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COUNTY

Mecosta County

Michigan · 42,320 residents (2025 est.) · 555.155 sq mi
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The short version

Mecosta County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $60,951. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 22% 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 $178,900.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
22% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
41,242
+2%since 2000
from 40,553 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
74 / sq mi
−2%since 2009
from 76 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
40.0
+25%since 2000
from 31.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:42,320 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
37K39K40K42K44K1990201020202024Mecosta County
202441K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55%(2,062)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.6%(2,300)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145%(2,067)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197.9%(3,248)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 2410.8%(4,451)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3410.4%(4,292)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4410.5%(4,350)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.3%(4,267)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6414.1%(5,806)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7412.5%(5,169)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 846.2%(2,543)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.7%(687)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$60,951
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $33,849 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$29,951
+83%since 2000
from $16,372 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
39.9%
+21.5 ptssince 2009
from 18.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
19.9%
+3.8 ptssince 2000
from 16.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.416
−6%since 2010
from 0.442 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade15%
US avg: 9.9%
Information10.4%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade7.3%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance5.3%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4.3%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services3.9%
US avg: 6.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3.2%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction2.9%
US avg: 1.2%
Public administration2.4%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food1.4%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.1%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services0.9%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.2%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$178,900
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $86,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$934
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $470 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
76.9%
+3.3 ptssince 2000
from 73.7% in 2000
23.1% rent
Vacancy rate
21.0%
−2.9 ptssince 2009
from 23.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
19.0%
−7.6 ptssince 2009
from 26.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
45.0%
−13.9 ptssince 2009
from 58.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.9
−13%since 2009
from 3.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
41
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Mecosta County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic91.9%(37,259)
Black3.6%(1,450)
Hispanic / Latino1.3%(520)
Asian0.9%(346)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic89.6%(36,950)
Black2.1%(882)
Hispanic / Latino3%(1,217)
Asian0.7%(299)
Other4.6%(1,894)
Diversity Score
24
+17%since 2009
from 21 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
16
−37%since 2020
from 26 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
Mexican1.6%(666)
Cuban0.6%(241)
Puerto Rican0.3%(136)
Honduran0%(16)
Asian origin
Korean0.2%(79)
Asian Indian0.2%(68)
Chinese0.1%(61)
Bangladeshi0.1%(22)
Burmese0%(15)
Filipino0%(14)
Thai0%(4)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(6)
Ancestry
German20.6%(8,491)
English13.2%(5,451)
Irish11%(4,554)
Polish5.5%(2,248)
Dutch5.1%(2,113)
American3.7%(1,535)
French3.3%(1,361)
Italian2.2%(905)
Scottish2.1%(870)
Swedish1.5%(616)
Norwegian0.7%(289)
+ 33 more ancestry groups with data
Hungarian0.7%(281)
Danish0.5%(217)
Scotch-Irish0.5%(213)
Finnish0.5%(210)
Russian0.4%(161)
Welsh0.4%(152)
Belgian0.3%(142)
Swiss0.3%(139)
Austrian0.3%(127)
Canadian0.3%(117)
Czech0.2%(78)
Arab0.2%(70)
Greek0.1%(60)
Slovak0.1%(59)
Lebanese0.1%(58)
Romanian0.1%(46)
Turkish0.1%(41)
British0.1%(40)
Lithuanian0.1%(30)
Croatian0.1%(29)
Ukrainian0.1%(27)
West Indian0.1%(25)
Jamaican0.1%(25)
Serbian0%(16)
Bulgarian0%(14)
Armenian0%(11)
Syrian0%(5)
Latvian0%(2)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest Polish population · Largest Dutch population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
22.5%
+3.4 ptssince 2000
from 19.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
91.4%
+7.5 ptssince 2000
from 83.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
7.7%
+0.3 ptssince 2000
from 7.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
23.7 min
+28%since 2000
from 18.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
76.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 76.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.6%
−2.0 ptssince 2009
from 10.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.4%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
8.7%
+4.2 ptssince 2009
from 4.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
4.4%
−3.1 ptssince 2009
from 7.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.3%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
7.1%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 6.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.0%
−11.3 ptssince 2011
from 15.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
54.4%
−2.8 ptssince 2011
from 57.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
14.1%
−2.6 ptssince 2009
from 16.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
33.0%
−29.0 ptssince 2009
from 62.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.2%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 50.9% in 2009
Female
49.8%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 49.1% in 2009
Foreign born
2.0%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
7.2%
−43.4 ptssince 2009
from 50.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
16.0%
+0.6 ptssince 2012
from 15.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
7.8%
−78.2 ptssince 2013
from 86.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
82.0%
+11.9 ptssince 2017
from 70.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
93.9%
−2.5 ptssince 2016
from 96.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
1.5%
+0.7 ptssince 2016
from 0.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married36.7%(6,400)
Married46.1%(8,043)
Widowed3.8%(664)
Divorced13.3%(2,325)
Women 15+
Never married29.8%(5,172)
Married47.9%(8,322)
Widowed10%(1,745)
Divorced12.3%(2,142)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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Head to head

Compare Mecosta County to nearby counties

MECOSTA COUNTY VS
Newaygo County
Income$63,304+4%
Home value$186,700+4%
Population51,622+22%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MECOSTA COUNTY VS
Montcalm County
Income$67,344+10%
Home value$185,500+4%
Population69,406+64%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MECOSTA COUNTY VS
Isabella County
Income$55,237−9%
Home value$170,400−5%
Population64,691+53%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MECOSTA COUNTY VS
Osceola County
Income$58,267−4%
Home value$155,400−13%
Population23,516−44%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Mecosta County, Michigan?

Mecosta County, Michigan has about 41,242 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Mecosta County, Michigan earns about $60,951 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Mecosta County, Michigan expensive?

In Mecosta County, Michigan, the median home is worth about $178,900, and the typical rent is about $934 a month.

How educated are people in Mecosta County, Michigan?

About 22.5% of adults age 25 and over in Mecosta County, Michigan hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Mecosta County, Michigan?

About 19.9% of people in Mecosta County, Michigan live below the federal poverty line.

Has Mecosta County, Michigan grown since 1990?

Yes, Mecosta County, Michigan has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,934 residents, a change of about 11 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

13 census tracts
Census Tract 9608Census Tract 9604Census Tract 9605Census Tract 9606Census Tract 9610.01Census Tract 9607.02Census Tract 9609Census Tract 9610.02Census Tract 9603Census Tract 9602Census Tract 9607.01Census Tract 9601Census Tract 9813
8 ZIP codes
ZIP 49307ZIP 49346ZIP 49336ZIP 49332ZIP 49340ZIP 49305ZIP 49342ZIP 49320
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →

Mecosta County, Michigan: demographics, income & housing data · CensusEasy