• county
  • FIPS 26085
  • Largest town: Baldwin

Lake County, Michigan

Lake County had 13,005 residents in the Census Vintage 2024 estimate, on 567.6 square miles of land. It ranks 72nd of 83 in Michigan by population and 43rd by land area.

Population
13,005
#72 of 83 in Michigan · #2,219 in US
Area
567.6 sq mi
#43 of 83 in Michigan · #1,800 in US
Density
23 / sq mi
#69 of 83 in Michigan · #2,135 in US
Median household income
$50,660
#78 of 83 in Michigan · #2,677 in US

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

Lake County within Michigan. Pin: Lansing.

Measure from here

Tools and pages that start from Lake County

Lake County population, land area and income

Lake County had 13,005 residents in the Census Vintage 2024 estimate, on 567.6 square miles of land. It ranks 72nd of 83 in Michigan by population and 43rd by land area. That works out to 22.9 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, so Lake County has 34% of the typical county's population.

Its SAIPE 2023 median household income of $50,660 is in the bottom quarter among 3,143 counties with an estimate.

National rank among 3,144

Population

13,005

3144th1st

2219th of 3,144 (US)

Land area

568 sq mi

3144th1st

1800th of 3,144 (US)

Density

22.9 / sq mi

3144th1st

2135th of 3,144 (US)

Median household income

$50,660

3143rd1st

2677th of 3,143 (US)

Rank within Michigan (83)

Population

13,005

83rd1st

72nd of 83 (MI)

Land area

568 sq mi

83rd1st

43rd of 83 (MI)

Density

22.9 / sq mi

83rd1st

69th of 83 (MI)

Median household income

$50,660

83rd1st

78th of 83 (MI)

How Lake County's population changed since 2020

Lake County gained 907 residents between the July 2020 and July 2024 estimates, a rise of 7.5%. That ranks 1st 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, Lake County recorded 355 births and 800 deaths, a natural change of -445. Net international migration added +15 and net domestic migration, people moving to or from other US counties, came to +1,310. The largest single component was domestic migration, which added 1,310 people.

12.1k202012.3k202112.7k202212.8k202313.0k2024
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
355
Deaths
800
Net international migration
+15
Net domestic migration
+1,310
Change, July 2023 to July 2024
+239

Where Lake County is

The Census internal point of Lake County is at 43.995200, -85.811400. 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 Lake 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: Lake County internal point. Dark pin: Lansing.

Internal point

Decimal
43.995200, -85.811400
DMS
43°59'42.72"N 85°48'41.04"W
UTM
16N 595302.9E 4872026.4N
Geohash
dpffr3449
Plus code
86MPX5WQ+3C

Towns in Lake County

One incorporated place of 1,000+ people has residents in Lake County, 1,020 people together, or 8% of the county. Each figure counts only the part of the town inside Lake County; towns marked "part" extend into another county. The largest is Baldwin with 1,020.

  1. 01Baldwin1,020
Census Vintage 2024 subcounty estimates, county parts of incorporated places (SUMLEV 157).

Counties bordering Lake County

The Census 2024 county adjacency file lists 7 neighbors for Lake County. The most populous is Newaygo County, MI, with 51,504 residents. Distances run between Census internal points in a straight line.

Distance to Lansing and the nearest big city

Lansing is 107.6 miles SE of Lake County's internal point in a straight line. The nearest place of 100,000 or more is Grand Rapids, MI (population 200,117), 71.9 miles away. The nearest place of 10,000 or more is Cadillac, MI (population 10,521), 25.6 miles away.

Lake County FIPS code

The FIPS code of Lake County is 26085: state code 26 for Michigan plus county code 085. Use it as text, with the leading zero, when joining Census, BLS, or CDC county tables. SAIPE lists its 2023 median household income as $50,660.

Questions people ask

What is the population of Lake County, Michigan?

The Census Vintage 2024 estimate for July 1, 2024 is 13,005. That is up 907 people (7.5%) from the July 2020 estimate of 12,098.

What is the FIPS code of Lake County?

26085. The first two digits (26) are Michigan; the last three (085) identify the county.

What is the largest town in Lake County?

Baldwin, with 1,020 residents inside Lake County in 2024.

Which counties border Lake County?

7 county-equivalents border it in the Census 2024 adjacency file: Newaygo County, MI; Mecosta County, MI; Wexford County, MI; Mason County, MI; Oceana County, MI; Manistee County, MI; Osceola 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.