COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Mecosta County

Michigan · 37,308 residents · 555 sq mi

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Part of the Big Rapids micropolitan area

The short version

With 37,308 people, Mecosta County is a county in Michigan. This skews young, with a median age of 25.7. The poverty rate is 25.1%, above the 13.2% national rate. Households here earn about 33% less than in Michigan as a whole. The typical home is worth $49,100. The median household earns $20,784, about 31% below the national median.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Younger

median age 25.7

US median: 33.0

Average education

18% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 25%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

37,308

−8%vs 2000

vs 40,553 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

25.7

−19%vs 2000

vs 31.9 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

555 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202441K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 56.1%(2,279)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 96.4%(2,387)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 145.9%(2,212)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 1913.6%(5,082)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 2417%(6,343)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3412.4%(4,639)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4410.9%(4,069)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 548.5%(3,153)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 647.9%(2,962)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 746.8%(2,547)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 843.6%(1,335)

US avg: 4%

85 and over0.8%(300)

US avg: 1.2%

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Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$20,784

−19%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $33,849 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$9,271

−43%vs 2000

vs $16,372 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

25.1%

+9.0 ptsvs 2000

vs 16.1% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$49,100

−25%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $86,400 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$339

−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $470 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

69.9%

−3.8 ptsvs 2000

vs 73.7% in 2000

30.1% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic91.9%(37,259)

Black3.6%(1,450)

Hispanic / Latino1.3%(520)

Asian0.9%(346)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic95.4%(35,588)

Black2.5%(951)

Hispanic / Latino1.3%(499)

Asian0.6%(211)

Other1.5%(558)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin

Mexican1.6%(666)

Cuban0.6%(241)

Puerto Rican0.3%(136)

Central American0.1%(43)

Honduran0%(16)

Salvadoran0%(12)

Panamanian0%(8)

Guatemalan0%(7)

Dominican0%(6)

Asian origin

Korean0.2%(79)

Asian Indian0.2%(68)

Chinese0.1%(61)

Bangladeshi0.1%(22)

Burmese0%(15)

Filipino0%(14)

Japanese0%(6)

Vietnamese0%(6)

Thai0%(4)

Nepalese0%(4)

Okinawan0%(1)

Pacific Islander origin

Native Hawaiian0.1%(38)

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)

French Canadian1.1%(453)

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)

Portuguese0%(20)

Subsaharan African0%(20)

Macedonian0%(19)

Serbian0%(16)

Bulgarian0%(14)

Armenian0%(11)

Australian0%(7)

Syrian0%(5)

Nigerian0%(4)

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

17.9%

−1.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 19.1% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

77.7%

−6.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 83.8% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

7.8%

+0.4 ptsvs 2000

vs 7.4% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

21.9 min

+18%vs 2000

vs 18.4 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 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

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

7.8%

−6.2 ptssince 2013

from 14.0% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

50.9%

−1.0 ptssince 2020

from 51.9% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

16.5%

+1.5 ptssince 2020

from 15.0% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

22.7%

+1.5 ptssince 2020

from 21.2% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

25.1%

−0.5 ptssince 2020

from 25.6% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

2.4%

+0.2 ptssince 2020

from 2.2% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

65.7%

−0.2 ptssince 2020

from 65.9% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

44.1%

+1.3 ptssince 2020

from 42.8% 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)25.8%(621)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)16.2%(390)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era39.3%(945)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War3.7%(89)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0.6%(14)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 2,403 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.

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