United States › Alpena MICROPOLITAN AREA
Alpena Micro Alpena, MI · 1 counties · 28,853 residents (2025 est.) · 572 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 28,880 people, Alpena is a metro area. The median age is 47.8, about 9 years above the US median. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 18% of adults. 80% of homes are owner-occupied. The typical home is worth $153,900, having more than doubled since 2000. The foreign-born share is 1%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 47.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
18% 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 from 31,314 in 2000
28,853 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 55 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
from 40.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
28K 29K 30K 31K 32K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Alpena Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $53,950
−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,177 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $17,566 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 17.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 10.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.430 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 4.7%
Public administration 3.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.1%
Transportation & warehousing 1.7%
Education & health services 1.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.6%
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$153,900
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $78,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$673
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $370 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 79.1% in 2000
20.0% rent
from 16.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.25 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 25.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 53.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.9 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 97.8%(30,626)
Hispanic / Latino 0.6%(181)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 92.4%(26,675)
Hispanic / Latino 1.7%(477)
from 8 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 15 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 Ancestry
+ 29 more ancestry groups with data from 13.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 83.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 81.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 9.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 5.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 11.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 57.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 69.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 29.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 13.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 17.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 12.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 70.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 85.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 86.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 28.6%(3,495)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 12.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 48.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 15.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 28.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 27.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 5.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 62.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 52.1% 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) 21.6%(498)
Share of the 2,310 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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In this metro
Largest cities What's inside
1 component county Drill deeper
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Compare Alpena side by side ALPENA VS
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Income $53,317 −1%
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ALPENA VS
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ALPENA VS
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ALPENA VS
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Home value $144,800 −6%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Alpena, MI? Alpena, MI has about 28,880 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Alpena, MI? The typical household in Alpena, MI earns about $53,950 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Alpena, MI expensive? In Alpena, MI, the median home is worth about $153,900, and the typical rent is about $673 a month.
How educated are people in Alpena, MI? About 18.3% of adults age 25 and over in Alpena, MI hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Alpena, MI? About 18.0% of people in Alpena, MI live below the federal poverty line.
Has Alpena, MI grown since 1990? Yes, Alpena, MI has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,725 residents, a change of about -6 percent over that period.
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