Kent County, MI

County

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2020 Population

652,617

0.694% 1-year growth

US Senator

Debbie Stabenow

Democratic Party

US Senator

Gary Peters

Democratic Party

2020 Median Age

35.4

0.283% 1-year increase

2018 Poverty Rate

12.6%

6.28% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$65,722

4.23% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$188,500

8.52% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

336,145

0.199% 1-year growth

About

In 2020, Kent County, MI had a population of 653k people with a median age of 35.4 and a median household income of $65,722. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Kent County, MI grew from 648,121 to 652,617, a 0.694% increase and its median household income grew from $63,053 to $65,722, a 4.23% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Kent County, MI are White (Non-Hispanic) (72.9%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (8.96%), White (Hispanic) (5.3%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.72%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (3.06%).

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.

95.1% of the residents in Kent County, MI are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Kent County, MI are Grand Rapids Community College (1,752 degrees awarded in 2020), Davenport University (1,651 degrees), and Calvin University (1,075 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in Kent County, MI was $188,500, and the homeownership rate was 70.4%.

Most people in Kent County, MI drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 21.3 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

Population & Diversity

Kent County, MI is home to a population of 653k people, from which 95.1% are citizens. As of 2020, 8.27% of Kent County, MI residents were born outside of the country (53.9k people).

In 2020, there were 8.14 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (476k people) in Kent County, MI than any other race or ethnicity. There were 58.5k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 34.6k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95.1%

2020 Citizenship

94.9%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 95.1% of Kent County, MI residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Kent County, MI was 94.9%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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)
476k ± 1.48k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
58.5k ± 1.64k
White (Hispanic)
34.6k ± 1.81k

10.7%

Hispanic Population

70.2k people

10.7% of the people in Kent County, MI are hispanic (70.2k people).

The following chart shows the 7 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
78,782 ± 6,864 people
India
74,611 ± 6,681 people
Iraq
57,515 ± 5,871 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Michigan was Mexico, the natal country of 78,782 Michigan residents, followed by India with 74,611 and Iraq with 57,515.

Foreign-Born Population

8.27%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

53.9k people

8.44%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

54.7k people

As of 2020, 8.27% of Kent County, MI residents (53.9k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Kent County, MI was 8.44%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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
9,882 ± 620
Gulf War (2001-)
4,979 ± 728
Gulf War (1990s)
3,899 ± 611

Kent County, MI has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.98 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Kent County, MI employs 336k people. The largest industries in Kent County, MI are Manufacturing (63,045 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (51,500 people), and Retail Trade (34,810 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($69,265), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($66,250), and Public Administration ($58,242).

Males in Michigan have an average income that is 1.36 times higher than the average income of females, which is $50,905. The income inequality in Michigan (measured using the Gini index) is 0.471, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

336k

2020 Value

± 4,521

0.199%

1 Year growth

± 1.8%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Kent County, MI grew at a rate of 0.199%, from 335k employees to 336k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Kent County, MI, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (38,258 people), Management Occupations (34,577 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (33,216 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.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

336k

2020 Value

± 4,521

0.199%

1 Year growth

± 1.8%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Kent County, MI grew at a rate of 0.199%, from 335k employees to 336k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Kent County, MI, are Manufacturing (63,045 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (51,500 people), and Retail Trade (34,810 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

$44,916

Median earning men ± $945

$31,199

Median earning women ± $466

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($62,566), Public Administration ($62,262), and Wholesale Trade ($53,380).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Public Administration ($52,213), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($43,024), and Wholesale Trade ($39,737).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in Michigan. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

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

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

6,069
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
4,881
Manufacturing
4,316
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

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

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$15.4M
Manufacturing
$9.59M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$3.86M
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

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

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Michigan to other states, or from other states to Michigan.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Michigan product (by dollars) was Motorized vehicles with $193B, followed by Machinery ($56.5B) and Mixed freight ($49.6B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Michigan products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Michigan.

$638B

2020 Value in Michigan

$1.16T

Projected 2050 Value in Michigan

81.2% growth

In 2020, total outbound Michigan trade was $638B. This is expected to increase 81.2% to $1.16T by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Michigan trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Michigan to other states, or from other states to Michigan.

Most Common Trade Partners

Ohio
$35.1B
Texas
$34.4B
Indiana
$29.5B

In 2020, the top outbound Michigan domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Ohio with $35.1B, followed by Texas with $34.4B and Indiana and $29.5B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Michigan shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Kent County, MI went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 52% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (45.9%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.52%).

Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters 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 14 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

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (52%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (45.9%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.52%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Kent County, MI went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 52% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (45.9%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.52%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Kent County, MI for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senators Elections

US Senators from Michigan

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

Debbie Stabenow

Senator from Michigan

Assumed office on January 3, 2001

Gary Peters

Senator from Michigan

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters 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.

US Representatives Elections

US Representatives from Michigan

Michigan is currently represented by 14 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Michigan have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2020, universities in Kent County, MI awarded 6,324 degrees. The student population of Kent County, MI in 2020 is skewed towards women, with 11,574 male students and 15,705 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Kent County, MI are White (4,304 and 70.9%), followed by Black or African American (544 and 8.96%), Hispanic or Latino (471 and 7.76%), and Unknown (320 and 5.27%).

The largest universities in Kent County, MI by number of degrees awarded are Grand Rapids Community College (1,752 and 27.7%), Davenport University (1,651 and 26.1%), and Calvin University (1,075 and 17%).

The most popular majors in Kent County, MI are General Business Administration & Management (725 and 11.5%), Liberal Arts & Sciences (631 and 9.98%), and Registered Nursing (364 and 5.76%).

The median tuition cost in Kent County, MI for private four year colleges is $23,970.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2020 in Kent County, MI, the percentage of applicants admitted was 81.3%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 22.6%. The number of students enrolled in 2020 was 27,279 (42.4% men and 57.6% 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 2020 there were 27,279 students enrolled in Kent County, MI, 42.4% men and 57.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 17,323 records, of which 56.6% were women and 43.4% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
264 degree-majors awarded
Accounting
147 degree-majors awarded
General Business Administration & Management
384 degree-majors awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Kent County, MI was Registered Nursing with 264 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
1,752 degrees awarded
Davenport University
1,651 degrees awarded
Calvin University
1,075 degrees awarded

In 2020, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Grand Rapids Community College with 1,752 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2020, 2,575 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Kent County, MI, which is 0.687 times less than the 3,749 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 4,304 degrees mean that there were 7.91 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 544 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 ($23,970) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2020.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($700) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2020.

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.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2020, 0.713% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.711% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

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

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2020 were High School or Equivalent (2.28M), Some college (1.97M), and Bachelors Degree (1.34M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Kent County, MI was $188,500 in 2020, which is 0.82 times smaller than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $173,700 to $188,500, a 8.52% increase. The homeownership rate in Kent County, MI is 70.4%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Kent County, MI have an average commute time of 21.3 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.

Median household income in Kent County, MI is $65,722. In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Kent County, MI was Census Tract 119.01 with a value of $156,496, followed by Census Tract 125 and Census Tract 122.02, with respective values of $154,000 and $150,246.

In 2021, 13.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Kent County, MI. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 2.28%.

Housing

Property

$188,500

Median Property Value 2020

±$2,127

$172,222

Median Property Taxes

±$3,050

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

70.4%

Homeownership

2020

67.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 70.4% of the housing units in Kent County, MI were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 69.8%.

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

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 119.01
Census Tract 125
Census Tract 122.02

In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Kent County, MI was Census Tract 119.01 with a value of $156,496, followed by Census Tract 125 and Census Tract 122.02, with respective values of $154,000 and $150,246.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Kent County, MI colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

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

$65,722

Median Household Income

± $910

245k

Number of Households

± 3,763

In 2020, the median household income of the 245k households in Kent County, MI grew to $65,722 from the previous year's value of $63,053.

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.

0.471

2020 Wage GINI in Michigan

0.475

2019 Wage GINI in Michigan

In 2020, the income inequality in Michigan was 0.471 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.801% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Michigan was lower than than the national average of 0.478. 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 2020

Drove Alone (79%)
Carpooled (9%)
Worked At Home (6.79%)

In 2020, 79% of workers in Kent County, MI drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9%) and those who worked at home (6.79%).

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

21.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Kent County, MI have a shorter commute time (21.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 1.35% 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 2021, 13.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Kent County, MI. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 2.28%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

12.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Kent County, MI (79.4k out of 632k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.8%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Males 18 - 24.

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

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 2021, 14.7% of the children was living in poverty in Kent County, MI. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 8.3%.

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 2021, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 373 in Kent County, MI. From 2014 to 2021, 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.

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Health

94.3% of the population of Kent County, MI has health coverage, with 56.1% on employee plans, 15.5% on Medicaid, 10.9% on Medicare, 11.1% on non-group plans, and 0.755% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Michigan was $8,055 in 2014. This is a 4% increase from the previous year ($7,745).

Primary care physicians in Kent County, MI see 1095 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.26% decrease from the previous year (1109 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1341 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 272 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.2% were men and 51.8% were women.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for Michigan. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Michigan, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,095 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Kent County, MI

Primary care physicians in Kent County, MI see an average of 1,095 patients per year. This represents a 1.26% decrease from the previous year (1,109 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.

Community Mobility

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

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Michigan across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.6% under 18 years, 24% between 18 and 34 years, 37.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 13.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.2% were men and 51.8% were women.

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

Uninsured People

5.65%

Uninsured

56.1%

Employer Coverage

15.5%

Medicaid

10.9%

Medicare

11.1%

Non-Group

0.755%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Kent County, MI declined by 3.04% from 5.83% to 5.65%.

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 2021, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 47.3 in Kent County, MI.

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

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2021, 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 30.2% in Kent County, MI.

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

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