• county
  • FIPS 26017
  • Largest town: Bay City

Bay County, Michigan

Bay County had 102,651 residents in the Census Vintage 2024 estimate, on 442.4 square miles of land. It ranks 20th of 83 in Michigan by population and 79th by land area.

Population
102,651
#20 of 83 in Michigan · #608 in US
Area
442.4 sq mi
#79 of 83 in Michigan · #2,297 in US
Density
232 / sq mi
#15 of 83 in Michigan · #521 in US
Median household income
$59,523
#48 of 83 in Michigan · #1,881 in US

Census Vintage 2024 estimates · SAIPE 2023 income · 2024 Gazetteer land area

Bay County within Michigan. Pin: Lansing.

Measure from here

Tools and pages that start from Bay County

Bay County population, land area and income

Bay County had 102,651 residents in the Census Vintage 2024 estimate, on 442.4 square miles of land. It ranks 20th of 83 in Michigan by population and 79th by land area. That works out to 232.0 people per square mile, 2.4 times the US average of 96.3, and in the top quarter nationally.

The median county-equivalent in Michigan has 38,041 residents, so Bay County is 2.7 times that size.

Its SAIPE 2023 median household income of $59,523 is below the national county median among 3,143 counties with an estimate.

National rank among 3,144

Population

102,651

3144th1st

608th of 3,144 (US)

Land area

442 sq mi

3144th1st

2297th of 3,144 (US)

Density

232.0 / sq mi

3144th1st

521st of 3,144 (US)

Median household income

$59,523

3143rd1st

1881st of 3,143 (US)

Rank within Michigan (83)

Population

102,651

83rd1st

20th of 83 (MI)

Land area

442 sq mi

83rd1st

79th of 83 (MI)

Density

232.0 / sq mi

83rd1st

15th of 83 (MI)

Median household income

$59,523

83rd1st

48th of 83 (MI)

How Bay County's population changed since 2020

Bay County lost 1,096 residents between the July 2020 and July 2024 estimates, a drop of 1.1%. That ranks 75th of 83 in Michigan for growth. The median Michigan county changed by +0.9%, and the state as a whole by +0.7%.

Since the April 2020 estimates base, Bay County recorded 3,952 births and 6,107 deaths, a natural change of -2,155. Net international migration added +160 and net domestic migration, people moving to or from other US counties, came to +771. The largest single component was natural change, which removed 2,155 people.

103.7k2020103.1k2021102.8k2022102.8k2023102.7k2024
Census Vintage 2024 county estimates for July 1 of each year. The axis starts above zero so year-to-year changes are visible.

Components of change, April 2020 to July 2024

Births
3,952
Deaths
6,107
Net international migration
+160
Net domestic migration
+771
Change, July 2023 to July 2024
-123

Where Bay County is

The Census internal point of Bay County is at 43.699700, -83.978700. It sits in UTM zone 17N. The map shades Michigan's 83 county-equivalents by population change from 2020 to 2024, darker for faster growth, with Bay County outlined. Dots are towns of 1,000+ people with residents in it.

Calhoun County: -0.3%Benzie County: +2.9%Newaygo County: +2.8%Antrim County: +4.6%Montcalm County: +4.0%Kalamazoo County: +1.1%Isabella County: +0.9%Ingham County: +1.9%Jackson County: +0.0%Kent County: +2.2%Oceana County: +1.1%Roscommon County: +2.0%Clare County: +1.8%Gladwin County: +2.5%Branch County: +2.9%Iosco County: +0.7%Bay County: -1.1%Shiawassee County: -0.0%Ionia County: -1.0%Otsego County: +3.8%Alcona County: +4.3%Missaukee County: +1.1%Crawford County: +4.7%Lapeer County: +0.7%Arenac County: +0.5%Gogebic County: -0.9%Marquette County: +2.2%Alpena County: +0.1%Lenawee County: -1.6%Berrien County: -1.1%Leelanau County: +2.5%Clinton County: +1.1%Alger County: -1.6%Gratiot County: -0.8%St. Joseph County: +0.4%Van Buren County: +0.7%Dickinson County: +0.3%Charlevoix County: +0.3%Sanilac County: -0.5%Wexford County: +2.3%Houghton County: +2.1%Saginaw County: -1.1%Kalkaska County: +3.8%Ottawa County: +3.1%Presque Isle County: +1.8%Eaton County: +0.3%Barry County: +2.3%Lake County: +7.5%Cheboygan County: +1.5%Wayne County: -1.0%Macomb County: +0.7%Oscoda County: +4.4%Emmet County: -0.5%Ontonagon County: +0.4%Schoolcraft County: +1.5%Monroe County: +0.7%Tuscola County: -1.0%Luce County: -1.3%Menominee County: -1.7%Mason County: +0.2%Muskegon County: +1.5%Baraga County: +0.3%Genesee County: -0.9%Grand Traverse County: +1.3%Washtenaw County: +0.5%Huron County: -1.9%Cass County: -0.0%Delta County: -0.5%Montmorency County: +7.2%Oakland County: +1.9%Chippewa County: -1.5%Keweenaw County: +5.0%Hillsdale County: -0.3%Manistee County: +1.8%Allegan County: +1.5%Mecosta County: +3.8%Iron County: +0.8%Osceola County: +2.5%St. Clair County: -0.1%Livingston County: +1.5%Ogemaw County: +1.0%Midland County: +0.6%Mackinac County: +3.1%
Change 2020 to 2024
  1. < -0.5%
  2. < +0.5%
  3. < +1.5%
  4. < +2.5%
  5. ≥ +2.5%
no data

Orange pin: Bay County internal point. Dark pin: Lansing.

Internal point

Decimal
43.699700, -83.978700
DMS
43°41'58.92"N 83°58'43.32"W
UTM
17N 259979.1E 4842832.5N
Geohash
dpu295294
Plus code
86MRM2XC+VG

Towns in Bay County

5 incorporated places of 1,000+ people have residents in Bay County, 38,782 people together, or 38% of the county. Each figure counts only the part of the town inside Bay County; towns marked "part" extend into another county. The largest is Bay City with 32,086.

  1. 01Bay City32,086
  2. 02Essexville3,302
  3. 03Auburn2,046
  4. 04Pinconning1,185
  5. 05Midland (part)163
Census Vintage 2024 subcounty estimates, county parts of incorporated places (SUMLEV 157).

Counties bordering Bay County

The Census 2024 county adjacency file lists 6 neighbors for Bay County. The most populous is Saginaw County, MI, with 187,714 residents. Distances run between Census internal points in a straight line.

Distance to Lansing and the nearest big city

Lansing is 72.8 miles SSW of Bay County's internal point in a straight line. The nearest place of 100,000 or more is Lansing, MI (population 114,336), 74.1 miles away. The nearest place of 10,000 or more is Bay City, MI (population 32,086), 8.8 miles away.

Bay County FIPS code

The FIPS code of Bay County is 26017: state code 26 for Michigan plus county code 017. Use it as text, with the leading zero, when joining Census, BLS, or CDC county tables. SAIPE lists its 2023 median household income as $59,523.

Questions people ask

What is the population of Bay County, Michigan?

The Census Vintage 2024 estimate for July 1, 2024 is 102,651. That is down 1,096 people (1.1%) from the July 2020 estimate of 103,747.

What is the FIPS code of Bay County?

26017. The first two digits (26) are Michigan; the last three (017) identify the county.

What is the largest town in Bay County?

Bay City, with 32,086 residents inside Bay County in 2024.

Which counties border Bay County?

6 county-equivalents border it in the Census 2024 adjacency file: Saginaw County, MI; Midland County, MI; Tuscola County, MI; Huron County, MI; Gladwin County, MI; Arenac County, MI.

Sources and data as of

Data as of: Census Vintage 2024 population estimates, 2024 Gazetteer land area and internal points, SAIPE 2023 median household income.

  1. 01Census Vintage 2024 county population estimates
  2. 02Census 2024 Gazetteer, counties
  3. 03Census SAIPE 2023 state and county estimates
  4. 04Census Vintage 2024 subcounty population estimates
  5. 05Census 2024 county adjacency file
  6. 06Census 2024 cartographic boundary file, counties (1:5,000,000)

How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.