Michigan · GEOID 26017

Bay County

2024 ACS 5-year estimates · population 103,008 · 48,659 housing units

Median household income

$61,763

State $74,099

Median home value

$152,200

State $237,564

Median gross rent

$860

State $1,136

Homeownership rate

77.0%

State 73.2%

Renter cost-burden rate

42.9%

≥30% of income

Owner cost-burden rate

18.5%

≥30% of income

Homeowner vacancy

0.9%

Of owner-occupied + for-sale units

Rental vacancy

3.9%

Of renter-occupied + for-rent units

Overall vacancy

7.3%

All housing units

Price-to-income ratio

2.46

Affordable: 2.0–3.0

Section 1

Community Profile

Population, demographics, household composition, and income.

Community Data Summary

	Bay County	Michigan
Population	103,008	10,077,761
Population density (per sq. mi.)	232.83	—
Median household income	$61,763	$74,099
HUD Area Median Income (4-person, 100%)	$89,900	—
Households	45,103	—
Average household size	2.26 people	—
Owner-occupied	77.0%	73.2%
Renter-occupied	23.0%	26.8%
Race	90.7% White · 1.2% Black	0.0% White · 0.0% Black

Source: ACS 5-year 2024 (Tables DP05, S1101, DP04, S1901) and Census Gazetteer (land area); HUD FY2026 Income Limits.

Racial composition

Bay County compared with Michigan.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP05.

Educational attainment (population 25+)

22.1% hold a bachelor's degree or higher (state: 32.4%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1501.

Median Household Income by Tenure

Owner-occupied vs. renter-occupied household income, county and state.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25119.

Median Household Income by Age of Householder

Median household income by age group of householder.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B19049.

Median Household Income by Number of Earners

Median household income for families with each earner count.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903.

Household Size

Distribution of households by number of people.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2501.

Income by Number of Earners

Earners	Share	Median income	Attainable monthly housing cost	Attainable home
0 earners	20.8%	$52,454	$1,311	$164,232
1 earner	31.5%	$55,012	$1,375	$173,754
2 earners	37.5%	$110,132	$2,753	$378,929
3+ earners	10.2%	$155,968	$3,899	$549,546

Attainable monthly housing cost = 30% of gross income ÷ 12. Attainable home price assumes 30% housing budget, 30-yr mortgage at 7%, 5% down.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903; affordability formula derived.

Households

45,103

Average size: 2.26 people

Households with children

10,423

23.1% of households

Per-capita income

$35,602

Poverty rate: 12.9%

Section 2

Residential Market Analysis

Housing stock characteristics — tenure, type, age, size, vacancy, rents.

Tenure

77.0% owner-occupied vs. state average 73.2%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Structure type

Single-family share 80.3% · Missing middle (2–19 units) 9.8%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25024.

Housing stock by decade

74.3% built before 1980 · Median structure age 1,963.00 yrs.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2504.

Housing size mismatch

Compares the share of housing units by bedroom count against the share of households by size — a common diagnostic of housing supply/demand alignment.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Tables B25041 (bedrooms) and S2501 (household size).

Home value distribution

Owner-occupied homes by value bracket. Median: $152,200.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Monthly Housing Costs

Distribution of monthly housing costs across all occupied units.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25104.

Number of Bedrooms

Housing units by number of bedrooms.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25041.

Median rent by bedroom

Overall median gross rent: $860.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25031.

Renters by age

Number of renter householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Owners by age

Number of owner householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Vacancy composition

All 3,556 vacant units split into Census's seven categories. Frictional vacancy (units actively on the market) reflects healthy churn. Structural vacancy (seasonal, migrant, other) sits outside the market for year-round residents — high values change how the headline vacancy rate should be read.

Vacant units by type

For sale 8.4% · For rent 12.2% · Seasonal 22.9% · Other 23.8%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Frictional vs structural

53.3% of vacancy is frictional (for sale + for rent + rented/sold not yet occupied); 46.7% is structural (seasonal + migrant + other).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Seasonal / recreational share of all housing

1.7%

816 units of 48,659 total

Housing units held for seasonal or recreational use.

"Other vacant" share of all housing

1.7%

845 units of 48,659 total

Census "Other vacant" — units off the market for reasons other than seasonal, migrant, sale, or rental.

Section 3

Workforce Housing Needs Assessment

Affordability, cost burden, and the housing options for households in the workforce income range.

Workforce range — ACS median household income

80% MHI$49,410

100% MHI$61,763

120% MHI$74,116

County-wide median from ACS 5-year estimates. A household at 100% MHI in Bay County should be able to afford a home up to roughly — (30% housing budget, default mortgage terms).

Workforce range — HUD Area Median Income

	1-person	2-person	4-person
80% AMI	$50,350	$57,550	$71,900
100% AMI	$62,930	$71,920	$89,900
120% AMI	$75,500	$86,300	$107,900

HUD FMR Area: Bay City, MI MSA. 80% AMI uses HUD's published Section 8 Low Income Limits; 100% is HUD MFI; 120% is the standard workforce convention.

Affordability calculator

Follows the standard 30%-of-gross-income affordability rule.

Income basis Household income Interest rate % Down payment % Taxes & insurance / yr

Affordable monthly—

Affordable home price—

Renter cost burden

42.9% of renter households spend ≥30% of income on rent (21.9% spend ≥50%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25070.

Owner cost burden by income

18.5% of homeowners spend ≥30% of income on housing. Bars show counts of cost-burdened owners by income bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25106.

Household income — owners vs renters

Distribution of household income for owner-occupied (navy) and renter-occupied (gold) households.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25118.

Section 4

Industry & Workforce Wages

Employment, average wages, and the housing each industry's typical earner can afford in Bay County.

Covered employment

28,694

Across 18 sectors

Establishments

2,008

QCEW 2024

Avg annual pay (workforce)

$53,649

Employment-weighted across sectors

Top 10 sectors by employment

Annual average employment by NAICS 2-digit sector. Counties with fewer than five covered establishments in a sector may show suppressed totals.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024.

Attainable housing by industry

Industry	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 62 Health care and social assistance NAICS 62	6,019	$51,257	$159,776	+$7,576	$1,281
NAICS 44-45 Retail trade NAICS 44-45	4,591	$36,698	$105,583	−$46,617	$917
NAICS 31-33 Manufacturing NAICS 31-33	4,440	$83,176	$278,590	+$126,390	$2,079
NAICS 72 Accommodation and food services NAICS 72	3,975	$20,800	$46,405	−$105,795	$520
NAICS 92 Public administration NAICS 92	1,673	$60,130	$192,805	+$40,605	$1,503
NAICS 23 Construction NAICS 23	1,520	$65,177	$211,591	+$59,391	$1,629
NAICS 54 Professional, scientific, and technical services NAICS 54	1,413	$103,331	$353,614	+$201,414	$2,583
NAICS 42 Wholesale trade NAICS 42	1,340	$69,393	$227,285	+$75,085	$1,735
NAICS 81 Other services (except public administration) NAICS 81	1,020	$34,841	$98,671	−$53,529	$871
NAICS 52 Finance and insurance NAICS 52	587	$70,220	$230,363	+$78,163	$1,756
NAICS 71 Arts, entertainment, and recreation NAICS 71	559	$20,609	$45,694	−$106,506	$515
NAICS 11 Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting NAICS 11	432	$37,458	$108,412	−$43,788	$936
NAICS 53 Real estate and rental and leasing NAICS 53	407	$51,066	$159,065	+$6,865	$1,277
NAICS 51 Information NAICS 51	297	$92,203	$312,191	+$159,991	$2,305
NAICS 61 Educational services NAICS 61	172	$32,369	$89,469	−$62,731	$809
NAICS 48-49 Transportation and warehousing NAICS 48-49	166	$64,116	$207,642	+$55,442	$1,603
NAICS 99 Unclassified NAICS 99	68	$28,849	$76,366	−$75,834	$721
NAICS 21 Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction NAICS 21	15	$64,138	$207,724	+$55,524	$1,603

Subsector	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 722 Food services and drinking places NAICS 722	3,549	$19,151	$40,267	−$111,933	$479
NAICS 621 Ambulatory health care services NAICS 621	2,360	$51,206	$159,587	+$7,387	$1,280
NAICS 541 Professional, scientific, and technical services NAICS 541	1,413	$103,331	$353,614	+$201,414	$2,583
NAICS 455 General merchandise retailers NAICS 455	1,297	$29,636	$79,296	−$72,904	$741
NAICS 623 Nursing and residential care facilities NAICS 623	1,234	$35,362	$100,610	−$51,590	$884
NAICS 561 Administrative and support services NAICS 561	1,098	$30,329	$81,875	−$70,325	$758
NAICS 921 Executive, legislative, and other general government support NAICS 921	1,030	$51,143	$159,352	+$7,152	$1,279
NAICS 311 Food manufacturing NAICS 311	1,004	$65,502	$212,801	+$60,601	$1,638
NAICS 238 Specialty trade contractors NAICS 238	888	$61,973	$199,665	+$47,465	$1,549
NAICS 441 Motor vehicle and parts dealers NAICS 441	803	$60,225	$193,158	+$40,958	$1,506
NAICS 424 Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods NAICS 424	770	$69,757	$228,640	+$76,440	$1,744
NAICS 445 Food and beverage retailers NAICS 445	713	$26,899	$69,108	−$83,092	$672
NAICS 326 Plastics and rubber products manufacturing NAICS 326	523	$80,466	$268,502	+$116,302	$2,012
NAICS 713 Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries NAICS 713	514	$20,767	$46,282	−$105,918	$519
NAICS 444 Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers NAICS 444	502	$36,028	$103,089	−$49,111	$901
NAICS 325 Chemical manufacturing NAICS 325	501	$128,911	$448,831	+$296,631	$3,223
NAICS 333 Machinery manufacturing NAICS 333	492	$72,967	$240,588	+$88,388	$1,824
NAICS 332 Fabricated metal product manufacturing NAICS 332	426	$61,259	$197,007	+$44,807	$1,531
NAICS 721 Accommodation NAICS 721	426	$34,532	$97,520	−$54,680	$863
NAICS 459 Sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, book, and miscellaneous retailers NAICS 459	407	$30,313	$81,816	−$70,384	$758
NAICS 811 Repair and maintenance NAICS 811	401	$48,693	$150,232	−$1,968	$1,217
NAICS 522 Credit intermediation and related activities NAICS 522	382	$58,121	$185,327	+$33,127	$1,453
NAICS 111 Crop production NAICS 111	375	$37,665	$109,182	−$43,018	$942
NAICS 457 Gasoline stations and fuel dealers NAICS 457	371	$23,724	$57,289	−$94,911	$593
NAICS 236 Construction of buildings NAICS 236	346	$62,278	$200,800	+$48,600	$1,557
NAICS 813 Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations NAICS 813	336	$28,883	$76,493	−$75,707	$722
NAICS 237 Heavy and civil engineering construction NAICS 237	286	$78,630	$261,668	+$109,468	$1,966
NAICS 456 Health and personal care retailers NAICS 456	270	$42,487	$127,132	−$25,068	$1,062
NAICS 484 Truck transportation NAICS 484	262	$57,855	$184,336	+$32,136	$1,446
NAICS 812 Personal and laundry services NAICS 812	234	$23,422	$56,165	−$96,035	$586
NAICS 532 Rental and leasing services NAICS 532	208	$46,368	$141,578	−$10,622	$1,159
NAICS 531 Real estate NAICS 531	199	$55,975	$177,338	+$25,138	$1,399
NAICS 611 Educational services NAICS 611	172	$32,369	$89,469	−$62,731	$809
NAICS 491 Postal service NAICS 491	166	$64,116	$207,642	+$55,442	$1,603
NAICS 449 Furniture, home furnishings, electronics, and appliance retailers NAICS 449	142	$65,203	$211,688	+$59,488	$1,630
NAICS 524 Insurance carriers and related activities NAICS 524	140	$67,105	$218,768	+$66,568	$1,678
NAICS 312 Beverage and tobacco product manufacturing NAICS 312	106	$73,366	$242,074	+$89,874	$1,834
NAICS 321 Wood product manufacturing NAICS 321	96	$57,956	$184,712	+$32,512	$1,449
NAICS 458 Clothing, clothing accessories, shoe, and jewelry retailers NAICS 458	87	$29,289	$78,004	−$74,196	$732
NAICS 339 Miscellaneous manufacturing NAICS 339	86	$60,902	$195,678	+$43,478	$1,523
NAICS 999 Unclassified NAICS 999	68	$28,849	$76,366	−$75,834	$721
NAICS 335 Electrical equipment, appliance, and component manufacturing NAICS 335	64	$97,248	$330,971	+$178,771	$2,431
NAICS 922 Justice, public order, and safety activities NAICS 922	50	$112,190	$386,590	+$234,390	$2,805
NAICS 115 Support activities for agriculture and forestry NAICS 115	50	$33,846	$94,967	−$57,233	$846
NAICS 814 Private households NAICS 814	49	$16,864	$31,754	−$120,446	$422
NAICS 926 Administration of economic programs NAICS 926	38	$96,898	$329,668	+$177,468	$2,422
NAICS 485 Transit and ground passenger transportation NAICS 485	37	$52,495	$164,385	+$12,185	$1,312
NAICS 337 Furniture and related product manufacturing NAICS 337	29	$45,689	$139,050	−$13,150	$1,142
NAICS 923 Administration of human resource programs NAICS 923	16	$96,710	$328,968	+$176,768	$2,418
NAICS 211 Oil and gas extraction NAICS 211	15	$64,138	$207,724	+$55,524	$1,603
NAICS 488 Support activities for transportation NAICS 488	15	$27,047	$69,659	−$82,541	$676
NAICS 928 National security and international affairs NAICS 928	14	$70,490	$231,368	+$79,168	$1,762
NAICS 924 Administration of environmental quality programs NAICS 924	4	$63,144	$204,024	+$51,824	$1,579

Affordable home price assumes the industry's average earner uses 30% of gross income for housing, with a 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr taxes & insurance, and 0.5% PMI. Adjust the Section 3 calculator for other terms. Affordable rent is 30% of monthly gross pay.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024; ACS 5-year 2024 (median home value).

Section 5

Wages by Occupation

Selected essential-worker occupations for the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county — jobs, the 10-year change, wages, and the housing each typical earner can afford. Both jobs counts and wages are reported at the MSA / nonmetropolitan-area level (BLS does not publish OEWS at the county level), so every county inside the same area shows the same numbers. For county-accurate employment totals, see Section 4 above.

Occupational wages and affordable housing

Occupation	2025 jobs	2015–2025 change	% change	Hourly wage	Annual wage	Affordable home price	Affordable monthly rent
Fast Food and Counter Workers SOC 35-3023 · prior-year code differs	1,380	0	0%	$13.76	$28,630	$75,551	$716
Cashiers SOC 41-2011	910	(430)	(32%)	$14.56	$30,280	$81,693	$757
Childcare Workers SOC 39-9011	90	(40)	(31%)	$14.67	$30,510	$82,549	$763
Janitors and Cleaners SOC 37-2011	700	180	35%	$15.97	$33,210	$92,599	$830
Retail Salespersons SOC 41-2031	920	(780)	(46%)	$17.98	$37,400	$108,196	$935
Home Health and Personal Care Aides SOC 31-1131 · prior-year code differs	490	(780)	(61%)	$18.72	$38,940	$113,928	$974
Tellers SOC 43-3071	120	(40)	(25%)	$18.89	$39,300	$115,268	$983
Office Clerks, General SOC 43-9061	770	(30)	(4%)	$20.03	$41,670	$124,090	$1,042
Waiters and Waitresses SOC 35-3031	570	(310)	(35%)	$21.33	$44,370	$134,141	$1,109
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General SOC 49-9071	300	(150)	(33%)	$22.31	$46,400	$141,697	$1,160
Construction Laborers SOC 47-2061	250	20	9%	$23.24	$48,330	$148,881	$1,208
Carpenters SOC 47-2031	80	(20)	(20%)	$27.28	$56,740	$180,186	$1,419
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers SOC 53-3032	510	(50)	(9%)	$27.67	$57,550	$183,201	$1,439
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers SOC 33-3051	200	0	0%	$32.19	$66,960	$218,228	$1,674
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education SOC 25-2021	350	—	—	—	$67,510	$220,276	$1,688
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters SOC 47-2152	110	(20)	(15%)	$35.41	$73,650	$243,131	$1,841
Electricians SOC 47-2111	210	60	40%	$36.10	$75,090	$248,491	$1,877

Affordable home price uses the same Section 3 formula (30% housing budget, 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr T&I, 0.5% PMI). Affordable rent is 30% of monthly wages. Negative job-change values are shown in red parentheses. A "prior-year code differs" note flags occupations whose SOC code changed between the two vintages (2010 SOC → 2018 SOC) — the change estimate is best-effort.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (10-year change vs. May 2015). Jobs counts and wages reflect the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county, not the county alone — OEWS is not published at the county level.

Methodology & sources

All figures derive from the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. State and national comparisons are population-weighted aggregates of county-level estimates (an approximation; ACS publishes its own state and national medians which can differ slightly).

The affordability calculator uses a 30% housing-budget rule with a 30-year mortgage. Defaults are 7% interest, 5% down, $2,500/year taxes and insurance, and 0.5% PMI — adjustable above.

Variables: 26017 · pulled from Full Housing Data Table.xlsx.