Mecosta County, MI

County

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2023 Population

40,321

0.481% 1-year growth

US Senator

N/AGary Peters

Democratic Party

US Senator

N/AElissa Slotkin

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

40.6

0% 1-year change

2023 Poverty Rate

19.2%

6.67% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$57,774

6.73% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

17,125

1.89% 1-year growth

About

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Mecosta County, MI are White (Non-Hispanic) (90%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.35%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (2.2%), Two+ (Hispanic) (1.15%), and White (Hispanic) (0.92%).

None of the households in Mecosta County, MI reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

99.4% of the residents in Mecosta County, MI are U.S. citizens.

Most people in Mecosta County, MI drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Mecosta County, MI was 2 cars per household.

Mecosta County, MI borders Clare County, MI, Isabella County, MI, Lake County, MI, Montcalm County, MI, Newaygo County, MI, and Osceola County, MI.

United States Michigan Big Rapids, MI

Population & Diversity

Mecosta County, MI is home to a population of 40.3k people, from which 99.4% are citizens. As of 2023, 1.68% of Mecosta County, MI residents were born outside of the country (676 people).

In 2023, there were 26.9 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (36.3k people) in Mecosta County, MI than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.35k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 889 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.4%

2023 Citizenship

99.4%

2022 Citizenship

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Mecosta County, MI compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Mecosta County, MI

White (Non-Hispanic)
36.3k ± 153
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
1.35k ± 221
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
889 ± 124

2.79%

Hispanic Population

1.13k people

2.79% of the people in Mecosta County, MI are hispanic (1.13k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Mecosta County, MI as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Michigan.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
79,402 ± 6,891 people
India
76,527 ± 6,766 people
Iraq
57,451 ± 5,868 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Michigan was Mexico, the natal country of 79,402 Michigan residents, followed by India with 76,527 and Iraq with 57,451.

Foreign-Born Population

1.68%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

676 people

1.46%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

585 people

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Mecosta County, MI compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
877 ± 129
Gulf War (2001-)
571 ± 189
Gulf War (1990s)
326 ± 89

Mecosta County, MI has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.54 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Mecosta County, MI employs 17.1k people. The largest industries in Mecosta County, MI are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,599 people), Manufacturing (2,390 people), and Educational Services (2,120 people), and the highest paying industries are Wholesale Trade ($64,196), Utilities ($59,539), and Public Administration ($51,800).

Males in Michigan have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $58,244. The income inequality in Michigan (measured using the Gini index) is 0.466, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

17.1k

2023 Value

± 763

1.89%

1 Year growth

± 6.11%

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Mecosta County, MI, are Management Occupations (1,680 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,666 people), and Production Occupations (1,573 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Mecosta County, MI.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Michigan (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

17.1k

2023 Value

± 763

1.89%

1 Year growth

± 6.11%

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Mecosta County, MI, are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,599 people), Manufacturing (2,390 people), and Educational Services (2,120 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Mecosta County, MI, though some of these residents may live in Mecosta County, MI and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

N/A

Median earning men ± N/A

N/A

Median earning women ± N/A

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Wholesale Trade ($68,125), Public Administration ($62,348), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($57,650).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Wholesale Trade ($63,472), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($42,188), and Public Administration ($41,750).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for N/A.

Y-Axis

N/A%

Year-over-year N/A

Employment change between N/A N/A and N/A N/A

As of N/A N/A, there are N/A people employed in N/A. This represents a N/A% N/A in employment when compared to N/A N/A.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during N/A, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall N/A in employment by N/A%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in N/A.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

60
Other Services (except Public Administration)
54
Retail Trade
50
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$117k
Manufacturing
$72.5k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$63.4k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Mecosta County, MI went to Donald J. Trump with 63% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (35%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.44%).

Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin are the senators currently representing the state of Michigan. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Michigan is currently represented by 13 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

N/ADonald J. Trump (63%)
Republican Party
N/AJoseph R Biden Jr. (35%)
Democratic Party
N/AJo Jorgensen (1.44%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Mecosta County, MI went to Donald J. Trump with 63% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (35%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.44%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Mecosta County, MI for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Michigan

N/AGary Peters

Senator from Michigan

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

N/AElissa Slotkin

Senator from Michigan

Assumed office on January 3, 2025

Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin are the senators currently representing Michigan.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Michigan over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

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US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Michigan

Michigan is currently represented by 13 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Michigan have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2023, universities in Mecosta County, MI awarded 3,050 degrees. The student population of Mecosta County, MI in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 4,582 male students and 5,336 female students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2023 there were 9,918 students enrolled in Mecosta County, MI, 46.2% men and 53.8% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 7,329 records, of which 53% were women and 47% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Criminal Justice - Police Science
135 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
97 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
150 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Mecosta County, MI was Criminal Justice - Police Science with 135 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Mecosta County, MI according to their major.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 4-year or above ($14,140) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($106) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($836) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Michigan.

Measure

In 2022, 0.784% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.801% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Michigan.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (2.31M), Some college (1.92M), and Bachelors Degree (1.42M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

People in Mecosta County, MI have an average commute time of 23.9 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Mecosta County, MI is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Mecosta County, MI is $57,774. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Mecosta County, MI was Census Tract 9603 with a value of $77,500, followed by Census Tract 9604 and Census Tract 9608, with respective values of $71,364 and $58,443.

In 2023, 15.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Mecosta County, MI. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 4.91%.

Housing

Rent vs Own

N/A%

Homeownership

N/A

63.1%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Mecosta County, MI compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 9603
Census Tract 9604
Census Tract 9608

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Mecosta County, MI was Census Tract 9603 with a value of $77,500, followed by Census Tract 9604 and Census Tract 9608, with respective values of $71,364 and $58,443.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Mecosta County, MI colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$57,774

Median Household Income

± $2,199

16.3k

Number of Households

± 693

The following chart displays the households in Mecosta County, MI distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Mecosta County, MI is from Michigan.

0.466

2022 Wage GINI in Michigan

0.468

2021 Wage GINI in Michigan

In 2022, the income inequality in Michigan was 0.466 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.473% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Michigan was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Michigan in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Michigan across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (78%)
Carpooled (8.25%)
Worked At Home (6.75%)

In 2023, 78% of workers in Mecosta County, MI drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.25%) and those who worked at home (6.75%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

23.9 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Mecosta County, MI have a shorter commute time (23.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 2.28% of the workforce in Mecosta County, MI have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Mecosta County, MI compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Mecosta County, MI distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Mecosta County, MI have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 15.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Mecosta County, MI. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 4.91%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

19.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Mecosta County, MI (7.3k out of 38.1k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 18 - 24, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Mecosta County, MI is White, followed by Black and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

92.2% of the population of Mecosta County, MI has health coverage, with 40.8% on employee plans, 20% on Medicaid, 15.3% on Medicare, 14.7% on non-group plans, and 1.41% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Mecosta County, MI see 2091 patients per year on average, which represents a 10.7% increase from the previous year (1889 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2107 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 572 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, N/A were men and N/A were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,091 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Mecosta County, MI

Primary care physicians in Mecosta County, MI see an average of 2,091 patients per year. This represents a 10.7% increase from the previous year (1,889 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Mecosta County, MI in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In N/A, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in .

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, N/A were men and N/A were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

7.76%

Uninsured

40.8%

Employer Coverage

20%

Medicaid

15.3%

Medicare

14.7%

Non-Group

1.41%

Military or VA

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Mecosta County, MI changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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