Fastest-growing counties in Michigan

Written by:
February 23, 2021
Andrew Jameson // Wikimedia Commons

Fastest-growing counties in Michigan

From 2018 to 2019, the U.S. population grew by .48%, its slowest rate in 100 years. Declining births, increasing deaths largely due to the graying Baby Boomer population, and a crackdown on immigration have contributed to many states seeing net population losses in recent years.

But in other pockets of the country, populations are growing. These shifts can be due to job opportunities, high quality of life, easy commutability to job centers, low rents, or any combination of these or other factors. Stacker compiled a list of the fastest-growing counties in Michigan using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the highest population growth from 2010 to 2019, based on 5-year estimates.

A county typically sees population growth as a “bedroom community” (a municipality with an atypically large commuting population) to a large city. These communities are typically quieter than their feeder cities, offer lower rents and a higher quality of living, and are remote enough to be immune to the feeder city’s crime, traffic, and crowds. Keep reading to see if your home county made the list.

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rossograph // Wikimedia Commons

#30. Montcalm County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: -140
--- #1,774 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: -0.2%
--- #26 among counties in Michigan, #1,600 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 63,413
--- #31 largest county in Michigan, #838 largest county nationwide
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Jcvertin // Wikimedia Commons

#29. Houghton County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: -122
--- #1,742 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: -0.3%
--- #28 among counties in Michigan, #1,628 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 36,070
--- #43 largest county in Michigan, #1,271 largest county nationwide
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Alexey Stiop // Shutterstock

#28. Leelanau County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: -105
--- #1,712 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: -0.5%
--- #29 among counties in Michigan, #1,657 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 21,652
--- #63 largest county in Michigan, #1,744 largest county nationwide
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US Army Corps of Engineer // Wikimedia Commons

#27. Benzie County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: -90
--- #1,686 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: -0.5%
--- #30 among counties in Michigan, #1,664 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 17,615
--- #65 largest county in Michigan, #1,942 largest county nationwide
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User:My name // Wikimedia Commons

#26. Charlevoix County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: -40
--- #1,615 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: -0.2%
--- #25 among counties in Michigan, #1,586 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 26,188
--- #52 largest county in Michigan, #1,558 largest county nationwide
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Phoenix-Five // Wikimedia Commons

#25. Keweenaw County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: -11
--- #1,573 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: -0.5%
--- #31 among counties in Michigan, #1,668 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 2,111
--- #83 largest county in Michigan, #3,040 largest county nationwide
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rossograph // Wikimedia Commons

#24. Otsego County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +45
--- #1,495 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +0.2%
--- #23 among counties in Michigan, #1,526 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 24,490
--- #57 largest county in Michigan, #1,626 largest county nationwide
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Notorious4life // Wikimedia Commons

#23. Missaukee County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +66
--- #1,471 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +0.4%
--- #21 among counties in Michigan, #1,470 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 15,028
--- #69 largest county in Michigan, #2,095 largest county nationwide
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NOAA Great Lakes Envorinmental Ressearch Laboritory // Flickr

#22. Muskegon County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +74
--- #1,462 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +0.0%
--- #24 among counties in Michigan, #1,554 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 173,297
--- #12 largest county in Michigan, #377 largest county nationwide
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Tony Webster // Wikimedia Commons

#21. Marquette County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +172
--- #1,365 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +0.3%
--- #22 among counties in Michigan, #1,506 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 66,686
--- #29 largest county in Michigan, #798 largest county nationwide
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Notorious4life // Wikimedia Commons

#20. Kalkaska County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +185
--- #1,350 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +1.1%
--- #18 among counties in Michigan, #1,359 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 17,585
--- #66 largest county in Michigan, #1,944 largest county nationwide
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rossograph // Wikimedia Commons

#19. Lake County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +227
--- #1,322 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +2.0%
--- #12 among counties in Michigan, #1,214 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 11,852
--- #72 largest county in Michigan, #2,300 largest county nationwide
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Doug Coldwell // Wikimedia Commons

#18. Mason County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +239
--- #1,307 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +0.8%
--- #20 among counties in Michigan, #1,403 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 28,954
--- #49 largest county in Michigan, #1,457 largest county nationwide
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Notorious4life // Wikimedia Commons

#17. Emmet County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +298
--- #1,258 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +0.9%
--- #19 among counties in Michigan, #1,390 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 33,104
--- #46 largest county in Michigan, #1,354 largest county nationwide
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Doug Coldwell // Wikimedia Commons

#16. Mecosta County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +521
--- #1,148 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +1.2%
--- #17 among counties in Michigan, #1,337 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 43,251
--- #39 largest county in Michigan, #1,108 largest county nationwide
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Charles W. Chapman // Wikimedia Commons

#15. Wexford County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +603
--- #1,120 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +1.8%
--- #13 among counties in Michigan, #1,230 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 33,256
--- #45 largest county in Michigan, #1,347 largest county nationwide
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Ryano913~commonswiki // Wikimedia Commons

#14. Barry County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +964
--- #989 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +1.6%
--- #15 among counties in Michigan, #1,267 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 60,540
--- #33 largest county in Michigan, #860 largest county nationwide
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rossograph // Wikimedia Commons

#13. Isabella County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +1,237
--- #923 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +1.8%
--- #14 among counties in Michigan, #1,240 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 70,688
--- #27 largest county in Michigan, #761 largest county nationwide
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SBarnes // Wikimedia Commons

#12. Eaton County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +1,454
--- #871 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +1.3%
--- #16 among counties in Michigan, #1,312 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 109,456
--- #19 largest county in Michigan, #552 largest county nationwide
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kennethaw88 // Wikimedia Commons

#11. Clinton County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +4,154
--- #584 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +5.6%
--- #6 among counties in Michigan, #737 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 78,389
--- #25 largest county in Michigan, #710 largest county nationwide
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Adam Buzzo // Wikimedia Commons

#10. Allegan County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +4,758
--- #553 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +4.3%
--- #9 among counties in Michigan, #878 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 116,143
--- #18 largest county in Michigan, #531 largest county nationwide
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stanthejeep // Wikimedia Commons

#9. Grand Traverse County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +6,120
--- #496 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +7.1%
--- #3 among counties in Michigan, #607 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 92,181
--- #22 largest county in Michigan, #636 largest county nationwide
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Joshuay04 // Wikimedia Commons

#8. Livingston County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +8,404
--- #428 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +4.6%
--- #7 among counties in Michigan, #840 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 189,754
--- #11 largest county in Michigan, #346 largest county nationwide
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Bryan Robb // Wikimedia Commons

#7. Ingham County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +9,222
--- #414 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +3.3%
--- #11 among counties in Michigan, #1,009 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 290,587
--- #7 largest county in Michigan, #236 largest county nationwide
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Mxobe // Wikimedia Commons

#6. Kalamazoo County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +15,499
--- #311 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +6.3%
--- #5 among counties in Michigan, #668 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 262,745
--- #9 largest county in Michigan, #260 largest county nationwide
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Agnieszka Gaul // Shutterstock

#5. Washtenaw County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +23,053
--- #236 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +6.7%
--- #4 among counties in Michigan, #634 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 367,000
--- #6 largest county in Michigan, #190 largest county nationwide
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Gpwitteveen // Wikimedia Commons

#4. Ottawa County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +25,182
--- #220 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +9.6%
--- #1 among counties in Michigan, #422 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 286,558
--- #8 largest county in Michigan, #241 largest county nationwide
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Andrew Jameson // Wikimedia Commons

#3. Macomb County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +32,835
--- #162 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +3.9%
--- #10 among counties in Michigan, #924 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 870,325
--- #3 largest county in Michigan, #65 largest county nationwide
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Grguy2011 // Wikimedia Commons

#2. Kent County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +48,689
--- #107 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +8.1%
--- #2 among counties in Michigan, #531 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 648,121
--- #4 largest county in Michigan, #102 largest county nationwide
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Andrew Jameson // Wikimedia Commons

#1. Oakland County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +52,072
--- #102 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +4.3%
--- #8 among counties in Michigan, #871 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 1,253,185
--- #2 largest county in Michigan, #32 largest county nationwide

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