Kalkaska County, Michigan
Located in Michigan, Kalkaska County has a population of 18,239 residents and a median age of 44.4 years, making it the #1,979 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 12.2%. The median home value is $188,900, and the median household income is $68,578, which is 9% below the national median.
Demographics
Kalkaska County has a population of 18,239, making it the #1,979 most populous county in the US. The median age is 44.4 years, which is 14.1% 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 Kalkaska County is $68,578, ranking #1,294 out of 3,222 counties — 8.7% below the national median. The poverty rate is 12.2% and unemployment stands at 3.8%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Kalkaska County is $188,900 (-33.0% vs national). Renters pay a median of $853/mo and the homeownership rate is 88.2%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Kalkaska County, 19.0% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 43.7% below the national average, ranking #2,187 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Kalkaska County is 74.7 years. 18.5% of adults report poor or fair health and 7.3% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
19.9% of adults in Kalkaska County smoke , 35.7% are obese , and 21.5% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 18.7 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 19.2 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 15.2 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
20.4% of children in Kalkaska County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 22.2 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Kalkaska County is 76.0%. The mean commute time is 32.5 min, which is 17.6% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Kalkaska County voted Republican with a margin of 42.9%. The vote was 27.8% Dem / 70.7% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 1.2 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Kalkaska County, Michigan
Kalkaska County, Michigan has a total population of 18,239, making it the 1,979th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Kalkaska County is 44.4 years, which is 14.1% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Kalkaska County is $68,578, which ranks #1,294 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 8.7% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 12.2%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 3.8%.
The median home value in Kalkaska County is $188,900, 33.0% below the national median. Renters in Kalkaska County pay a median gross rent of $853 per month. The homeownership rate is 88.2%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Kalkaska County, 19.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 43.7% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 93.9% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 32.5 min.
Kalkaska County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 92.3% of the population, followed by Two or More Races (3.7%) and Hispanic or Latino (2.3%).
All data for Kalkaska 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.