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COUNTY

Sanilac County

Michigan · 40,083 residents (2025 est.) · 963 sq mi
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The short version

With 40,462 people, Sanilac County is a county in Michigan. 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. At a median age of 45.5, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Owners hold 83% of the housing stock. 1% of locals were born outside the United States. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $168,300.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 45.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
16% 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
40,462
−9%since 2000
from 44,547 in 2000
40,083 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
42 / sq mi
−7%since 2009
from 45 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
45.5
+20%since 2000
from 37.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
963 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
39K41K42K44K45K19902000201020202024Sanilac County
202440K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55%(2,005)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.1%(2,462)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.8%(2,339)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.2%(2,492)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.2%(2,121)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3410.3%(4,184)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4410.9%(4,420)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.7%(4,739)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6415.6%(6,294)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7414%(5,660)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 846.8%(2,736)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.5%(1,010)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$58,863
−12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,870 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$33,584
+97%since 2000
from $17,089 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
39.1%
+20.7 ptssince 2009
from 18.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
15.3%
+4.9 ptssince 2000
from 10.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.432
+7%since 2010
from 0.405 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade21.7%
US avg: 9.9%
Information10.2%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade9.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing6.8%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction6.5%
US avg: 1.2%
Finance & insurance4.1%
US avg: 5.9%
Other services3.8%
US avg: 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical3%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration2.4%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing2%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services1.1%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food0.8%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0.3%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$168,300
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $91,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$807
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $448 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
82.6%
+0.7 ptssince 2000
from 81.9% in 2000
17.4% rent
Vacancy rate
19.5%
−4.0 ptssince 2009
from 23.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.28 people
−10%since 2009
from 2.52 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
19.4%
−12.0 ptssince 2009
from 31.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
36.5%
−8.3 ptssince 2009
from 44.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.9
−4%since 2009
from 3.0 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
30
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic95.4%(42,518)
Black0.3%(120)
Hispanic / Latino2.8%(1,239)
Asian0.3%(113)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic91.9%(37,185)
Black0.4%(157)
Hispanic / Latino4.3%(1,732)
Asian0.3%(115)
Other3.1%(1,273)
Diversity Score
19
+52%since 2009
from 13 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
13
−30%since 2020
from 18 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
Mexican3.5%(1,421)
Puerto Rican0.2%(62)
Colombian0.1%(46)
Cuban0.1%(28)
Asian origin
Filipino0.1%(38)
Korean0.1%(36)
Chinese0.1%(21)
Hmong0%(12)
Thai0%(5)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(14)
Ancestry
German25.4%(10,282)
English13.6%(5,493)
Irish12.7%(5,145)
Polish9.7%(3,915)
American4.4%(1,799)
Scottish3.7%(1,506)
French3%(1,223)
Italian3%(1,219)
Dutch1.4%(554)
Hungarian1%(406)
Swiss0.8%(315)
+ 38 more ancestry groups with data
Canadian0.7%(281)
Belgian0.7%(274)
Finnish0.6%(244)
Scotch-Irish0.6%(225)
Swedish0.5%(204)
Russian0.5%(200)
Welsh0.3%(136)
Norwegian0.3%(122)
Croatian0.3%(119)
Arab0.3%(116)
Ukrainian0.3%(116)
Danish0.2%(91)
Czech0.2%(84)
Romanian0.2%(78)
Austrian0.2%(75)
Slovak0.2%(74)
Lithuanian0.2%(72)
Greek0.1%(59)
Armenian0.1%(50)
British0.1%(45)
Serbian0.1%(41)
Slovene0.1%(39)
Iraqi0.1%(37)
Lebanese0.1%(33)
Australian0.1%(26)
Iranian0%(13)
Syrian0%(10)
Turkish0%(2)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
16.5%
+6.5 ptssince 2000
from 10.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
90.6%
+10.9 ptssince 2000
from 79.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
6.2%
+2.4 ptssince 2000
from 3.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
28.6 min
+34%since 2000
from 21.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
78.0%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 78.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.2%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 9.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.3%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
8.1%
+2.0 ptssince 2009
from 6.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
3.1%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 3.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.3%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.9%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 4.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
6.0%
−8.7 ptssince 2011
from 14.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
54.8%
−3.7 ptssince 2011
from 58.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
68.7%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 69.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
12.5%
+1.9 ptssince 2009
from 10.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
30.7%
+6.0 ptssince 2009
from 24.7% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.4%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 49.9% in 2009
Female
49.6%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 50.1% in 2009
Foreign born
1.4%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
7.5%
−3.0 ptssince 2009
from 10.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
16.4%
+0.3 ptssince 2012
from 16.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
7.8%
−6.7 ptssince 2013
from 14.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
85.4%
+18.9 ptssince 2017
from 66.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
92.1%
+4.4 ptssince 2020
from 87.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
91.0%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 89.4% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
95.2%
−0.2 ptssince 2016
from 95.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
1.6%
−0.1 ptssince 2016
from 1.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married28.7%(4,845)
Married55%(9,286)
Widowed3.5%(586)
Divorced12.9%(2,179)
Women 15+
Never married22.2%(3,729)
Married55%(9,223)
Widowed10.3%(1,730)
Divorced12.4%(2,078)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
7.8%
−6.7 ptssince 2013
from 14.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
49.0%
−2.5 ptssince 2020
from 51.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
16.8%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 16.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
26.0%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 24.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
26.5%
+2.6 ptssince 2020
from 23.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.7%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 3.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
63.4%
−2.3 ptssince 2020
from 65.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
48.3%
+3.0 ptssince 2020
from 45.3% 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)13.1%(316)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)18.4%(444)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era41%(990)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.2%(126)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.8%(20)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 2,412 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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Pop 40,953
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Pop 42,013
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Pop 42,608
Independence County
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Head to head

Compare Sanilac County to nearby counties

SANILAC COUNTY VS
Huron County
Income$58,870same
Home value$154,300−8%
Population30,530−24%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SANILAC COUNTY VS
St. Clair County
Income$71,270+21%
Home value$224,600+33%
Population160,486+300%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SANILAC COUNTY VS
Lapeer County
Income$77,306+31%
Home value$239,000+42%
Population89,516+123%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SANILAC COUNTY VS
Tuscola County
Income$63,811+8%
Home value$149,500−11%
Population52,680+31%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Sanilac County, Michigan?

Sanilac County, Michigan has about 40,462 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Sanilac County, Michigan earns about $58,863 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Sanilac County, Michigan expensive?

In Sanilac County, Michigan, the median home is worth about $168,300, and the typical rent is about $807 a month.

How educated are people in Sanilac County, Michigan?

About 16.5% of adults age 25 and over in Sanilac County, Michigan hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Sanilac County, Michigan?

About 15.3% of people in Sanilac County, Michigan live below the federal poverty line.

Has Sanilac County, Michigan grown since 1990?

Yes, Sanilac County, Michigan has grown since 1990. The population has added about 534 residents, a change of about 1 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 →

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