by Kristen Carney
Updated: June 20, 2024
The richest county in Michigan is Oakland County with an average household income of $126,488 as of 2022 and 1,270,426 people as of 2023 according to the most current Census data available (citation).
Rank | County | Population | Average Income | Median Income |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Oakland County | 1,270,426 | $126,488 | $92,620 |
2 | Livingston County | 196,757 | $119,911 | $96,135 |
3 | Washtenaw County | 365,536 | $118,384 | $84,245 |
4 | Leelanau County | 23,019 | $116,094 | $82,345 |
5 | Ottawa County | 303,372 | $106,239 | $83,932 |
6 | Clinton County | 79,720 | $104,250 | $82,594 |
7 | Kent County | 661,354 | $100,762 | $76,247 |
8 | Midland County | 84,039 | $99,402 | $73,643 |
9 | Emmet County | 34,123 | $98,070 | $69,690 |
10 | Barry County | 63,808 | $97,693 | $75,182 |
11 | Grand Traverse County | 96,421 | $96,733 | $75,553 |
12 | Lapeer County | 88,977 | $94,615 | $75,402 |
13 | Charlevoix County | 26,159 | $94,468 | $69,764 |
14 | Allegan County | 121,939 | $93,470 | $75,543 |
15 | Macomb County | 875,101 | $93,292 | $73,876 |
16 | Eaton County | 108,820 | $93,124 | $77,158 |
17 | Monroe County | 155,045 | $92,489 | $72,573 |
18 | Benzie County | 18,441 | $92,315 | $71,327 |
19 | Kalamazoo County | 262,215 | $92,248 | $67,905 |
20 | Cass County | 51,642 | $90,773 | $65,183 |
We usually suggest using median income data – either instead of or in addition to – average income data as a true indicator of wealth. If you haven’t thought about median versus average since your last standardized test, you aren’t alone. Here’s what they are:
Now let’s say you had the following simplified set of income data.
Household 1: $30,000
Household 2: $50,000
Household 3: $1,000,000
The average income for this set is $360,000. The outlier data point ($1,000,000) skews the average WAY up. Conversely, the average income would be skewed WAY down if someone had an income of $500. The median income for the same data set is $50,000. Outlier data doesn’t skew the median.
So most business owners should use the median income as a true indicator of wealth, because it provides a more accurate representation of a typical income, especially in areas with significant income disparity.
If your target market is high-income households, the average income may be more relevant. This is because the average income can highlight the presence of a higher concentration of wealthy individuals, which is beneficial for luxury goods and services marketing. We’re using average income on this page because using the Census’s highest reported median value of $250,001 could result in multiple ties for the richest geography.
The Census' American Community Survey uses $250,000+ as a jam value for median income estimates to protect privacy, ensure data consistency, and simplify reporting. A "jam value" in survey data refers to a placeholder or default value used when actual data points are unavailable, incomplete, or exceed certain thresholds. We represent this jam value as $250,001 to make it easy for you to sort.
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United States Census Bureau. Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. Web. May 2024. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. B01001 SEX BY AGE, 2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 7 December 2023. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. B19013 Median Household Income, 2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 7 December 2023. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. “DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS.” 2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 07 December 2023. http://www.census.gov/.
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