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COUNTY

Alger County

Michigan · 8,641 residents (2025 est.) · 915.034 sq mi
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Notable rankings
#73Highest homeownership rateof 3,14486.3%
The short version

Alger County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $61,286. Population has declined 11% since 2000. 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $176,200. With a median age of 49.1, the population is older than the US median of 38.9.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 49.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 26%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
8,762
−11%since 2000
from 9,862 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
10 / sq mi
−8%since 2009
from 10 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
49.1
+19%since 2000
from 41.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:8,641 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
9K9K9K10K10K1990201020202024Alger County
20249K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 53.3%(287)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 93.2%(284)
US avg: 6%
10 to 144.8%(422)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.4%(475)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.4%(469)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3411.9%(1,040)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4410.8%(949)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.7%(1,029)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6416.3%(1,427)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7417%(1,493)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 848.1%(709)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2%(178)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$61,286
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,892 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$29,895
+64%since 2000
from $18,210 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
37.0%
+16.2 ptssince 2009
from 20.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
10.4%
+0.1 ptssince 2000
from 10.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.404
−3%since 2010
from 0.418 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information12.9%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade11.3%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade7.5%
US avg: 6.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing4.6%
US avg: 1.6%
Other services4.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Construction4%
US avg: 1.2%
Finance & insurance2.8%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical2.4%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration2.3%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food1.8%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0.6%
US avg: 0.4%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Transportation & warehousing0.4%
US avg: 2.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$176,200
+26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $76,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$714
+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $376 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
86.3%
+3.8 ptssince 2000
from 82.5% in 2000
13.7% rent
Vacancy rate
43.2%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 42.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
20.7%
−6.1 ptssince 2009
from 26.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
28.3%
−3.7 ptssince 2009
from 32.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.9
+6%since 2009
from 2.7 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
44
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Alger County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic87.5%(8,625)
Black6%(595)
Hispanic / Latino1%(99)
Asian0.3%(32)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic81.4%(7,128)
Black7.6%(670)
Hispanic / Latino1.8%(154)
Asian0.3%(23)
Other9%(787)
Diversity Score
40
+35%since 2009
from 30 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
22
+8%since 2020
from 20 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.1%(98)
Puerto Rican0.2%(15)
Cuban0.1%(12)
Spaniard0.1%(9)
Asian origin
Chinese0.1%(12)
Uzbek0%(1)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
German17.9%(1,565)
English13.1%(1,145)
Finnish11.9%(1,043)
Irish11.3%(990)
French8.4%(737)
Polish5.5%(486)
Swedish3.6%(312)
American3.3%(291)
Italian3.3%(287)
Scottish2%(175)
Dutch1.6%(140)
+ 27 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian1.1%(94)
Danish0.9%(82)
Scotch-Irish0.9%(80)
Belgian0.7%(59)
Welsh0.7%(59)
Canadian0.6%(51)
Austrian0.5%(44)
Hungarian0.4%(34)
Czech0.4%(32)
Slovene0.4%(31)
Ukrainian0.2%(17)
Arab0.2%(14)
Slovak0.2%(14)
Latvian0.1%(12)
Russian0.1%(12)
Moroccan0.1%(11)
Croatian0.1%(10)
Greek0.1%(10)
Swiss0.1%(10)
Armenian0.1%(6)
British0.1%(5)
Lithuanian0.1%(5)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Finnish population · Largest Irish population · Largest French population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
21.0%
+6.3 ptssince 2000
from 14.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
93.9%
+12.3 ptssince 2000
from 81.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
6.1%
+2.1 ptssince 2000
from 4.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.9 min
+54%since 2000
from 14.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
71.7%
−1.9 ptssince 2009
from 73.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
13.2%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.8%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
8.2%
+3.2 ptssince 2009
from 5.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
4.1%
−2.3 ptssince 2009
from 6.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.3%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.6%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
6.8%
−6.7 ptssince 2011
from 13.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
41.3%
−4.8 ptssince 2011
from 46.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
14.3%
−2.6 ptssince 2009
from 16.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
31.6%
−28.9 ptssince 2009
from 60.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
56.7%
+1.5 ptssince 2009
from 55.2% in 2009
Female
43.3%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 44.8% in 2009
Foreign born
1.1%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
8.4%
−47.2 ptssince 2009
from 55.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
20.5%
+0.3 ptssince 2012
from 20.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
4.3%
−82.5 ptssince 2013
from 86.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
85.4%
+17.0 ptssince 2017
from 68.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
97.2%
−1.0 ptssince 2016
from 98.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
0.8%
+0.4 ptssince 2016
from 0.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married38.2%(1,709)
Married49%(2,190)
Widowed4.4%(195)
Divorced8.4%(376)
Women 15+
Never married14.4%(474)
Married62.4%(2,058)
Widowed12.4%(410)
Divorced10.8%(357)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Alger County to nearby counties

ALGER COUNTY VS
Schoolcraft County
Income$56,782−7%
Home value$141,800−20%
Population8,187−5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ALGER COUNTY VS
Marquette County
Income$65,429+7%
Home value$216,500+23%
Population68,064+688%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ALGER COUNTY VS
Delta County
Income$57,809−6%
Home value$157,100−11%
Population36,582+323%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ALGER COUNTY VS
Luce County
Income$54,893−10%
Home value$112,000−36%
Population6,339−27%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Alger County, Michigan?

Alger County, Michigan has about 8,762 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Alger County, Michigan?

The typical household in Alger County, Michigan earns about $61,286 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Alger County, Michigan expensive?

In Alger County, Michigan, the median home is worth about $176,200, and the typical rent is about $714 a month.

How educated are people in Alger County, Michigan?

About 21.0% of adults age 25 and over in Alger County, Michigan hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Alger County, Michigan?

About 10.4% of people in Alger County, Michigan live below the federal poverty line.

Has Alger County, Michigan grown since 1990?

Yes, Alger County, Michigan has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 210 residents, a change of about -2 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

4 census tracts
Census Tract 1Census Tract 3Census Tract 2Census Tract 9900
9 ZIP codes
ZIP 49862ZIP 49816ZIP 49884ZIP 49806ZIP 49891ZIP 49825ZIP 49826ZIP 49822ZIP 49839
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →