Manistee County, Michigan Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 58th-largest in Michigan

The population of Manistee County, Michigan is 25,247 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 58th-largest county in Michigan. The median household income is $60,879, the median home value is $166,600, and the median age is 50.3.

The population of Manistee County has grown 3.8% since 2010 (24,587 → 25,519), a +0.27% annualized rate.

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

25,247

Population

+0.27%

Annual growth

People / sq mi

$60,879

Median Income

$166,600

Median Home Value

Manistee County covers 542 sq mi of land at 46.6 people per square mile.

About Manistee County, MI

Homeownership is the standout figure in Manistee County: 85.9% of homes are owner-occupied, higher than the national rate. Manistee County is a county in Michigan with a population of 25,247.

Household earnings are middling, with a median of $60,879 — below the US median of $78,538. About 7.4% of residents live below the federal poverty level, below the national 12.4%. The typical home is valued at $166,600, with typical rent around $820.

Roughly 23.4% of adults have a bachelor’s, below the national 35.0%. About 10.3% of workers primarily work from home, below the national 14.0%, and the average commute runs about 22 minutes each way.

The ownership rate anchors the housing story in Manistee County, and tends to move with the age structure and home-value figures above.

Manistee County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Manistee County had a population of 24,587 in 2010 and 25,519 in 2024, a 3.8% growth over 14 years. The peak was 25,519 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 0.27%.

Manistee County population, 2010–2024 · Source: U.S. Census Bureau — decennial census & Population Estimates

25,519

Population (2024)

24,587

Population (2010)

25,519

Peak (2024)

0.27%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	24,587	-	-	estimate
2011	24,776	+189	+0.77%	estimate
2012	24,675	-101	-0.41%	estimate
2013	24,484	-191	-0.77%	estimate
2014	24,415	-69	-0.28%	estimate
2015	24,462	+47	+0.19%	estimate
2016	24,452	-10	-0.04%	estimate
2017	24,406	-46	-0.19%	estimate
2018	24,479	+73	+0.30%	estimate
2019	24,619	+140	+0.57%	estimate
2020	25,070	+451	+1.83%	estimate
2021	25,340	+270	+1.08%	estimate
2022	25,334	-6	-0.02%	estimate
2023	25,485	+151	+0.60%	estimate
2024	25,519	+34	+0.13%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	89.3%
Black or African American	3.4%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	3.4%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

50.3

Median Age

48.5%

Female

51.5%

Male

27.4%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

3.9%

5–9

4.4%

10–14

5.1%

15–19

5.0%

20–24

4.9%

25–34

10.5%

35–44

10.5%

45–54

11.8%

55–59

6.9%

60–64

9.6%

65–74

16.5%

75–84

8.2%

85+

2.7%

Children (under 15): 13.4% · Seniors (65+): 27.4%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$60,879$-10,270 vs state
Mean household income	$81,133
Per-capita income	$34,636
Poverty rate	7.4%-1.4% vs state
Unemployment rate	3.0%
Employment-to-population	45.7%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

19.5%

Manufacturing

13.5%

Education & health care

13.4%

Finance & real estate

10.5%

Construction

8.1%

Public administration

5.3%

Arts, entertainment & food

4.7%

Information

4.2%

The largest employment sector in Manistee County is professional & business services, accounting for 19.5% of workers.

How residents commute

0.5%

Drive alone

1.5%

Carpool

77.5%

Public transit

10.3%

Work from home

21.5 min

Avg commute

Housing

$166,600$-51,000 vs state

Median home value

$820

Median rent

85.9%

Homeownership rate

15,631

Total housing units

66.0%

Occupied

34.0%

Vacant

14.1%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

95.8%

With health insurance

90.7%

With broadband internet

18.3%

Foreign-born

8.8%

Veterans (18+)

19.3%

With a disability

96.0%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

90.3%

High School+

23.4%

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

Manistee County, Michigan has a population of 25,247 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 58th-largest county in Michigan. Population density is 47 people per square mile.

The population of Manistee County has grown 3.8% since 2010 (24,587 → 25,519), a +0.27% annualized rate.

The median household income in Manistee County, Michigan is $60,879, with mean (average) household income of $81,133 and per-capita income of $34,636. 7.4% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Manistee County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (89.3%), Black or African American (3.4%), Hispanic or Latino (3.4%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Manistee County, Michigan is 50.3 years. Residents are 48.5% female and 51.5% male.

The median home value in Manistee County is $166,600 and median monthly rent is $820. 85.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 15,631 total housing units, 34.0% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Manistee County, Michigan is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 19.5% of workers. The unemployment rate is 3.0%.

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