Kalamazoo County, Michigan Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Kalamazoo County, Michigan, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Kalamazoo County, Michigan. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Kalamazoo County, Michigan. The estimated population of Kalamazoo County, Michigan is 261,280 people, with a median age of 34.6.

We can look at the total population in Kalamazoo County over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
261,280
-1.15% +0.56%
2020
264,322
+0.6%
-
2019
262,745
+0.45%
-
2018
261,573
+0.67%
-
2017
259,830
- -

Population of Kalamazoo County, Michigan by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
76.4%
78%
-2.05%
Black/African American
10.6%
10.6%
0.00%
Native
0.2%
0.2%
0.00%
Hispanic
5.3%
4.7%
+12.77%
Asian
2.3%
2.4%
-4.17%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
0.00%
Two Or More Races
4.9%
3.9%
+25.64%
Other
0.3%
0.1%
+200.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Kalamazoo County, Michigan by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 34.6 +0.29% 33.6 +0.6% 35.6 -0.56%
2020 34.5 +0.29% 33.4 +0.6% 35.8 0%
2019 34.4 +0.58% 33.2 +0.3% 35.8 +0.56%
2018 34.2 +0.29% 33.1 +0.61% 35.6 0%
2017 34.1 - 32.9 - 35.6 -

The median age of Kalamazoo County, Michigan gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 15,617 +0.95% 15,501 -4.09% 15,765 14,871
10 to 19 18,070 -1.92% 17,188 +1.41% 17,723 17,429
20 to 29 25,391 -2.5% 24,524 +2.41% 24,750 25,108
30 to 39 15,480 +5.83% 15,426 +5.58% 16,398 16,292
40 to 49 14,709 -0.45% 15,272 -5.17% 14,639 14,485
50 to 59 14,805 -3.56% 16,397 -9.43% 14,280 14,899
60 to 69 13,228 +1.03% 14,688 +2.29% 13,360 15,023
70+ 9,947 +14.43% 13,587 +8.94% 11,457 14,801

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Kalamazoo County, Michigan is $61,739.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Kalamazoo County.

  • Under 25
    $28,855.00
  • 25 to 44
    $69,255.00
  • 45 to 64
    $82,130.00
  • 65 and over
    $50,448.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Kalamazoo County, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Kalamazoo County, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Kalamazoo County, Michigan is currently $85,156.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

6.69% of households in Kalamazoo County are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Kalamazoo County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    18.31%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    22.71%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    17.58%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    12.29%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    15.61%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    6.81%
  • $200,000 or more
    6.69%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Kalamazoo County is $34,928.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Kalamazoo County by the total population of Kalamazoo County.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Kalamazoo County to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    18.28%
  • Bachelor's degree
    38.52%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    11.33%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    30.15%
  • Less than high school diploma
    1.71%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Kalamazoo County that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Kalamazoo County over the age of 16 is 210,400.

Of those people, a total of 66.60% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Kalamazoo County is 62.00%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 14,908 50.20% 15.90%
20 to 24 years 30,828 79.90% 10.90%
25 to 29 years 19,030 83.70% 8.50%
30 to 34 years 16,337 84.90% 5.30%
35 to 44 years 31,095 86.30% 5.90%
45 to 54 years 28,661 84.70% 3.80%
55 to 59 years 14,900 74.90% 4.00%
60 to 64 years 15,437 59.10% 2.30%
65 to 74 years 23,635 23.80% 3.00%
75 years and over 15,569 7.40% 2.90%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Kalamazoo County. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 171,127 65.90% 5.00%
Black or African American 21,946 68.30% 14.50%
American Indian and Alaska Native 480 49.40% 17.30%
Asian 5,435 73.00% 9.80%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 77 74.00% 54.40%
Other 2,149 71.80% 16.30%
Two or more races 9,186 71.50% 11.80%
Hispanic or Latino 9,285 71.00% 12.80%
Not Hispanic or Latino 166,331 65.80% 5.00%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Kalamazoo County as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Kalamazoo County is 130,545, with median earnings of $37,991.00.

Women in Kalamazoo County, Michigan earning approximately 71.30% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 130,545 $37,991.00
Male 66,765 $44,278.00
Female 63,780 $31,572.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 13,988 $70,506.00
Business and Financial 7,683 $61,031.00
Computer and Mathematical 3,274 $63,438.00
Architecture and Engineering 3,423 $76,875.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 2,445 $62,845.00
Community and Social Service 2,893 $45,220.00
Legal 951 $97,452.00
Educational and Library 7,881 $41,996.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 2,797 $30,930.00
Healthcare Practitioners 9,772 $58,536.00
Healthcare Support 4,616 $23,571.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 962 $21,724.00
Law Enforcement 776 $70,814.00
Food Preparation and Serving 9,535 $11,726.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 4,614 $20,566.00
Personal Care and Service 3,781 $12,547.00
Sales 11,513 $27,595.00
Office and Administrative Support 13,430 $32,208.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 736 $25,793.00
Construction and Extraction 4,190 $44,147.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 2,933 $44,170.00
Production 9,645 $40,777.00
Transportation and Material Moving 3,573 $35,865.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 7,550 $85,896.00 6,438 $61,633.00
Business and Financial 3,079 $73,958.00 4,604 $53,528.00
Computer and Mathematical 2,334 $72,558.00 940 $55,571.00
Architecture and Engineering 3,046 $81,004.00 377 $66,086.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 1,121 $64,835.00 1,324 $61,149.00
Community and Social Service 1,177 $51,127.00 1,716 $42,790.00
Legal 570 $152,727.00 381 $51,676.00
Educational and Library 2,883 $44,721.00 4,998 $40,337.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 1,042 $43,528.00 1,755 $28,676.00
Healthcare Practitioners 2,576 $75,673.00 7,196 $54,810.00
Healthcare Support 639 $30,250.00 3,977 $21,559.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 642 $27,115.00 320 $12,059.00
Law Enforcement 645 $74,840.00 131 $54,135.00
Food Preparation and Serving 4,010 $12,632.00 5,525 $11,020.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 2,748 $21,959.00 1,866 $15,590.00
Personal Care and Service 1,044 $15,855.00 2,737 $11,027.00
Sales 6,105 $37,729.00 5,408 $20,281.00
Office and Administrative Support 4,160 $33,339.00 9,270 $31,452.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 440 $26,280.00 296 $16,705.00
Construction and Extraction 4,134 $44,365.00 56 $6,707.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 2,768 $45,030.00 165 $17,060.00
Production 7,115 $45,059.00 2,530 $30,393.00
Transportation and Material Moving 3,112 $41,202.00 461 $18,578.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 105,299 households in Kalamazoo County, with an average household size of 2.4 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 62,825 families in Kalamazoo County with an average family size of 3 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 46,705 4,432 11,688 42,474
Average Household Size 3.08 3.22 3.13 1.38
Total Families 46,705 4,432 11,688 0
Average Household Size 3.05 2.77 2.86 0

Poverty

Of the 62,825 families in Kalamazoo County, 8.30% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Kalamazoo County:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 113,570 housing units in Kalamazoo County, Michigan.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 105,299 92.72%
Vacant 8,271 7.28%

32.52% of the total 113,570 housing units in Kalamazoo County are rental units. This is approximately 36,928 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 67,060 are occupied by the owner - or 59.05% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Kalamazoo County is $891.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Kalamazoo County that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    1,311
  • Less than $500
    3,767
  • $500 to $999
    19,949
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    9,433
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    2,652
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    610
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    132
  • $3,000 or more
    385

Property Value

The median value of a property in Kalamazoo County is $178,100.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Kalamazoo County that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    4,087
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    8,778
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    11,896
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    13,655
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    15,771
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    9,568
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    2,692
  • $1,000,000 or more
    613

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Kalamazoo County. The chart below shows the number of properties in Kalamazoo County that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    16,202
  • 1940 to 1949
    6,546
  • 1950 to 1959
    13,940
  • 1960 to 1969
    13,448
  • 1970 to 1979
    17,186
  • 1980 to 1989
    12,397
  • 1990 to 1999
    14,442
  • 2000 to 2009
    13,281
  • 2010 to 2013
    6,019
  • 2014 or later
    109

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Kalamazoo County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    7,418
  • 1 vehicle available
    36,099
  • 2 vehicles available
    41,336
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    20,446

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Kalamazoo County get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Kalamazoo County that commute to work in a particular way.

20.3 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Kalamazoo County.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    3,672
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    13,777
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    22,113
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    25,078
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    20,458
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    8,708
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    10,057
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    2,821
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    2,613
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    3,758
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    3,079
  • 90 or more minutes
    1,462

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Kalamazoo County, Michigan in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Places in Kalamazoo County, Michigan

We have data for 21 places in Kalamazoo County, Michigan. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.