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COUNTY

Wayne County

Michigan · 1,769,038 residents (2025 est.) · 612 sq mi
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Part of the Detroit metro area
The short version

Wayne County is a county of 1,772,259 people in Michigan. The typical home is worth $178,500, having more than doubled since 2000. Density works out to 2,897 people per square mile. 20.8% of people here live below the federal poverty line. About 28% of adults have finished a four-year degree. That trails the Michigan median by roughly 17%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 37.9
US median: 38.9
Less educated
28% 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
1,772,259
−14%since 2000
from 2,061,162 in 2000
1,769,038 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
2,897 / sq mi
−10%since 2009
from 3,233 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
37.9
+11%since 2000
from 34.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
612 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
1.7M1.8M1.9M2.0M2.1M19902000201020202024Wayne County
20241.8M
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.2%(110,729)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.4%(113,995)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.8%(121,358)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.4%(112,658)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246%(107,020)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3414.4%(255,923)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.1%(214,350)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.2%(216,273)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.8%(226,430)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.1%(178,542)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.6%(81,850)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.9%(33,131)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$60,539
−18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,776 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$34,906
+74%since 2000
from $20,058 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
41.3%
+15.4 ptssince 2009
from 25.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
20.8%
+4.4 ptssince 2000
from 16.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.493
+5%since 2010
from 0.469 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade17.8%
US avg: 9.9%
Information10.4%
US avg: 10.8%
Finance & insurance7.2%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical6.3%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services6%
US avg: 6.7%
Wholesale trade4.8%
US avg: 6.9%
Public administration4.6%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing1.9%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.3%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.9%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.3%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.2%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$178,500
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $96,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,132
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $530 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
64.8%
−1.9 ptssince 2000
from 66.6% in 2000
35.2% rent
Vacancy rate
12.5%
−2.8 ptssince 2009
from 15.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.50 people
−9%since 2009
from 2.75 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
23.0%
−11.9 ptssince 2009
from 34.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
49.1%
−4.4 ptssince 2009
from 53.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.9
−1%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
38
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic49.9%(1,028,984)
Black41.9%(864,627)
Hispanic / Latino3.7%(77,207)
Asian1.7%(34,837)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic47.9%(849,427)
Black36.6%(648,007)
Hispanic / Latino6.9%(121,653)
Asian3.7%(64,744)
Other5%(88,428)
Diversity Score
79
+8%since 2009
from 72 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
61
−6%since 2020
from 65 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
Mexican4.7%(83,450)
Puerto Rican0.7%(13,047)
Central American0.4%(6,853)
South American0.3%(5,744)
Dominican0.2%(2,913)
Cuban0.2%(2,836)
Honduran0.1%(2,349)
Guatemalan0.1%(2,155)
Colombian0.1%(2,033)
Venezuelan0.1%(1,972)
Salvadoran0.1%(1,472)
Spaniard0.1%(1,148)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Ecuadorian0%(540)
Peruvian0%(459)
Nicaraguan0%(445)
Argentine0%(304)
Panamanian0%(301)
Chilean0%(216)
Bolivian0%(106)
Uruguayan0%(53)
Asian origin
Asian Indian1.6%(28,568)
Bangladeshi0.5%(8,465)
Chinese0.3%(5,910)
Filipino0.3%(5,302)
Pakistani0.3%(5,033)
Vietnamese0.1%(2,483)
Korean0.1%(2,263)
Japanese0.1%(1,313)
Hmong0%(652)
Kazakh0%(296)
Taiwanese0%(268)
Cambodian0%(201)
+ 6 more asian origin groups with data
Nepalese0%(170)
Thai0%(168)
Laotian0%(126)
Sri Lankan0%(113)
Burmese0%(105)
Pacific Islander origin
Native Hawaiian0.1%(1,115)
Samoan0%(283)
Chamorro0%(282)
Tongan0%(7)
Ancestry
German8.9%(157,568)
Arab6.8%(120,640)
Irish6.7%(119,192)
Polish6.1%(108,589)
English5.5%(98,169)
American4.6%(81,349)
Italian3.6%(64,405)
Lebanese2.6%(45,843)
French2%(34,603)
Subsaharan African1.7%(30,172)
Scottish1.5%(26,700)
Hungarian1%(17,317)
+ 51 more ancestry groups with data
Iraqi0.8%(14,035)
French Canadian0.8%(13,837)
Dutch0.6%(10,902)
Scotch-Irish0.5%(8,849)
Greek0.5%(8,044)
Swedish0.4%(7,812)
Norwegian0.4%(6,216)
Ukrainian0.3%(6,110)
Finnish0.3%(5,809)
Russian0.3%(5,282)
Welsh0.3%(4,870)
Lithuanian0.3%(4,827)
Syrian0.3%(4,823)
Romanian0.3%(4,693)
Nigerian0.3%(4,649)
West Indian0.3%(4,535)
Canadian0.2%(4,189)
Palestinian0.2%(3,566)
Belgian0.2%(3,346)
British0.2%(3,334)
Slovak0.2%(3,068)
Czech0.2%(2,672)
Armenian0.1%(2,584)
Macedonian0.1%(2,544)
Jamaican0.1%(2,533)
Jordanian0.1%(2,442)
Danish0.1%(2,324)
Austrian0.1%(2,166)
Croatian0.1%(1,918)
Serbian0.1%(1,402)
Egyptian0.1%(1,374)
Swiss0.1%(1,276)
Moroccan0.1%(1,097)
Haitian0.1%(961)
Ethiopian0.1%(895)
Portuguese0%(701)
Iranian0%(698)
Brazilian0%(557)
Australian0%(521)
Turkish0%(493)
Slovene0%(478)
Ghanaian0%(426)
Bulgarian0%(397)
Latvian0%(267)
Kenyan0%(208)
Israeli0%(197)
Guyanese0%(84)
Somali0%(65)
Barbadian0%(59)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
27.6%
+10.4 ptssince 2000
from 17.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
88.0%
+11.0 ptssince 2000
from 77.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
10.8%
+4.5 ptssince 2000
from 6.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.7 min
+49%since 2000
from 16.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
71.9%
−9.8 ptssince 2009
from 81.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.5%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 9.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
1.8%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 3.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
14.1%
+11.7 ptssince 2009
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.6%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.2%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
11.6%
−1.2 ptssince 2009
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
8.7%
−8.7 ptssince 2011
from 17.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
59.2%
−0.5 ptssince 2011
from 59.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
69.1%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 69.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
10.4%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 11.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
37.2%
+7.8 ptssince 2009
from 29.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.4%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 48.1% in 2009
Female
51.6%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 51.9% in 2009
Foreign born
10.3%
+2.4 ptssince 2009
from 7.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
4.8%
−4.0 ptssince 2009
from 8.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
15.9%
+0.1 ptssince 2012
from 15.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
5.6%
−9.1 ptssince 2013
from 14.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
89.7%
+20.8 ptssince 2017
from 68.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
94.6%
+5.1 ptssince 2020
from 89.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
89.9%
+2.2 ptssince 2020
from 87.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
83.6%
−2.8 ptssince 2016
from 86.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
4.5%
+0.4 ptssince 2016
from 4.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married45.3%(308,054)
Married41.9%(285,456)
Widowed2.9%(19,434)
Divorced9.9%(67,596)
Women 15+
Never married39.9%(297,708)
Married38.6%(287,616)
Widowed9%(67,288)
Divorced12.5%(93,025)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
5.6%
−9.1 ptssince 2013
from 14.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
51.1%
−1.4 ptssince 2020
from 52.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
9.7%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 10.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
18.7%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 18.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
35.4%
+1.9 ptssince 2020
from 33.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.6%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 1.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
58.7%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 60.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
49.4%
+2.0 ptssince 2020
from 47.4% 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)16.2%(10,527)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)17.7%(11,527)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era35.2%(22,889)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.1%(3,321)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.2%(756)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 64,943 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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Places similar to Wayne County
Head to head

Compare Wayne County to nearby counties

WAYNE COUNTY VS
Oakland County
Income$97,760+61%
Home value$343,600+92%
Population1,288,337−27%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WAYNE COUNTY VS
Monroe County
Income$77,335+28%
Home value$228,900+28%
Population156,004−91%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WAYNE COUNTY VS
Washtenaw County
Income$89,180+47%
Home value$374,100+110%
Population370,214−79%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WAYNE COUNTY VS
Macomb County
Income$77,837+29%
Home value$243,900+37%
Population886,221−50%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Wayne County, Michigan?

Wayne County, Michigan has about 1,772,259 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Wayne County, Michigan earns about $60,539 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Wayne County, Michigan expensive?

In Wayne County, Michigan, the median home is worth about $178,500, and the typical rent is about $1,132 a month.

How educated are people in Wayne County, Michigan?

About 27.6% of adults age 25 and over in Wayne County, Michigan hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Wayne County, Michigan?

About 20.8% of people in Wayne County, Michigan live below the federal poverty line.

Has Wayne County, Michigan grown since 1990?

Yes, Wayne County, Michigan has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 339,428 residents, a change of about -16 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 →