Wayne County, Michigan Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Wayne 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 Wayne County, Michigan. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Wayne County, Michigan. The estimated population of Wayne County, Michigan is 1,789,781 people, with a median age of 37.8.

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

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
1,789,781
+2.09%
+1.47%
2020
1,753,059
 -0.24% -
2019
1,757,299
 -0.23% -
2018
1,761,382
 -0.14% -
2017
1,763,822
 - -

Population of Wayne 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
49.1%
49.7%
 -1.21%
Black/African American
37.6%
38.9%
 -3.34%
Native
0.2%
0.3%
 -33.33%
Hispanic
6.2%
5.7%
 +8.77%
Asian
3.4%
3.1%
 +9.68%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
3.1%
2.1%
 +47.62%
Other
0.4%
0.2%
 +100.00%

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 Wayne 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 37.8 -0.26% 36.3 +0.55% 39.3 -0.76%
2020 37.9 0% 36.1 0% 39.6 +0.51%
2019 37.9 0% 36.1 -0.28% 39.4 0%
2018 37.9 0% 36.2 0% 39.4 0%
2017 37.9 - 36.2 - 39.4 -

The median age of Wayne 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 9 116,234 +0.67% 112,585 +0.66% 116,989 113,302
10 to 19 120,774 +1.4% 115,884 -0.04% 122,303 115,755
20 to 29 122,869 -0.89% 125,548 -0.68% 121,765 124,692
30 to 39 101,736 +7.94% 110,158 +5.11% 109,951 115,805
40 to 49 109,446 -4.81% 117,915 -3.15% 104,237 114,221
50 to 59 119,748 -3.15% 128,390 -5.87% 115,943 121,019
60 to 69 90,119 +10.7% 104,640 +6.92% 100,107 112,056
70+ 67,413 +11.17% 100,363 +5.87% 75,255 106,381

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Wayne County, Michigan is $52,830.00.

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 Wayne County.

  • Under 25
    $31,463.00
  • 25 to 44
    $54,800.00
  • 45 to 64
    $62,831.00
  • 65 and over
    $42,807.00

Average Household Income

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

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Wayne 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 Wayne County, Michigan is currently $74,894.00.

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.

5.38% of households in Wayne 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 Wayne County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    24.67%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    22.99%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    16.97%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    11.38%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    12.91%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    5.70%
  • $200,000 or more
    5.38%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Wayne County is $29,953.00.

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

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Wayne 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 Wayne 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
    13.51%
  • Bachelor's degree
    26.95%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    12.51%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    42.96%
  • Less than high school diploma
    4.06%

Employment

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

The total population of Wayne County over the age of 16 is 1,411,778.

Of those people, a total of 59.20% 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 Wayne County is 53.70%.

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 90,346 37.20% 23.90%
20 to 24 years 111,292 73.30% 17.00%
25 to 29 years 135,165 81.00% 10.50%
30 to 34 years 118,802 79.50% 8.80%
35 to 44 years 212,026 78.40% 8.00%
45 to 54 years 230,157 74.80% 7.00%
55 to 59 years 120,191 66.40% 5.50%
60 to 64 years 117,761 49.20% 6.20%
65 to 74 years 166,943 21.40% 5.50%
75 years and over 109,095 4.90% 5.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Wayne 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 756,357 60.50% 5.90%
Black or African American 523,045 56.60% 14.50%
American Indian and Alaska Native 4,678 54.10% 12.40%
Asian 49,872 63.80% 4.70%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 272 57.00% 0.00%
Other 28,559 58.60% 10.10%
Two or more races 48,995 63.90% 11.50%
Hispanic or Latino 75,658 64.70% 9.40%
Not Hispanic or Latino 723,617 60.20% 5.80%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Wayne 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 Wayne County is 758,657, with median earnings of $37,873.00.

Women in Wayne County, Michigan earning approximately 74.80% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 758,657 $37,873.00
Male 385,357 $43,790.00
Female 373,300 $32,773.00

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 63,786 $71,225.00
Business and Financial 38,058 $64,088.00
Computer and Mathematical 21,636 $75,648.00
Architecture and Engineering 22,183 $93,853.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 5,222 $58,206.00
Community and Social Service 12,716 $43,611.00
Legal 6,451 $74,061.00
Educational and Library 36,087 $38,709.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 12,953 $36,662.00
Healthcare Practitioners 47,157 $57,739.00
Healthcare Support 34,585 $22,523.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 11,106 $31,922.00
Law Enforcement 5,511 $65,497.00
Food Preparation and Serving 43,872 $15,461.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 29,060 $21,607.00
Personal Care and Service 17,940 $16,516.00
Sales 66,866 $27,788.00
Office and Administrative Support 88,669 $35,472.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 1,331 $17,262.00
Construction and Extraction 27,555 $40,947.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 21,463 $48,117.00
Production 69,650 $38,950.00
Transportation and Material Moving 33,547 $34,165.00

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 34,544 $87,011.00 29,242 $59,183.00
Business and Financial 16,776 $74,194.00 21,282 $58,406.00
Computer and Mathematical 14,858 $78,438.00 6,778 $68,296.00
Architecture and Engineering 19,219 $95,151.00 2,964 $85,040.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 2,314 $59,853.00 2,908 $53,400.00
Community and Social Service 3,533 $43,827.00 9,183 $43,555.00
Legal 2,837 $104,240.00 3,614 $62,458.00
Educational and Library 9,236 $44,281.00 26,851 $37,252.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 7,212 $48,603.00 5,741 $28,033.00
Healthcare Practitioners 10,421 $66,104.00 36,736 $54,962.00
Healthcare Support 4,971 $24,159.00 29,614 $22,399.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 7,892 $36,000.00 3,214 $24,470.00
Law Enforcement 4,407 $67,223.00 1,104 $55,893.00
Food Preparation and Serving 19,214 $17,532.00 24,658 $14,319.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 17,428 $25,599.00 11,632 $17,447.00
Personal Care and Service 4,530 $20,214.00 13,410 $15,547.00
Sales 31,328 $39,636.00 35,538 $20,467.00
Office and Administrative Support 20,706 $38,670.00 67,963 $34,742.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 755 $20,977.00 576 $15,893.00
Construction and Extraction 26,400 $40,848.00 1,155 $44,741.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 20,149 $48,738.00 1,314 $44,613.00
Production 48,442 $43,143.00 21,208 $31,267.00
Transportation and Material Moving 27,866 $37,381.00 5,681 $24,996.00

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 685,635 households in Wayne County, with an average household size of 2.58 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 412,265 families in Wayne County with an average family size of 3.4 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 251,644 39,209 121,412 273,370
Average Household Size 3.42 3.47 3.66 1.2
Total Families 251,644 39,209 121,412 0
Average Household Size 3.4 3.13 3.49 0

Poverty

Of the 412,265 families in Wayne County, 15.30% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Wayne 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 793,207 housing units in Wayne County, Michigan.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 685,635 86.44%
Vacant 107,572 13.56%

29.94% of the total 793,207 housing units in Wayne County are rental units. This is approximately 237,462 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 434,436 are occupied by the owner - or 54.77% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Wayne County is $951.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Wayne 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
    13,737
  • Less than $500
    26,106
  • $500 to $999
    105,885
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    82,103
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    17,595
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    3,720
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    863
  • $3,000 or more
    1,190

Property Value

The median value of a property in Wayne County is $136,200.00.

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

  • Less than $50,000
    73,968
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    85,486
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    76,672
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    63,690
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    69,653
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    47,116
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    15,446
  • $1,000,000 or more
    2,405

Property Age

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

  • 1939 or earlier
    159,336
  • 1940 to 1949
    116,576
  • 1950 to 1959
    195,646
  • 1960 to 1969
    89,045
  • 1970 to 1979
    82,741
  • 1980 to 1989
    40,284
  • 1990 to 1999
    49,603
  • 2000 to 2009
    45,580
  • 2010 to 2013
    14,067
  • 2014 or later
    329

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 Wayne County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    83,712
  • 1 vehicle available
    273,447
  • 2 vehicles available
    223,500
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    104,976

Commuting to Work

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

25.2 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Wayne 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
    11,686
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    51,716
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    86,707
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    107,186
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    116,035
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    57,363
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    109,273
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    24,305
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    28,226
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    47,871
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    25,699
  • 90 or more minutes
    11,072

Summary

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

We have data for 10 places in Wayne County, Michigan. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.