Kalkaska County, Michigan Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Kalkaska 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 Kalkaska County, Michigan. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Kalkaska County, Michigan. The estimated population of Kalkaska County, Michigan is 17,813 people, with a median age of 43.4.

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

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
17,813
+0.5%
+2.62%
2020
17,725
+0.8%
-
2019
17,585
+0.7%
-
2018
17,463
+0.6%
-
2017
17,358
- -

Population of Kalkaska 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
93.4%
94.7%
-1.37%
Black/African American
1%
0.7%
+42.86%
Native
0.9%
0.6%
+50.00%
Hispanic
2.2%
1.8%
+22.22%
Asian
0.5%
0.4%
+25.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
0.00%
Two Or More Races
2%
1.7%
+17.65%
Other
0%
0%
0.00%

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 Kalkaska 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 43.4 -2.03% 43.2 -1.14% 43.8 -2.23%
2020 44.3 -0.23% 43.7 +0.69% 44.8 -0.67%
2019 44.4 -0.22% 43.4 0% 45.1 -0.44%
2018 44.5 -0.22% 43.4 0% 45.3 -0.22%
2017 44.6 - 43.4 - 45.4 -

The median age of Kalkaska 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 9 978 -10.14% 948 +3.1% 882 977
10 to 19 1,110 +9.49% 981 +1.64% 1,219 997
20 to 29 963 -5.9% 849 +14.39% 907 976
30 to 39 1,053 +19.8% 889 +15.75% 1,277 1,035
40 to 49 1,081 -15.7% 1,067 -5.78% 917 1,003
50 to 59 1,345 -0.97% 1,396 -16.69% 1,331 1,176
60 to 69 1,336 +4.31% 1,194 +17.93% 1,394 1,420
70+ 1,008 +12.38% 1,160 +1.6% 1,131 1,171

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Kalkaska County, Michigan is $50,363.00.

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 Kalkaska County.

  • Under 25
    $24,297.00
  • 25 to 44
    $65,188.00
  • 45 to 64
    $51,657.00
  • 65 and over
    $43,750.00

Average Household Income

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

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Kalkaska 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 Kalkaska County, Michigan is currently $65,591.00.

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.

2.13% of households in Kalkaska 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 Kalkaska County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    23.24%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    26.42%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    18.55%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    15.05%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    11.51%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    3.09%
  • $200,000 or more
    2.13%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Kalkaska County is $27,028.00.

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

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Kalkaska 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 Kalkaska 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
    7.78%
  • Bachelor's degree
    16.93%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    14.10%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    58.94%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.24%

Employment

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

The total population of Kalkaska County over the age of 16 is 14,532.

Of those people, a total of 54.30% 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 Kalkaska County is 50.90%.

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 794 42.60% 12.70%
20 to 24 years 815 79.90% 8.90%
25 to 29 years 1,068 74.00% 4.90%
30 to 34 years 1,056 82.80% 4.20%
35 to 44 years 2,117 82.20% 5.10%
45 to 54 years 2,236 73.60% 7.00%
55 to 59 years 1,330 58.50% 6.00%
60 to 64 years 1,545 39.70% 5.00%
65 to 74 years 2,285 16.10% 5.70%
75 years and over 1,286 7.20% 6.50%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Kalkaska 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 13,741 54.40% 6.20%
Black or African American 187 23.00% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 135 45.90% 14.50%
Asian 89 65.20% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 94 54.30% 2.00%
Two or more races 286 69.90% 5.50%
Hispanic or Latino 285 55.80% 0.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 13,658 54.30% 6.30%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Kalkaska 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 Kalkaska County is 7,391, with median earnings of $33,536.00.

Women in Kalkaska County, Michigan earning approximately 67.10% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 7,391 $33,536.00
Male 4,100 $40,058.00
Female 3,291 $26,887.00

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 504 $54,063.00
Business and Financial 163 $43,456.00
Computer and Mathematical 62 $78,333.00
Architecture and Engineering 67 $59,375.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 45 $56,645.00
Community and Social Service 125 $52,614.00
Legal 67 $27,235.00
Educational and Library 279 $50,417.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 84 $4,940.00
Healthcare Practitioners 356 $55,192.00
Healthcare Support 338 $26,081.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 69 $36,875.00
Law Enforcement 32 $82,778.00
Food Preparation and Serving 417 $12,048.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 428 $19,438.00
Personal Care and Service 167 $15,368.00
Sales 801 $21,696.00
Office and Administrative Support 906 $29,359.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 88 $40,455.00
Construction and Extraction 683 $38,976.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 384 $44,276.00
Production 726 $34,712.00
Transportation and Material Moving 290 $36,167.00

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 337 $66,750.00 167 $43,917.00
Business and Financial 75 $42,679.00 88 $44,000.00
Computer and Mathematical 44 $68,750.00 18 $107,750.00
Architecture and Engineering 58 $70,833.00 9 $24,375.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 36 $56,842.00 9 $0.00
Community and Social Service 65 $46,953.00 60 $60,431.00
Legal 48 $0.00 19 $42,969.00
Educational and Library 44 $49,643.00 235 $51,250.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 34 $53,571.00 50 $3,988.00
Healthcare Practitioners 67 $83,750.00 289 $52,198.00
Healthcare Support 61 $29,196.00 277 $25,439.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 64 $42,794.00 5 $0.00
Law Enforcement 32 $82,778.00 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 121 $20,847.00 296 $10,526.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 255 $22,009.00 173 $11,705.00
Personal Care and Service 46 $17,188.00 121 $13,750.00
Sales 337 $44,306.00 464 $15,672.00
Office and Administrative Support 205 $27,734.00 701 $29,778.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 61 $41,989.00 27 $17,891.00
Construction and Extraction 656 $39,063.00 27 $34,107.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 377 $44,507.00 7 $20,313.00
Production 564 $36,000.00 162 $33,846.00
Transportation and Material Moving 234 $39,500.00 56 $18,676.00

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 7,001 households in Kalkaska County, with an average household size of 2.52 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 4,562 families in Kalkaska County with an average family size of 3.06 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 3,642 308 612 2,439
Average Household Size 3.05 4.2 3.49 1.29
Total Families 3,642 308 612 0
Average Household Size 3.01 3.51 3.09 0

Poverty

Of the 4,562 families in Kalkaska County, 11.20% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Kalkaska 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 11,651 housing units in Kalkaska County, Michigan.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 7,001 60.09%
Vacant 4,650 39.91%

8.32% of the total 11,651 housing units in Kalkaska County are rental units. This is approximately 969 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 5,927 are occupied by the owner - or 50.87% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Kalkaska County is $740.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Kalkaska 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
    105
  • Less than $500
    148
  • $500 to $999
    673
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    139
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    9
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Kalkaska County is $136,000.00.

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

  • Less than $50,000
    756
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    1,272
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    1,298
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    1,150
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    775
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    509
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    126
  • $1,000,000 or more
    41

Property Age

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

  • 1939 or earlier
    907
  • 1940 to 1949
    486
  • 1950 to 1959
    925
  • 1960 to 1969
    1,391
  • 1970 to 1979
    2,532
  • 1980 to 1989
    1,721
  • 1990 to 1999
    1,872
  • 2000 to 2009
    1,379
  • 2010 to 2013
    426
  • 2014 or later
    12

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 Kalkaska County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    325
  • 1 vehicle available
    2,101
  • 2 vehicles available
    3,039
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    1,536

Commuting to Work

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

29.4 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Kalkaska 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
    237
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    699
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    828
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    980
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    824
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    276
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    660
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    434
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    413
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    880
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    497
  • 90 or more minutes
    237

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Kalkaska 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 Kalkaska County, Michigan

We have data for 16 places in Kalkaska County, Michigan. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.