Kent County, MI

County

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2024 Population

663,150

US Senator

Gary Peters

Democratic Party

US Senator

Elissa Slotkin

Democratic Party

2024 Median Age

35.9

0.56% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

10.1%

4.86% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$82,631

2.79% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$289,900

9.11% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

346,230

0.703% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Kent County, MI reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

95% of the residents in Kent County, MI are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Kent County, MI are Grand Rapids Community College (1,839 degrees awarded in 2023), Davenport University (1,356 degrees), and Calvin University (1,014 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Kent County, MI was $289,900, and the homeownership rate was 70.3%.

Most people in Kent County, MI drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 21 minutes. The average car ownership in Kent County, MI was 2 cars per household.

Kent County, MI borders Allegan County, MI, Barry County, MI, Ionia County, MI, Montcalm County, MI, Muskegon County, MI, Newaygo County, MI, and Ottawa County, MI.

About the photo: Fisk Knob, Highest elevation in Kent County, Michigan

Photo by Bailiwick Studios

United States Michigan Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI

Population & Diversity

Kent County, MI is home to a population of 663k people, from which 95% are citizens. As of 2024, 8.68% of Kent County, MI residents were born outside of the country (57.6k people).

In 2024, there were 7.46 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (467k people) in Kent County, MI than any other race or ethnicity. There were 62.6k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 34.7k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95%

2024 Citizenship

95.2%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 95% of Kent County, MI residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Kent County, MI was 95.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Kent County, MI compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Kent County, MI

White (Non-Hispanic)
467k ± 1.5k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
62.6k ± 1.64k
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
34.7k ± 2.22k

11.7%

Hispanic Population

77.3k people

11.7% of the people in Kent County, MI are hispanic (77.3k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Kent County, MI as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Michigan.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
80,580 ± 6,941 people
India
77,204 ± 6,795 people
Iraq
54,457 ± 5,714 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Michigan was Mexico, the natal country of 80,580 Michigan residents, followed by India with 77,204 and Iraq with 54,457.

Foreign-Born Population

8.68%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

57.6k people

8.4%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

55.3k people

As of 2024, 8.68% of Kent County, MI residents (57.6k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Kent County, MI was 8.4%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Kent County, MI compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
8,812 ± 685
Gulf War (2001-)
5,258 ± 688
Gulf War (1990s)
3,416 ± 551

Kent County, MI has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.68 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Kent County, MI.

Economy

The economy of Kent County, MI employs 346k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Kent County, MI were Manufacturing (62,218 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (53,863 people), and Retail Trade (38,228 people), and the highest paying industries were Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($102,957), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($95,469), and Utilities ($84,967).

Employment

Occupations

346k

2024 Value

± 5,107

0.703%

1 Year growth

± 2.04%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Kent County, MI grew at a rate of 0.703%, from 344k employees to 346k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Kent County, MI, are Management Occupations (37,260 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (36,136 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (30,996 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Kent County, MI.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Michigan.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Michigan (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

346k

2024 Value

± 5,107

0.703%

1 Year growth

± 2.04%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Kent County, MI grew at a rate of 0.703%, from 344k employees to 346k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Kent County, MI, are Manufacturing (62,218 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (53,863 people), and Retail Trade (38,228 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Kent County, MI, though some of these residents may live in Kent County, MI and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$57,539

Median earning men ± $1,233

$40,926

Median earning women ± $679

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($77,699), Wholesale Trade ($73,080), and Public Administration ($72,537).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($63,381), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($57,308), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($49,293).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Michigan.

Y-Axis

2.16%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.37M people employed in Michigan. This represents a 2.16% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 23.6%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Michigan.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

1,192
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
929
Other Services (except Public Administration)
925
Construction

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$4.15M
Manufacturing
$3.39M
Health Care and Social Assistance
$2.14M
Wholesale Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Michigan went to Donald J. Trump with 49.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (48.3%), followed by Jill Stein (0.788%).

Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin are the senators currently representing the state of Michigan. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Michigan is currently represented by 13 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Kent County, MI. Showing the available data for Michigan.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (49.7%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (48.3%)
Democratic Party
Jill Stein (0.788%)
Green Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Michigan went to Donald J. Trump with 49.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (48.3%), followed by Jill Stein (0.788%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Michigan for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Michigan

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Michigan.

Gary Peters

Senator from Michigan

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Elissa Slotkin

Senator from Michigan

Assumed office on January 3, 2025

Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin are the senators currently representing Michigan.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Michigan over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Education

In 2023, universities in Kent County, MI awarded 5,761 degrees. The student population of Kent County, MI in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 11,088 male students and 14,543 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Kent County, MI are White (3,709 and 66.9%), Black or African American (529 and 9.54%), Hispanic or Latino (505 and 9.11%), and Unknown (444 and 8.01%).

The largest universities in Kent County, MI by number of degrees awarded are Grand Rapids Community College (1,839 and 31.9%), Davenport University (1,356 and 23.5%), and Calvin University (1,014 and 17.6%).

The most popular majors in Kent County, MI are Liberal Arts & Sciences (529 and 9.18%), General Business Administration & Management (461 and 8%), and Registered Nursing (346 and 6.01%).

The median tuition cost in Kent County, MI for private four year colleges is $27,345.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Kent County, MI, the percentage of applicants admitted was 79.1%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 19.3%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 25,631 (43.3% men and 56.7% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 25,631 students enrolled in Kent County, MI, 43.3% men and 56.7% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 15,623 records, of which 55.7% were women and 44.3% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Marketing & Marketing Management
119 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
267 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
254 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Kent County, MI was General Marketing & Marketing Management with 119 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Kent County, MI according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Grand Rapids Community College
1,839 degrees awarded
Davenport University
1,356 degrees awarded
Calvin University
1,014 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Grand Rapids Community College with 1,839 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 2,290 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Kent County, MI, which is 0.66 times less than the 3,471 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 3,709 degrees mean that there were 7.01 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 529 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($27,345) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($800) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($904) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Kent County, MI was $289,900 in 2024, which is 0.871 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $265,700 to $289,900, a 9.11% increase. The homeownership rate in Kent County, MI is 70.3%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Kent County, MI have an average commute time of 21 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Kent County, MI is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 12.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Kent County, MI. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 3.62%.

Housing

Property

$289,900

Median Property Value 2024

±$2,942

$180,482

Median Property Taxes

±$3,030

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Kent County, MI the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Kent County, MI compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

70.3%

Homeownership

2024

67%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 70.3% of the housing units in Kent County, MI were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 70.4%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Kent County, MI compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$82,631

Median Household Income

± $1,165

257k

Number of Households

± 3,881

In 2024, the median household income of the 257k households in Kent County, MI grew to $82,631 from the previous year's value of $80,390.

The following chart displays the households in Kent County, MI distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Kent County, MI is from Michigan.

0.462

2023 Wage GINI in Michigan

0.466

2022 Wage GINI in Michigan

In 2023, the income inequality in Michigan was 0.462 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.92% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Michigan was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Michigan in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Michigan across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (73.2%)
Worked At Home (14.3%)
Carpooled (7.77%)

In 2024, 73.2% of workers in Kent County, MI drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (14.3%) and those who carpooled to work (7.77%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

21 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Kent County, MI have a shorter commute time (21 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.42% of the workforce in Kent County, MI have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Kent County, MI compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Kent County, MI distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Kent County, MI have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 12.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Kent County, MI. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 3.62%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

10.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Kent County, MI (65.6k out of 653k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Kent County, MI is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 13% of the children was living in poverty in Kent County, MI. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 10%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 373 in Kent County, MI. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 44.2 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

95.2% of the population of Kent County, MI has health coverage, with 57.5% on employee plans, 14.6% on Medicaid, 11.9% on Medicare, 10.5% on non-group plans, and 0.65% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Kent County, MI see 1,068 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,068 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1255 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 192 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.6% were men and 50.4% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,068 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Kent County, MI

Primary care physicians in Kent County, MI see an average of 1,068 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,068 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Kent County, MI in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25% under 18 years, 23.7% between 18 and 34 years, 36.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 14.6% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.6% were men and 50.4% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

4.83%

Uninsured

57.5%

Employer Coverage

14.6%

Medicaid

11.9%

Medicare

10.5%

Non-Group

0.65%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Kent County, MI declined by 0.627% from 4.86% to 4.83%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Kent County, MI changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 51.4 in Kent County, MI.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Kent County, MI.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 33.5% in Kent County, MI.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Kent County, MI.