• county
  • FIPS 26061
  • Largest town: Houghton

Houghton County, Michigan

Houghton County had 38,041 residents in the Census Vintage 2024 estimate, on 1,009.1 square miles of land. It ranks 42nd of 83 in Michigan by population and 10th by land area.

Population
38,041
#42 of 83 in Michigan · #1,237 in US
Area
1,009.1 sq mi
#10 of 83 in Michigan · #670 in US
Density
38 / sq mi
#58 of 83 in Michigan · #1,725 in US
Median household income
$56,074
#61 of 83 in Michigan · #2,225 in US

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

Houghton County within Michigan. Pin: Lansing.

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Houghton County population, land area and income

Houghton County had 38,041 residents in the Census Vintage 2024 estimate, on 1,009.1 square miles of land. It ranks 42nd of 83 in Michigan by population and 10th by land area. That works out to 37.7 people per square mile, below the US average of 96.3, and below the national county median.

The median county-equivalent in Michigan has 38,041 residents, about the same as Houghton County.

Its SAIPE 2023 median household income of $56,074 is below the national county median among 3,143 counties with an estimate.

National rank among 3,144

Population

38,041

3144th1st

1237th of 3,144 (US)

Land area

1,009 sq mi

3144th1st

670th of 3,144 (US)

Density

37.7 / sq mi

3144th1st

1725th of 3,144 (US)

Median household income

$56,074

3143rd1st

2225th of 3,143 (US)

Rank within Michigan (83)

Population

38,041

83rd1st

42nd of 83 (MI)

Land area

1,009 sq mi

83rd1st

10th of 83 (MI)

Density

37.7 / sq mi

83rd1st

58th of 83 (MI)

Median household income

$56,074

83rd1st

61st of 83 (MI)

How Houghton County's population changed since 2020

Houghton County gained 785 residents between the July 2020 and July 2024 estimates, a rise of 2.1%. That ranks 24th 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, Houghton County recorded 1,577 births and 1,639 deaths, a natural change of -62. Net international migration added +941 and net domestic migration, people moving to or from other US counties, came to -197. The largest single component was international migration, which added 941 people.

37.3k202037.5k202137.8k202237.8k202338.0k2024
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
1,577
Deaths
1,639
Net international migration
+941
Net domestic migration
-197
Change, July 2023 to July 2024
+194

Where Houghton County is

The Census internal point of Houghton County is at 46.998400, -88.651900. It sits in UTM zone 16N. The map shades Michigan's 83 county-equivalents by population change from 2020 to 2024, darker for faster growth, with Houghton 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: Houghton County internal point. Dark pin: Lansing.

Internal point

Decimal
46.998400, -88.651900
DMS
46°59'54.24"N 88°39'6.84"W
UTM
16N 374410.8E 5206310.5N
Geohash
f02gqev9t
Plus code
86RHX8XX+96

Towns in Houghton County

4 incorporated places of 1,000+ people have residents in Houghton County, 16,118 people together, or 42% of the county. Each figure counts only the part of the town inside Houghton County; towns marked "part" extend into another county. The largest is Houghton with 8,543.

  1. 01Houghton8,543
  2. 02Hancock4,620
  3. 03Laurium1,904
  4. 04Lake Linden1,051
Census Vintage 2024 subcounty estimates, county parts of incorporated places (SUMLEV 157).

Counties bordering Houghton County

The Census 2024 county adjacency file lists 5 neighbors for Houghton County. The most populous is Marquette County, MI, with 67,979 residents. Distances run between Census internal points in a straight line.

Distance to Lansing and the nearest big city

Lansing is 356.3 miles SE of Houghton County's internal point in a straight line. The nearest place of 100,000 or more is Green Bay, WI (population 106,311), 174.1 miles away. The nearest place of 10,000 or more is Marquette, MI (population 21,845), 67.0 miles away.

Houghton County FIPS code

The FIPS code of Houghton County is 26061: state code 26 for Michigan plus county code 061. Use it as text, with the leading zero, when joining Census, BLS, or CDC county tables. SAIPE lists its 2023 median household income as $56,074.

Questions people ask

What is the population of Houghton County, Michigan?

The Census Vintage 2024 estimate for July 1, 2024 is 38,041. That is up 785 people (2.1%) from the July 2020 estimate of 37,256.

What is the FIPS code of Houghton County?

26061. The first two digits (26) are Michigan; the last three (061) identify the county.

What is the largest town in Houghton County?

Houghton, with 8,543 residents inside Houghton County in 2024.

Which counties border Houghton County?

5 county-equivalents border it in the Census 2024 adjacency file: Marquette County, MI; Iron County, MI; Baraga County, MI; Ontonagon County, MI; Keweenaw 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.