Arenac County, Michigan Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 68th-largest in Michigan

The population of Arenac County, Michigan is 15,054 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 68th-largest county in Michigan. The median household income is $56,989, the median home value is $129,000, and the median age is 50.1.

The population of Arenac County has declined 4.8% since 2010 (15,852 → 15,087), a -0.35% annualized rate.

Arenac County within Michigan · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

15,054

Population

-0.35%

Annual growth

People / sq mi

$56,989

Median Income

$129,000

Median Home Value

Arenac County covers 363 sq mi of land at 41.5 people per square mile.

About Arenac County, MI

Arenac County is a county in Michigan with a population of 15,054. It ranks #68 among counties in Michigan by population. The median age is 50.1, older than the national median. The population is 51.2% male and 48.8% female.

The median household income in Arenac County is $56,989, below the US median of $74,580. 8.8% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $129,000, with monthly rent averaging $741. The homeownership rate of 85.7% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Arenac County reflects 15.8% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 6.9% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 27.5 minutes each way.

Arenac County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Arenac County had a population of 15,852 in 2010 and 15,087 in 2024, a -4.8% growth over 14 years. The peak was 15,852 in 2010. Average annual growth rate: -0.35%.

15,087

Population (2024)

15,852

Population (2010)

15,852

Peak (2010)

-0.35%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	15,852	-	-	estimate
2011	15,635	-217	-1.37%	estimate
2012	15,500	-135	-0.86%	estimate
2013	15,411	-89	-0.57%	estimate
2014	15,317	-94	-0.61%	estimate
2015	15,304	-13	-0.08%	estimate
2016	15,126	-178	-1.16%	estimate
2017	15,009	-117	-0.77%	estimate
2018	15,033	+24	+0.16%	estimate
2019	14,944	-89	-0.59%	estimate
2020	15,009	+65	+0.43%	estimate
2021	15,023	+14	+0.09%	estimate
2022	15,115	+92	+0.61%	estimate
2023	15,152	+37	+0.24%	estimate
2024	15,087	-65	-0.43%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	93.9%
Black or African American	0.6%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	2.4%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

50.1

Median Age

48.8%

Female

51.2%

Male

26.4%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

4.6%

5–9

4.6%

10–14

5.7%

15–19

5.4%

20–24

4.3%

25–34

9.8%

35–44

10.2%

45–54

11.3%

55–59

8.2%

60–64

9.4%

65–74

16.7%

75–84

7.2%

85+

2.5%

Children (under 15): 14.9% · Seniors (65+): 26.4%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$56,989$-14,160 vs state
Mean household income	$69,907
Per-capita income	$31,061
Poverty rate	8.8%
Unemployment rate	3.3%
Employment-to-population	49.7%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

19.4%

Manufacturing

19.0%

Education & health care

9.5%

Construction

7.5%

Finance & real estate

7.4%

Retail trade

6.7%

Arts, entertainment & food

4.2%

Agriculture

4.2%

The largest employment sector in Arenac County is professional & business services, accounting for 19.4% of workers.

How residents commute

0.3%

Drive alone

2.5%

Carpool

80.7%

Public transit

6.9%

Work from home

27.5 min

Avg commute

Housing

$129,000$-88,600 vs state

Median home value

$741

Median rent

85.7%

Homeownership rate

9,536

Total housing units

67.3%

Occupied

32.7%

Vacant

14.3%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

93.7%

With health insurance

89.8%

With broadband internet

8.7%

Foreign-born

8.9%

Veterans (18+)

18.6%

With a disability

97.3%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

88.6%

High School+

15.8%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in Michigan

Detroit (636,644)Grand Rapids (197,768)Warren (138,128)Sterling Heights (133,473)Ann Arbor (121,179)Lansing (112,546)Dearborn (107,846)Livonia (94,058)Troy (87,307)Westland (84,155)All Michigan cities →

Other counties in Michigan

Wayne County (1,773,767)Oakland County (1,272,294)Macomb County (877,624)Kent County (658,844)Genesee County (404,087)Washtenaw County (368,394)Ottawa County (298,614)Ingham County (282,015)Kalamazoo County (261,437)Livingston County (195,143)All Michigan counties →

Part of Michigan

Michigan demographic profile All Michigan data →

Metro areas in Michigan

Detroit (4,367,620)Grand Rapids (1,154,320)Lansing (470,434)Flint (404,087)Ann Arbor (368,394)South Bend (324,180)Kalamazoo (261,437)Saginaw (189,210)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Arenac County, Michigan has a population of 15,054 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 68th-largest county in Michigan. Population density is 41 people per square mile.

The population of Arenac County has declined 4.8% since 2010 (15,852 → 15,087), a -0.35% annualized rate.

The median household income in Arenac County, Michigan is $56,989, with mean (average) household income of $69,907 and per-capita income of $31,061. 8.8% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Arenac County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (93.9%), Hispanic or Latino (2.4%), Black or African American (0.6%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Arenac County, Michigan is 50.1 years. Residents are 48.8% female and 51.2% male.

The median home value in Arenac County is $129,000 and median monthly rent is $741. 85.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 9,536 total housing units, 32.7% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Arenac County, Michigan is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 19.4% of workers. The unemployment rate is 3.3%.

Detroit is among the largest cities associated with Arenac County, Michigan, with a population of 636,644.