Mecosta County, MI

County

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2022 Population

40,128

0.192% 1-year growth

US Senator

Debbie Stabenow

Democratic Party

US Senator

Gary Peters

Democratic Party

2022 Median Age

40.6

7.41% 1-year increase

2022 Poverty Rate

18%

5.99% 1-year decrease

2022 Median Household Income

$54,132

11.8% 1-year growth

2022 Median Property Value

$153,000

16.4% 1-year growth

2022 Employed Population

16,808

1.24% 1-year decline

About

In 2022, Mecosta County, MI had a population of 40.1k people with a median age of 40.6 and a median household income of $54,132. Between 2021 and 2022 the population of Mecosta County, MI grew from 40,051 to 40,128, a 0.192% increase and its median household income grew from $48,440 to $54,132, a 11.8% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Mecosta County, MI are White (Non-Hispanic) (90.2%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.91%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (2.5%), White (Hispanic) (1.05%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (0.927%).

None of the households in Mecosta County, MI reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

99.4% of the residents in Mecosta County, MI are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Mecosta County, MI are Ferris State University (3,363 degrees awarded in 2022).

In 2022, the median property value in Mecosta County, MI was $153,000, and the homeownership rate was 75.9%.

Most people in Mecosta County, MI drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Mecosta County, MI was 2 cars per household.

Mecosta County, MI borders Clare County, MI, Isabella County, MI, Lake County, MI, Montcalm County, MI, Newaygo County, MI, and Osceola County, MI.

United States Michigan Big Rapids, MI

Population & Diversity

Mecosta County, MI is home to a population of 40.1k people, from which 99.4% are citizens. As of 2022, 1.46% of Mecosta County, MI residents were born outside of the country (585 people).

In 2022, there were 31 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (36.2k people) in Mecosta County, MI than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.17k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 1k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.4%

2022 Citizenship

99.2%

2021 Citizenship

As of 2022, 99.4% of Mecosta County, MI residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.5%. In 2021, the percentage of US citizens in Mecosta County, MI was 99.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Mecosta County, MI compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Mecosta County, MI

White (Non-Hispanic)
36.2k ± 133
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
1.17k ± 260
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
1k ± 161

2.65%

Hispanic Population

1.06k people

2.65% of the people in Mecosta County, MI are hispanic (1.06k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Mecosta County, MI as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Michigan.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
79,402 ± 6,891 people
India
76,527 ± 6,766 people
Iraq
57,451 ± 5,868 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Michigan was Mexico, the natal country of 79,402 Michigan residents, followed by India with 76,527 and Iraq with 57,451.

Foreign-Born Population

1.46%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

585 people

1.63%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

652 people

As of 2022, 1.46% of Mecosta County, MI residents (585 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2021, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Mecosta County, MI was 1.63%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Mecosta County, MI compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
871 ± 135
Gulf War (2001-)
601 ± 176
Gulf War (1990s)
293 ± 85

Mecosta County, MI has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.45 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Mecosta County, MI employs 16.8k people. The largest industries in Mecosta County, MI are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,625 people), Manufacturing (2,441 people), and Educational Services (2,083 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($94,500), Wholesale Trade ($61,991), and Utilities ($58,750).

Males in Michigan have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $58,244. The income inequality in Michigan (measured using the Gini index) is 0.466, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

16.8k

2022 Value

± 732

−1.24%

1 Year decline

± 6.34%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Mecosta County, MI declined at a rate of −1.24%, from 17k employees to 16.8k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Mecosta County, MI, are Production Occupations (1,608 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,603 people), and Management Occupations (1,589 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Mecosta County, MI.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Michigan (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

16.8k

2022 Value

± 732

−1.24%

1 Year decline

± 6.34%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Mecosta County, MI declined at a rate of −1.24%, from 17k employees to 16.8k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Mecosta County, MI, are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,625 people), Manufacturing (2,441 people), and Educational Services (2,083 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Mecosta County, MI, though some of these residents may live in Mecosta County, MI and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$39,413

Median earning men ± $1,529

$27,878

Median earning women ± $2,019

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2022 are Public Administration ($64,286), Wholesale Trade ($63,654), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($53,125).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2022 are Wholesale Trade ($60,903), Public Administration ($41,035), and Construction ($39,417).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Michigan.

Y-Axis

2.16%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.37M people employed in Michigan. This represents a 2.16% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 23.6%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Michigan.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

60
Other Services (except Public Administration)
54
Retail Trade
50
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$117k
Manufacturing
$72.5k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$63.4k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Mecosta County, MI went to Donald J. Trump with 63% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (35%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.44%).

Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters are the senators currently representing the state of Michigan. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Michigan is currently represented by 13 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (63%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (35%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.44%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Mecosta County, MI went to Donald J. Trump with 63% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (35%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.44%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Mecosta County, MI for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Michigan

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Michigan.

Debbie Stabenow

Senator from Michigan

Assumed office on January 3, 2001

Gary Peters

Senator from Michigan

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters are the senators currently representing Michigan.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Michigan over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Michigan

Michigan is currently represented by 13 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Michigan have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Mecosta County, MI awarded 3,363 degrees. The student population of Mecosta County, MI in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 4,521 male students and 5,551 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Mecosta County, MI are White (2,661 and 80.3%), followed by Black or African American (188 and 5.67%), Hispanic or Latino (165 and 4.98%), and Two or More Races (116 and 3.5%).

The largest universities in Mecosta County, MI by number of degrees awarded are Ferris State University (3,363 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Mecosta County, MI are Criminal Justice - Police Science (288 and 8.56%), General Business Administration & Management (239 and 7.11%), and Pharmacy (140 and 4.16%).

The median tuition cost in Mecosta County, MI for a public four year colleges is $13,608 for in-state students and $13,608 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Mecosta County, MI, the percentage of applicants admitted was 87.9%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 16.2%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 10,072 (44.9% men and 55.1% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 10,072 students enrolled in Mecosta County, MI, 44.9% men and 55.1% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 7,444 records, of which 53.7% were women and 46.3% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
160 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
107 degrees awarded
Criminal Justice - Police Science
222 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Mecosta County, MI was General Business Administration & Management with 160 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Mecosta County, MI according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Ferris State University

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

3,363 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Ferris State University with 3,363 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 1,546 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Mecosta County, MI, which is 0.851 times less than the 1,817 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 2,661 degrees mean that there were 14.2 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 188 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($13,608) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($828) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Michigan.

Measure

In 2022, 0.784% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.801% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Michigan.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (2.31M), Some college (1.92M), and Bachelors Degree (1.42M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Mecosta County, MI was $153,000 in 2022, which is 0.543 times smaller than the national average of $281,900. Between 2021 and 2022 the median property value increased from $131,400 to $153,000, a 16.4% increase. The homeownership rate in Mecosta County, MI is 75.9%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.8%.

People in Mecosta County, MI have an average commute time of 23.5 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Mecosta County, MI is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Mecosta County, MI is $54,132. In 2022, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Mecosta County, MI was Census Tract 9603 with a value of $79,844, followed by Census Tract 9604 and Census Tract 9608, with respective values of $60,964 and $56,588.

In 2023, 15.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Mecosta County, MI. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 4.91%.

Housing

Property

$153,000

Median Property Value 2022

±$5,845

$12,230

Median Property Taxes

±$558

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Mecosta County, MI the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Mecosta County, MI compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

75.9%

Homeownership

2022

62.8%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2022

In 2022, 75.9% of the housing units in Mecosta County, MI were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 75.2%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Mecosta County, MI compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 9603
Census Tract 9604
Census Tract 9608

In 2022, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Mecosta County, MI was Census Tract 9603 with a value of $79,844, followed by Census Tract 9604 and Census Tract 9608, with respective values of $60,964 and $56,588.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Mecosta County, MI colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$54,132

Median Household Income

± $3,181

16.1k

Number of Households

± 686

In 2022, the median household income of the 16.1k households in Mecosta County, MI grew to $54,132 from the previous year's value of $48,440.

The following chart displays the households in Mecosta County, MI distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Mecosta County, MI is from Michigan.

0.466

2022 Wage GINI in Michigan

0.468

2021 Wage GINI in Michigan

In 2022, the income inequality in Michigan was 0.466 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.473% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Michigan was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Michigan in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Michigan across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2022

Drove Alone (79.1%)
Carpooled (8.33%)
Worked At Home (5.41%)

In 2022, 79.1% of workers in Mecosta County, MI drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.33%) and those who worked at home (5.41%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

23.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Mecosta County, MI have a shorter commute time (23.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.7 minutes). Additionally, 2.35% of the workforce in Mecosta County, MI have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Mecosta County, MI compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Mecosta County, MI distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Mecosta County, MI have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 15.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Mecosta County, MI. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 4.91%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

18% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Mecosta County, MI (6.78k out of 37.7k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 18 - 24, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Mecosta County, MI is White, followed by Black and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 19.3% of the children was living in poverty in Mecosta County, MI. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 8.9%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

92.2% of the population of Mecosta County, MI has health coverage, with 40.3% on employee plans, 20.2% on Medicaid, 15.2% on Medicare, 15.3% on non-group plans, and 1.19% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Mecosta County, MI see 2091 patients per year on average, which represents a 10.7% increase from the previous year (1889 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2107 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 572 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.4% were men and 50.6% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,091 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Mecosta County, MI

Primary care physicians in Mecosta County, MI see an average of 2,091 patients per year. This represents a 10.7% increase from the previous year (1,889 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Mecosta County, MI in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2022, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.2% under 18 years, 23.7% between 18 and 34 years, 35.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 19.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.4% were men and 50.6% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

7.76%

Uninsured

40.3%

Employer Coverage

20.2%

Medicaid

15.2%

Medicare

15.3%

Non-Group

1.19%

Military or VA

Between 2021 and 2022, the percent of uninsured citizens in Mecosta County, MI grew by 12.8% from 6.87% to 7.76%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Mecosta County, MI changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 49.7 in Mecosta County, MI.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Mecosta County, MI.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 38% in Mecosta County, MI.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Mecosta County, MI.