Michigan · GEOID 26059

Hillsdale County

2024 ACS 5-year estimates · population 45,654 · 21,515 housing units

Median household income

$64,242

State $74,099

Median home value

$176,100

State $237,564

Median gross rent

$832

State $1,136

Homeownership rate

82.0%

State 73.2%

Renter cost-burden rate

40.8%

≥30% of income

Owner cost-burden rate

20.4%

≥30% of income

Homeowner vacancy

0.5%

Of owner-occupied + for-sale units

Rental vacancy

2.0%

Of renter-occupied + for-rent units

Overall vacancy

17.0%

All housing units

Price-to-income ratio

2.74

Affordable: 2.0–3.0

Section 1

Community Profile

Population, demographics, household composition, and income.

Community Data Summary

	Hillsdale County	Michigan
Population	45,654	10,077,761
Population density (per sq. mi.)	76.33	—
Median household income	$64,242	$74,099
HUD Area Median Income (4-person, 100%)	$81,300	—
Households	17,860	—
Average household size	2.47 people	—
Owner-occupied	82.0%	73.2%
Renter-occupied	18.0%	26.8%
Race	93.4% White · 0.7% 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

Hillsdale County compared with Michigan.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP05.

Educational attainment (population 25+)

21.2% 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	19.2%	$45,083	$1,127	$136,795
1 earner	33.6%	$58,071	$1,452	$185,140
2 earners	38.0%	$102,182	$2,555	$349,337
3+ earners	9.2%	$131,979	$3,299	$460,251

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

17,860

Average size: 2.47 people

Households with children

4,494

25.2% of households

Per-capita income

$32,981

Poverty rate: 13.8%

Section 2

Residential Market Analysis

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

Tenure

82.0% owner-occupied vs. state average 73.2%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Structure type

Single-family share 83.0% · Missing middle (2–19 units) 5.6%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25024.

Housing stock by decade

61.8% built before 1980 · Median structure age 1,971.00 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: $176,100.

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: $832.

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 3,655 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 2.0% · For rent 1.8% · Seasonal 57.2% · Other 34.7%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Frictional vs structural

8.2% of vacancy is frictional (for sale + for rent + rented/sold not yet occupied); 91.8% is structural (seasonal + migrant + other).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Seasonal / recreational share of all housing

9.7%

2,089 units of 21,515 total

Housing units held for seasonal or recreational use.

"Other vacant" share of all housing

5.9%

1,267 units of 21,515 total

⚑ Above the 5% threshold — possible indicator of disinvestment, abandonment, or condemned stock.

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$51,394

100% MHI$64,242

120% MHI$77,090

County-wide median from ACS 5-year estimates. A household at 100% MHI in Hillsdale 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	$46,850	$53,550	$66,900
100% AMI	$56,910	$65,040	$81,300
120% AMI	$68,300	$78,050	$97,550

HUD FMR Area: Hillsdale County, MI. 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

40.8% of renter households spend ≥30% of income on rent (21.7% spend ≥50%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25070.

Owner cost burden by income

20.4% 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 Hillsdale County.

Covered employment

8,956

Across 15 sectors

Establishments

678

QCEW 2024

Avg annual pay (workforce)

$49,856

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 31-33 Manufacturing NAICS 31-33	3,601	$67,844	$221,519	+$45,419	$1,696
NAICS 44-45 Retail trade NAICS 44-45	1,853	$36,682	$105,523	−$70,577	$917
NAICS 72 Accommodation and food services NAICS 72	816	$18,674	$38,491	−$137,609	$467
NAICS 92 Public administration NAICS 92	460	$42,389	$126,767	−$49,333	$1,060
NAICS 56 Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services NAICS 56	445	$37,074	$106,983	−$69,117	$927
NAICS 23 Construction NAICS 23	385	$49,365	$152,734	−$23,366	$1,234
NAICS 81 Other services (except public administration) NAICS 81	323	$31,907	$87,749	−$88,351	$798
NAICS 11 Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting NAICS 11	265	$36,526	$104,943	−$71,157	$913
NAICS 52 Finance and insurance NAICS 52	258	$73,346	$241,999	+$65,899	$1,834
NAICS 42 Wholesale trade NAICS 42	229	$57,499	$183,011	+$6,911	$1,437
NAICS 51 Information NAICS 51	103	$35,389	$100,710	−$75,390	$885
NAICS 48-49 Transportation and warehousing NAICS 48-49	67	$56,917	$180,845	+$4,745	$1,423
NAICS 99 Unclassified NAICS 99	60	$29,269	$77,930	−$98,170	$732
NAICS 71 Arts, entertainment, and recreation NAICS 71	47	$19,277	$40,736	−$135,364	$482
NAICS 53 Real estate and rental and leasing NAICS 53	44	$40,856	$121,060	−$55,040	$1,021

Subsector	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 336 Transportation equipment manufacturing NAICS 336	2,229	$70,581	$231,707	+$55,607	$1,765
NAICS 722 Food services and drinking places NAICS 722	688	$18,298	$37,092	−$139,008	$457
NAICS 455 General merchandise retailers NAICS 455	600	$29,221	$77,751	−$98,349	$731
NAICS 445 Food and beverage retailers NAICS 445	529	$27,697	$72,078	−$104,022	$692
NAICS 311 Food manufacturing NAICS 311	447	$67,585	$220,555	+$44,455	$1,690
NAICS 621 Ambulatory health care services NAICS 621	373	$48,867	$150,880	−$25,220	$1,222
NAICS 332 Fabricated metal product manufacturing NAICS 332	372	$59,165	$189,213	+$13,113	$1,479
NAICS 624 Social assistance NAICS 624	272	$21,724	$49,845	−$126,255	$543
NAICS 441 Motor vehicle and parts dealers NAICS 441	268	$61,174	$196,691	+$20,591	$1,529
NAICS 238 Specialty trade contractors NAICS 238	194	$47,366	$145,293	−$30,807	$1,184
NAICS 522 Credit intermediation and related activities NAICS 522	180	$62,642	$202,155	+$26,055	$1,566
NAICS 333 Machinery manufacturing NAICS 333	178	$77,435	$257,220	+$81,120	$1,936
NAICS 236 Construction of buildings NAICS 236	168	$50,990	$158,783	−$17,317	$1,275
NAICS 111 Crop production NAICS 111	167	$32,788	$91,029	−$85,071	$820
NAICS 424 Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods NAICS 424	149	$52,183	$163,223	−$12,877	$1,305
NAICS 444 Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers NAICS 444	142	$57,122	$181,608	+$5,508	$1,428
NAICS 721 Accommodation NAICS 721	129	$20,531	$45,404	−$130,696	$513
NAICS 459 Sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, book, and miscellaneous retailers NAICS 459	126	$35,084	$99,575	−$76,525	$877
NAICS 813 Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations NAICS 813	113	$27,216	$70,288	−$105,812	$680
NAICS 112 Animal production and aquaculture NAICS 112	84	$41,475	$123,365	−$52,735	$1,037
NAICS 484 Truck transportation NAICS 484	83	$60,717	$194,990	+$18,890	$1,518
NAICS 812 Personal and laundry services NAICS 812	78	$32,279	$89,134	−$86,966	$807
NAICS 811 Repair and maintenance NAICS 811	76	$44,547	$134,800	−$41,300	$1,114
NAICS 423 Merchant wholesalers, durable goods NAICS 423	75	$66,993	$218,351	+$42,251	$1,675
NAICS 457 Gasoline stations and fuel dealers NAICS 457	74	$37,227	$107,552	−$68,548	$931
NAICS 491 Postal service NAICS 491	67	$56,917	$180,845	+$4,745	$1,423
NAICS 999 Unclassified NAICS 999	60	$29,269	$77,930	−$98,170	$732
NAICS 814 Private households NAICS 814	56	$23,699	$57,196	−$118,904	$592
NAICS 713 Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries NAICS 713	47	$19,277	$40,736	−$135,364	$482
NAICS 449 Furniture, home furnishings, electronics, and appliance retailers NAICS 449	46	$22,770	$53,738	−$122,362	$569
NAICS 531 Real estate NAICS 531	25	$38,845	$113,575	−$62,525	$971
NAICS 237 Heavy and civil engineering construction NAICS 237	23	$54,346	$171,275	−$4,825	$1,359
NAICS 493 Warehousing and storage NAICS 493	22	$62,801	$202,747	+$26,647	$1,570
NAICS 488 Support activities for transportation NAICS 488	20	$47,029	$144,038	−$32,062	$1,176
NAICS 532 Rental and leasing services NAICS 532	19	$43,503	$130,913	−$45,187	$1,088
NAICS 339 Miscellaneous manufacturing NAICS 339	18	$54,292	$171,074	−$5,026	$1,357
NAICS 323 Printing and related support activities NAICS 323	15	$33,926	$95,265	−$80,835	$848
NAICS 926 Administration of economic programs NAICS 926	13	$66,806	$217,655	+$41,555	$1,670
NAICS 519 Web search portals, libraries, archives, and other information services NAICS 519	12	$19,272	$40,717	−$135,383	$482
NAICS 425 Wholesale trade agents and brokers NAICS 425	5	$73,527	$242,673	+$66,573	$1,838
NAICS 924 Administration of environmental quality programs NAICS 924	2	$69,433	$227,434	+$51,334	$1,736

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	3,220	(5,520)	(63%)	$14.17	$29,470	$78,678	$737
Cashiers SOC 41-2011	3,490	(3,700)	(51%)	$14.55	$30,260	$81,618	$757
Childcare Workers SOC 39-9011	450	(1,110)	(71%)	$15.26	$31,740	$87,128	$794
Janitors and Cleaners SOC 37-2011	1,730	(1,950)	(53%)	$17.82	$37,060	$106,930	$927
Retail Salespersons SOC 41-2031	3,070	(5,110)	(62%)	$18.08	$37,610	$108,978	$940
Home Health and Personal Care Aides SOC 31-1131 · prior-year code differs	1,060	(3,640)	(77%)	$18.80	$39,100	$114,524	$978
Tellers SOC 43-3071	440	(1,050)	(70%)	$19.33	$40,200	$118,619	$1,005
Waiters and Waitresses SOC 35-3031	1,960	(2,760)	(58%)	$20.33	$42,290	$126,398	$1,057
Office Clerks, General SOC 43-9061	2,520	(4,070)	(62%)	$21.59	$44,900	$136,114	$1,123
Firefighters SOC 33-2011	240	(130)	(35%)	$23.12	$48,090	$147,988	$1,202
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General SOC 49-9071	1,380	(1,980)	(59%)	$23.57	$49,020	$151,450	$1,226
Construction Laborers SOC 47-2061	1,020	(810)	(44%)	$23.73	$49,360	$152,715	$1,234
Paramedics SOC 29-2043 · prior-year code differs	90	(280)	(76%)	$24.28	$50,510	$156,996	$1,263
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers SOC 53-3032	2,270	(2,710)	(54%)	$26.42	$54,950	$173,523	$1,374
Carpenters SOC 47-2031	600	(400)	(40%)	$26.82	$55,780	$176,613	$1,395
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers SOC 33-3051	640	(840)	(57%)	$30.17	$62,760	$202,595	$1,569
Electricians SOC 47-2111	660	(800)	(55%)	$30.54	$63,530	$205,461	$1,588
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education SOC 25-2021	1,980	(3,240)	(62%)	—	$64,880	$210,486	$1,622
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters SOC 47-2152	310	(180)	(37%)	$32.12	$66,800	$217,633	$1,670
Registered Nurses SOC 29-1141	1,310	—	—	$41.49	$86,300	$290,218	$2,158

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: 26059 · pulled from Full Housing Data Table.xlsx.