St. Joseph County, Michigan Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for St. Joseph 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 St. Joseph County, Michigan. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in St. Joseph County, Michigan. The estimated population of St. Joseph County, Michigan is 60,828 people, with a median age of 39.6.

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

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
60,828
+0.06%
-0.10%
2020
60,789
 -0.08% -
2019
60,836
 -0.1% -
2018
60,897
+0.01%
-
2017
60,890
 - -

Population of St. Joseph 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
85.7%
86.8%
 -1.27%
Black/African American
2.2%
2.5%
 -12.00%
Native
0.1%
0.2%
 -50.00%
Hispanic
8.3%
7.5%
 +10.67%
Asian
0.6%
0.5%
 +20.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
3%
2.3%
 +30.43%
Other
0.1%
0.1%
 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 St. Joseph 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 39.6 -0.5% 38.2 +0.26% 40.8 -0.97%
2020 39.8 +0.51% 38.1 -0.26% 41.2 +0.49%
2019 39.6 -0.25% 38.2 -0.78% 41 0%
2018 39.7 +0.76% 38.5 +0.79% 41 +0.74%
2017 39.4 - 38.2 - 40.7 -

The median age of St. Joseph 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 4,062 +7.46% 3,987 -4.64% 4,368 3,805
10 to 19 4,427 -7.43% 4,167 +0.71% 4,104 4,194
20 to 29 3,702 -2.14% 3,375 -0.92% 3,623 3,343
30 to 39 3,502 +7.97% 3,635 -4.75% 3,785 3,462
40 to 49 3,775 -9.22% 3,434 0.02% 3,438 3,433
50 to 59 4,154 +0.59% 4,209 -0.19% 4,176 4,187
60 to 69 3,701 +6.97% 4,127 -3.05% 3,963 4,000
70+ 2,941 +5.36% 3,692 +4.33% 3,098 3,849

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of St. Joseph County, Michigan is $57,080.00.

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 St. Joseph County.

  • Under 25
    $47,143.00
  • 25 to 44
    $64,510.00
  • 45 to 64
    $68,628.00
  • 65 and over
    $41,380.00

Average Household Income

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

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in St. Joseph 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 St. Joseph County, Michigan is currently $70,308.00.

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.

2.59% of households in St. Joseph 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 St. Joseph County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    17.75%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    24.77%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    22.07%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    14.46%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    14.49%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    3.87%
  • $200,000 or more
    2.59%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in St. Joseph County is $27,943.00.

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

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in St. Joseph 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 St. Joseph 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
    8.72%
  • Bachelor's degree
    18.51%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    15.26%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    54.85%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.65%

Employment

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

The total population of St. Joseph County over the age of 16 is 47,597.

Of those people, a total of 62.40% 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 St. Joseph County is 59.30%.

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 3,240 54.30% 11.60%
20 to 24 years 3,334 86.10% 8.80%
25 to 29 years 3,632 86.80% 3.00%
30 to 34 years 3,564 77.60% 6.20%
35 to 44 years 7,183 82.30% 6.60%
45 to 54 years 7,151 78.80% 3.00%
55 to 59 years 4,583 73.90% 2.40%
60 to 64 years 4,154 55.30% 2.80%
65 to 74 years 6,582 25.80% 3.40%
75 years and over 4,174 5.40% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in St. Joseph 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 43,522 61.40% 4.80%
Black or African American 1,137 66.60% 12.40%
American Indian and Alaska Native 38 78.90% 13.30%
Asian 307 58.30% 4.50%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 449 74.80% 2.70%
Two or more races 2,144 77.90% 5.30%
Hispanic or Latino 3,103 80.40% 5.70%
Not Hispanic or Latino 42,048 61.00% 4.70%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in St. Joseph 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 St. Joseph County is 28,214, with median earnings of $34,807.00.

Women in St. Joseph County, Michigan earning approximately 67.70% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 28,214 $34,807.00
Male 15,679 $42,834.00
Female 12,535 $29,005.00

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 2,423 $61,419.00
Business and Financial 610 $44,400.00
Computer and Mathematical 298 $66,985.00
Architecture and Engineering 632 $71,705.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 184 $52,955.00
Community and Social Service 513 $40,865.00
Legal 44 $91,250.00
Educational and Library 1,013 $35,346.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 227 $31,816.00
Healthcare Practitioners 1,160 $52,070.00
Healthcare Support 735 $22,157.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 112 $31,107.00
Law Enforcement 213 $55,779.00
Food Preparation and Serving 1,404 $11,114.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 1,115 $21,085.00
Personal Care and Service 404 $15,051.00
Sales 2,018 $25,738.00
Office and Administrative Support 2,857 $32,939.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 429 $30,074.00
Construction and Extraction 1,356 $37,857.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 1,057 $43,464.00
Production 6,233 $38,517.00
Transportation and Material Moving 1,086 $34,802.00

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 1,423 $69,850.00 1,000 $47,727.00
Business and Financial 267 $56,354.00 343 $41,779.00
Computer and Mathematical 236 $71,250.00 62 $41,711.00
Architecture and Engineering 611 $73,047.00 21 $34,375.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 89 $57,458.00 95 $34,097.00
Community and Social Service 283 $41,827.00 230 $39,306.00
Legal 18 $100,250.00 26 $81,875.00
Educational and Library 198 $65,294.00 815 $23,384.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 25 $63,750.00 202 $31,716.00
Healthcare Practitioners 202 $71,364.00 958 $50,583.00
Healthcare Support 58 $27,000.00 677 $21,760.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 107 $31,209.00 5 $0.00
Law Enforcement 173 $55,960.00 40 $49,500.00
Food Preparation and Serving 494 $10,263.00 910 $12,028.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 786 $27,210.00 329 $11,036.00
Personal Care and Service 60 $27,500.00 344 $12,292.00
Sales 966 $42,256.00 1,052 $16,852.00
Office and Administrative Support 593 $46,771.00 2,264 $31,750.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 281 $37,917.00 148 $14,273.00
Construction and Extraction 1,257 $38,504.00 99 $16,996.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 1,005 $42,933.00 52 $47,500.00
Production 4,227 $42,698.00 2,006 $32,133.00
Transportation and Material Moving 920 $36,573.00 166 $17,024.00

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 23,670 households in St. Joseph County, with an average household size of 2.54 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 15,700 families in St. Joseph County with an average family size of 3.09 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 11,826 1,209 2,665 7,970
Average Household Size 3.21 3.57 3 1.24
Total Families 11,826 1,209 2,665 0
Average Household Size 3.18 3 2.7 0

Poverty

Of the 15,700 families in St. Joseph County, 8.60% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in St. Joseph 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 27,163 housing units in St. Joseph County, Michigan.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 23,670 87.14%
Vacant 3,493 12.86%

20.29% of the total 27,163 housing units in St. Joseph County are rental units. This is approximately 5,512 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 17,645 are occupied by the owner - or 64.96% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in St. Joseph County is $743.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in St. Joseph 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
    513
  • Less than $500
    1,206
  • $500 to $999
    3,262
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    901
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    110
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    3
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    10
  • $3,000 or more
    20

Property Value

The median value of a property in St. Joseph County is $134,600.00.

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

  • Less than $50,000
    1,541
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    4,587
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    3,964
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    3,030
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    2,547
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    1,372
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    526
  • $1,000,000 or more
    78

Property Age

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

  • 1939 or earlier
    6,572
  • 1940 to 1949
    1,555
  • 1950 to 1959
    3,102
  • 1960 to 1969
    2,508
  • 1970 to 1979
    4,691
  • 1980 to 1989
    2,499
  • 1990 to 1999
    3,262
  • 2000 to 2009
    2,230
  • 2010 to 2013
    741
  • 2014 or later
    3

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 St. Joseph County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    1,878
  • 1 vehicle available
    7,466
  • 2 vehicles available
    8,905
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    5,421

Commuting to Work

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

21.1 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in St. Joseph 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
    2,072
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    4,823
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    4,406
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    3,612
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    2,276
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    1,464
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    2,719
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    1,060
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    896
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    1,527
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    715
  • 90 or more minutes
    545

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for St. Joseph 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 St. Joseph County, Michigan

We have data for 17 places in St. Joseph County, Michigan. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.