Portage, MI

Census Place

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2024 Population
49,259
US Senator
Gary Peters
Democratic Party
US Senator
Elissa Slotkin
Democratic Party
2024 Median Age
38.5
3.49% 1-year increase
2024 Poverty Rate
7.12%
5.39% 1-year decrease
2024 Median Household Income
$83,212
4.63% 1-year growth
2024 Median Property Value
$262,300
7.76% 1-year growth
2024 Employed Population
26,010
0.514% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Portage, 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.

97.5% of the residents in Portage, MI are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Portage, MI are Ross Medical Education Center-Portage (86 degrees awarded in 2023).

In 2024, the median property value in Portage, MI was $262,300, and the homeownership rate was 69.1%.

Most people in Portage, MI drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 19.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Portage, MI was 2 cars per household.

United StatesMichiganKalamazoo County, MIKalamazoo-Portage, MIKalamazoo County (Outer) PUMA, MIKalamazoo County (Central)--Kalamazoo & Portage Cities Area PUMA, MI

Population & Diversity

Portage, MI is home to a population of 49.3k people, from which 97.5% are citizens. As of 2024, 5.86% of Portage, MI residents were born outside of the country (2.89k people).

In 2024, there were 12.9 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (39.2k people) in Portage, MI than any other race or ethnicity. There were 3.04k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 1.7k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.5%
2024 Citizenship
97.3%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 97.5% of Portage, MI residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Portage, MI was 97.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Portage, MI
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    39.2k ± 1.15k
  2. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
    3.04k ± 663
  3. Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
    1.7k ± 536
5.56%
Hispanic Population
2.74k people

In 2024, there were 12.9 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (39.2k people) in Portage, MI than any other race or ethnicity. There were 3.04k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 1.7k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

5.56% of the people in Portage, MI are hispanic (2.74k people).

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

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Michigan.
Most Common Origin
  1. Mexico
    80,580 ± 6,941 people
  2. India
    77,204 ± 6,795 people
  3. 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.

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Foreign-Born Population

5.86%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
2.89k people
6.18%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
3.03k people

As of 2024, 5.86% of Portage, MI residents (2.89k 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 Portage, MI was 6.18%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    929 ± 188
  2. Gulf War (2001-)
    472 ± 224
  3. Gulf War (1990s)
    469 ± 196

Portage, MI has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.97 times greater than any other conflict.

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

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Economy

The economy of Portage, MI employs 26k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Portage, MI were Manufacturing (5,388 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (3,891 people), and Retail Trade (2,872 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($78,190), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($74,429), and Manufacturing ($74,088).

Employment

Occupations

26k
2024 Value
± 1,398
0.514%
1 Year growth
± 7.35%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Portage, MI grew at a rate of 0.514%, from 25.9k employees to 26k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Portage, MI, are Management Occupations (3,392 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (2,854 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (2,522 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Portage, MI.

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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.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

26k
2024 Value
± 1,398
0.514%
1 Year growth
± 7.35%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Portage, MI grew at a rate of 0.514%, from 25.9k employees to 26k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Portage, MI, are Manufacturing (5,388 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (3,891 people), and Retail Trade (2,872 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Portage, MI, though some of these residents may live in Portage, MI and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$62,280
Median earning men ± $3,346
$46,916
Median earning women ± $2,804

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Manufacturing ($74,936), Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($74,294), and Wholesale Trade ($73,750).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($66,957), Manufacturing ($65,913), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($54,704).

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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.

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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

Voting results are not available for Portage, MI. Showing the available data for Michigan.
2024 Election Results
  1. Donald J. Trump (49.7%)
    Republican Party
  2. Kamala Harris (48.3%)
    Democratic Party
  3. 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.

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Senator Elections

US Senators from Michigan

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Michigan.
Gary Peters
Senator from Michigan2
Assumed office on January 3, 2015
Elissa Slotkin
Senator from Michigan1
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.

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Education

In 2023, universities in Portage, MI awarded 86 degrees. The student population of Portage, MI in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 7 male students and 87 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Portage, MI are Unknown (34 and 40%), White (20 and 23.5%), Black or African American (14 and 16.5%), and Hispanic or Latino (13 and 15.3%).

The largest universities in Portage, MI by number of degrees awarded are Ross Medical Education Center-Portage (86 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Portage, MI are Medical Assistant (52 and 60.5%), Dental Assisting (16 and 18.6%), and Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician And Veterinary Assistant (12 and 14%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2023 there were 94 students enrolled in Portage, MI, 7.45% men and 92.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Unknown with 45 records, of which 88.9% were women and 11.1% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician And Veterinary Assistant
    12 degrees awarded
  2. Medical Assistant
    52 degrees awarded
  3. Dental Assisting
    16 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate recipients in Portage, MI was Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician And Veterinary Assistant with 12 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate from schools in Portage, MI according to their major.

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Universities

Gender
Race
Ross Medical Education Center-Portage
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
86 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Ross Medical Education Center-Portage with 86 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

In 2023, 2 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Portage, MI, which is 0.0238 times less than the 84 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Unknown students. These 34 degrees mean that there were 1.7 times more degrees awarded to Unknown students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 20 degrees awarded.

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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.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Portage, MI was $262,300 in 2024, which is 0.788 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $243,400 to $262,300, a 7.76% increase. The homeownership rate in Portage, MI is 69.1%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Portage, MI have an average commute time of 19.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Portage, MI is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$262,300
Median Property Value 2024
±$9,554
$14,393
Median Property Taxes
±$793

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

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

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Rent vs Own

69.1%
Homeownership
2024
60%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 69.1% of the housing units in Portage, MI were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 68%.

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

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Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$83,212
Median Household Income
± $4,451
20.8k
Number of Households
± 1,155

In 2024, the median household income of the 20.8k households in Portage, MI grew to $83,212 from the previous year's value of $79,529.

The following chart displays the households in Portage, 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.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Portage, 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.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024
  1. Drove Alone (78.1%)
  2. Worked At Home (13.7%)
  3. Carpooled (5.29%)

In 2024, 78.1% of workers in Portage, MI drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (13.7%) and those who carpooled to work (5.29%).

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.

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Commute Time

19.7 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Portage, MI have a shorter commute time (19.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.01% of the workforce in Portage, MI have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

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Car Ownership

2 cars
Average Number

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

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Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

7.12% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Portage, MI (3.49k out of 49k 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 Males 18 - 24 and then Females 75+.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Portage, MI is White, followed by Black and Two Or More.

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.

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Health

95.1% of the population of Portage, MI has health coverage, with 60.1% on employee plans, 8.11% on Medicaid, 14.5% on Medicare, 11.8% on non-group plans, and 0.596% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Michigan see 1,276 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,276 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1246 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 281 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.2% were men and 50.8% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.6% under 18 years, 23.4% between 18 and 34 years, 37.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.2% were men and 50.8% were women.

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

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Uninsured People

4.85%
Uninsured
60.1%
Employer Coverage
8.11%
Medicaid
14.5%
Medicare
11.8%
Non-Group
0.596%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Portage, MI declined by 1.08% from 4.9% to 4.85%.

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

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