• county
  • FIPS 26107
  • Largest town: Big Rapids

Mecosta County, Michigan

Mecosta County had 41,947 residents in the Census Vintage 2024 estimate, on 555.2 square miles of land. It ranks 39th of 83 in Michigan by population and 57th by land area.

Population
41,947
#39 of 83 in Michigan · #1,158 in US
Area
555.2 sq mi
#57 of 83 in Michigan · #1,871 in US
Density
76 / sq mi
#36 of 83 in Michigan · #1,122 in US
Median household income
$59,260
#50 of 83 in Michigan · #1,908 in US

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

Mecosta County within Michigan. Pin: Lansing.

Measure from here

Tools and pages that start from Mecosta County

Mecosta County population, land area and income

Mecosta County had 41,947 residents in the Census Vintage 2024 estimate, on 555.2 square miles of land. It ranks 39th of 83 in Michigan by population and 57th by land area. That works out to 75.6 people per square mile, below the US average of 96.3, and above the national county median.

The median county-equivalent in Michigan has 38,041 residents; Mecosta County is somewhat larger.

Its SAIPE 2023 median household income of $59,260 is below the national county median among 3,143 counties with an estimate.

National rank among 3,144

Population

41,947

3144th1st

1158th of 3,144 (US)

Land area

555 sq mi

3144th1st

1871st of 3,144 (US)

Density

75.6 / sq mi

3144th1st

1122nd of 3,144 (US)

Median household income

$59,260

3143rd1st

1908th of 3,143 (US)

Rank within Michigan (83)

Population

41,947

83rd1st

39th of 83 (MI)

Land area

555 sq mi

83rd1st

57th of 83 (MI)

Density

75.6 / sq mi

83rd1st

36th of 83 (MI)

Median household income

$59,260

83rd1st

50th of 83 (MI)

How Mecosta County's population changed since 2020

Mecosta County gained 1,521 residents between the July 2020 and July 2024 estimates, a rise of 3.8%. That ranks 11th 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, Mecosta County recorded 1,680 births and 1,998 deaths, a natural change of -318. Net international migration added +133 and net domestic migration, people moving to or from other US counties, came to +1,745. The largest single component was domestic migration, which added 1,745 people.

40.4k202040.7k202141.4k202241.7k202341.9k2024
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
1,680
Deaths
1,998
Net international migration
+133
Net domestic migration
+1,745
Change, July 2023 to July 2024
+225

Where Mecosta County is

The Census internal point of Mecosta County is at 43.635300, -85.332800. 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 Mecosta 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: Mecosta County internal point. Dark pin: Lansing.

Internal point

Decimal
43.635300, -85.332800
DMS
43°38'7.08"N 85°19'58.08"W
UTM
16N 634483.3E 4832718.1N
Geohash
dpg24pwd1
Plus code
86MPJMP8+4V

Towns in Mecosta County

One incorporated place of 1,000+ people has residents in Mecosta County, 8,565 people together, or 20% of the county. Each figure counts only the part of the town inside Mecosta County; towns marked "part" extend into another county. The largest is Big Rapids with 8,565.

  1. 01Big Rapids8,565
Census Vintage 2024 subcounty estimates, county parts of incorporated places (SUMLEV 157).

Counties bordering Mecosta County

The Census 2024 county adjacency file lists 6 neighbors for Mecosta County. The most populous is Montcalm County, MI, with 69,314 residents. Distances run between Census internal points in a straight line.

Distance to Lansing and the nearest big city

Lansing is 73.6 miles SSE of Mecosta County's internal point in a straight line. The nearest place of 100,000 or more is Grand Rapids, MI (population 200,117), 49.3 miles away. The nearest place of 10,000 or more is Mount Pleasant, MI (population 21,090), 28.0 miles away.

Mecosta County FIPS code

The FIPS code of Mecosta County is 26107: state code 26 for Michigan plus county code 107. Use it as text, with the leading zero, when joining Census, BLS, or CDC county tables. SAIPE lists its 2023 median household income as $59,260.

Questions people ask

What is the population of Mecosta County, Michigan?

The Census Vintage 2024 estimate for July 1, 2024 is 41,947. That is up 1,521 people (3.8%) from the July 2020 estimate of 40,426.

What is the FIPS code of Mecosta County?

26107. The first two digits (26) are Michigan; the last three (107) identify the county.

What is the largest town in Mecosta County?

Big Rapids, with 8,565 residents inside Mecosta County in 2024.

Which counties border Mecosta County?

6 county-equivalents border it in the Census 2024 adjacency file: Montcalm County, MI; Isabella County, MI; Newaygo County, MI; Clare County, MI; Osceola County, MI; Lake 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.