Alpena County, Michigan
Located in Michigan, Alpena County has a population of 28,880 residents and a median age of 47.8 years, making it the #1,508 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 18.0%. The median home value is $153,900, and the median household income is $53,950, which is 28% below the national median.
Demographics
Alpena County has a population of 28,880, making it the #1,508 most populous county in the US. The median age is 47.8 years, which is 22.9% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Alpena County is $53,950, ranking #2,537 out of 3,222 counties — 28.2% below the national median. The poverty rate is 18.0% and unemployment stands at 6.2%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Alpena County is $153,900 (-45.4% vs national). Renters pay a median of $673/mo and the homeownership rate is 80.0%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Alpena County, 18.3% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 45.6% below the national average, ranking #2,295 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Alpena County is 77.0 years. 17.8% of adults report poor or fair health and 6.2% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
20.2% of adults in Alpena County smoke , 38.7% are obese , and 21.1% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 16.4 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 19.1 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 9.5 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
19.6% of children in Alpena County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 16.3 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Alpena County is 74.1%. The mean commute time is 19.1 min, which is 30.9% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Alpena County voted Republican with a margin of 28.6%. The vote was 35.1% Dem / 63.7% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 1.0 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Alpena County, Michigan
Alpena County, Michigan has a total population of 28,880, making it the 1,508th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Alpena County is 47.8 years, which is 22.9% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Alpena County is $53,950, which ranks #2,537 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 28.2% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 18.0%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 6.2%.
The median home value in Alpena County is $153,900, 45.4% below the national median. Renters in Alpena County pay a median gross rent of $673 per month. The homeownership rate is 80.0%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Alpena County, 18.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 45.6% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 94.8% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 19.1 min.
Alpena County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 92.4% of the population, followed by Two or More Races (4.2%) and Hispanic or Latino (1.7%).
All data for Alpena County, Michigan comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.