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,855 residents, a change of about 9 percent over that period.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →