Houghton County, Michigan
Located in Michigan, Houghton County has a population of 37,693 residents and a median age of 32.2 years, making it the #1,264 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 16.5%. The median home value is $159,900, and the median household income is $58,899, which is 22% below the national median.
Demographics
Houghton County has a population of 37,693, making it the #1,264 most populous county in the US. The median age is 32.2 years, which is 17.2% below 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 Houghton County is $58,899, ranking #2,180 out of 3,222 counties — 21.6% below the national median. The poverty rate is 16.5% and unemployment stands at 5.7%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Houghton County is $159,900 (-43.3% vs national). Renters pay a median of $840/mo and the homeownership rate is 71.8%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Houghton County, 37.2% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 10.5% above the national average, ranking #370 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Houghton County is 77.6 years. 15.1% of adults report poor or fair health and 6.3% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
15.9% of adults in Houghton County smoke , 34.2% are obese , and 20.9% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 11.9 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 18.0 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 7.1 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
14.0% of children in Houghton County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 9.3 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Houghton County is 67.3%. The mean commute time is 17.3 min, which is 37.2% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Houghton County voted Republican with a margin of 17.0%. The vote was 40.7% Dem / 57.7% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 2.8 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Houghton County, Michigan
Houghton County, Michigan has a total population of 37,693, making it the 1,264th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Houghton County is 32.2 years, which is 17.2% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Houghton County is $58,899, which ranks #2,180 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 21.6% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 16.5%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 5.7%.
The median home value in Houghton County is $159,900, 43.3% below the national median. Renters in Houghton County pay a median gross rent of $840 per month. The homeownership rate is 71.8%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Houghton County, 37.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 10.5% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 94.9% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 17.3 min.
Houghton County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 90.9% of the population, followed by Asian (non-Hispanic) (2.9%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
All data for Houghton 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.