Mason County, MI

County

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2024 Population

29,207

US Senator

Gary Peters

Democratic Party

US Senator

Elissa Slotkin

Democratic Party

2024 Median Age

47.3

0.212% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

14.1%

3.33% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$64,748

3.94% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$219,600

10.2% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

12,583

1.42% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Mason 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.

99% of the residents in Mason County, MI are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Mason County, MI are West Shore Community College (174 degrees awarded in 2023).

In 2024, the median property value in Mason County, MI was $219,600, and the homeownership rate was 78.3%.

Most people in Mason County, MI drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 19.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Mason County, MI was 2 cars per household.

Mason County, MI borders Lake County, MI, Manistee County, MI, Newaygo County, MI, Oceana County, MI, Manitowoc County, WI, and Sheboygan County, WI.

United States Michigan Ludington, MI

Population & Diversity

Mason County, MI is home to a population of 29.2k people, from which 99% are citizens. As of 2024, 1.66% of Mason County, MI residents were born outside of the country (484 people).

In 2024, there were 36.9 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (26.1k people) in Mason County, MI than any other race or ethnicity. There were 707 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 652 White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99%

2024 Citizenship

99.2%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 99% of Mason County, MI residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Mason County, MI was 99.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Mason County, MI

White (Non-Hispanic)
26.1k ± 98
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
707 ± 74
White (Hispanic)
652 ± 177

4.86%

Hispanic Population

1.42k people

4.86% of the people in Mason County, MI are hispanic (1.42k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Mason 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

1.66%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

484 people

1.5%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

438 people

As of 2024, 1.66% of Mason County, MI residents (484 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 Mason County, MI was 1.5%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
771 ± 128
Gulf War (2001-)
337 ± 95
Gulf War (1990s)
204 ± 61

Mason County, MI has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.29 times greater than any other conflict.

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

Economy

The economy of Mason County, MI employs 12.6k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Mason County, MI were Manufacturing (1,981 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,730 people), and Retail Trade (1,507 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($107,750), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($97,824), and Management of Companies & Enterprises ($93,555).

Employment

Occupations

12.6k

2024 Value

± 595

1.42%

1 Year growth

± 6.53%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Mason County, MI grew at a rate of 1.42%, from 12.4k employees to 12.6k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Mason County, MI, are Management Occupations (1,373 people), Sales & Related Occupations (1,245 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,239 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Mason 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

12.6k

2024 Value

± 595

1.42%

1 Year growth

± 6.53%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Mason County, MI grew at a rate of 1.42%, from 12.4k employees to 12.6k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Mason County, MI, are Manufacturing (1,981 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,730 people), and Retail Trade (1,507 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Mason County, MI, though some of these residents may live in Mason County, MI and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$47,438

Median earning men ± $2,620

$35,102

Median earning women ± $3,062

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Public Administration ($74,511), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($64,583), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($59,091).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($58,409), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($56,250), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($51,768).

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

53
Retail Trade
48
Other Services (except Public Administration)
45
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

$115k
Manufacturing
$65.7k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$48.8k
Retail 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 Mason 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 Mason County, MI awarded 174 degrees. The student population of Mason County, MI in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 406 male students and 622 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Mason County, MI are White (147 and 85%), Hispanic or Latino (16 and 9.25%), Two or More Races (4 and 2.31%), and Unknown (2 and 1.16%).

The largest universities in Mason County, MI by number of degrees awarded are West Shore Community College (174 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Mason County, MI are Liberal Arts & Sciences (58 and 33.3%), Registered Nursing (28 and 16.1%), and Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurse Training (20 and 11.5%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2023 there were 1,028 students enrolled in Mason County, MI, 39.5% men and 60.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 835 records, of which 59.4% were women and 40.6% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Liberal Arts & Sciences
58 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
28 degrees awarded
Criminal Justice - Police Science
7 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Mason County, MI was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 58 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

West Shore Community College

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

174 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was West Shore Community College with 174 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2023, 52 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Mason County, MI, which is 0.426 times less than the 122 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 147 degrees mean that there were 9.19 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 16 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

Public, 2-year ($5,550) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($720) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($1,000) 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 Mason County, MI was $219,600 in 2024, which is 0.66 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $199,300 to $219,600, a 10.2% increase. The homeownership rate in Mason County, MI is 78.3%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Mason County, MI have an average commute time of 19.5 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Mason County, MI is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 9.97% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Mason County, MI. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 4.23%.

Housing

Property

$219,600

Median Property Value 2024

±$8,156

$10,025

Median Property Taxes

±$497

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 Mason County, MI the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

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

Rent vs Own

78.3%

Homeownership

2024

62.8%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 78.3% of the housing units in Mason County, MI were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 78.1%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Mason 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.

$64,748

Median Household Income

± $3,281

12.8k

Number of Households

± 623

In 2024, the median household income of the 12.8k households in Mason County, MI grew to $64,748 from the previous year's value of $62,296.

The following chart displays the households in Mason 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 Mason 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 (72.6%)
Carpooled (11.4%)
Worked At Home (11%)

In 2024, 72.6% of workers in Mason County, MI drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (11.4%) and those who worked at home (11%).

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

19.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Mason County, MI have a shorter commute time (19.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.2% of the workforce in Mason County, MI have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Mason 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 Mason County, MI distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Mason County, MI have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 9.97% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Mason County, MI. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 4.23%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

14.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Mason County, MI (4.08k out of 28.9k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 35 - 44, followed by Females 6 - 11 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Mason County, MI is White, followed by Two Or More 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, 21.5% of the children was living in poverty in Mason County, MI. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 6.3%.

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 284 in Mason County, MI. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 39 per 100,000 population.

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

Health

94.8% of the population of Mason County, MI has health coverage, with 39.7% on employee plans, 19.7% on Medicaid, 19.5% on Medicare, 14.7% on non-group plans, and 1.12% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Mason County, MI see 1,278 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,278 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1634 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 278 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.1% were men and 49.9% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,278 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Mason County, MI

Primary care physicians in Mason County, MI see an average of 1,278 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,278 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 20.8% under 18 years, 16.3% between 18 and 34 years, 37% between 35 and 64 years, and 25.9% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.1% were men and 49.9% were women.

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

Uninsured People

5.25%

Uninsured

39.7%

Employer Coverage

19.7%

Medicaid

19.5%

Medicare

14.7%

Non-Group

1.12%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Mason County, MI declined by 13.7% from 6.08% to 5.25%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Mason 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 39.2 in Mason County, MI.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Mason 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 39.4% in Mason County, MI.

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