Clare County, Michigan Income Statistics
Clare County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Clare County Well below averageAmong the 5 least wealthy counties in Michigan
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Clare County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $49,410 | $72,977 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $46,303 | $59,920 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.5% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.1% | 11.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.8% | 9.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Clare County is about 32% lower than in Michigan. Income has been growing slower in Clare County (4.5%/yr) than in Michigan (4.6%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Clare County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Michigan average of 11%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Clare County, Michigan grew by 41.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $49,410 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Clare County
| Metric | Clare County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.547 | 0.539 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $58,057 | $69,354 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $42,568 | $54,749 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 26.7% | 21.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Clare County, it is 0.547, higher than Michigan's 0.539, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 36% more than women's income in Clare County, Michigan. Over a 35-year career, a 36% wage gap accumulates to roughly $542,115 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Clare County, Michigan has narrowed from about 34% to 27% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 15% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,843 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Clare County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 9.5% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 10.9% | 13.5% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 1,129 people are unemployed in Clare County, Michigan.
The average commute time in Clare County is 23 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in Michigan.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Clare County, Michigan has fallen from 18.2% to 9.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate fell as low as 8.5% in 2023.
Clare County, MI Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Clare County, MI is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 31,218 residents against a local median of 23,737. Where Clare County, MI breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 48% above the local median of 6.4% at 9.5%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves sit within 2.0% of each other on unemployment, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Clare County, MI, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Clare County, MI has the 6th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clare County, MI | 31,218 | $49,410 #6/6 | 4.5%/yr #5/6 | 9.5% #6/6 | 0.547 #5/6 |
| Isabella County, MI | 64,565 | $55,505 | 4.0%/yr | 6.4% | 0.555 |
| Roscommon County, MI | 23,737 | $55,664 | 5.7%/yr | 4.7% | 0.507 |
| Missaukee County, MI | 15,207 | $64,147 | 5.4%/yr | 6.7% | 0.501 |
| Gladwin County, MI | 25,693 | $56,129 | 4.5%/yr | 6.8% | 0.523 |
| Osceola County, MI | 23,226 | $58,333 | 5.1%/yr | 6.4% | 0.521 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Clare County, Michigan has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Michigan, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Clare County, Michigan.
How Rich Is Clare County, Michigan?
Clare County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $49,410, about 32% lower than the Michigan average of $72,977.
How fast is household income rising in Clare County, Michigan?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Clare County, Michigan rose 41%, from $34,955 to $49,410. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Michigan as a whole: +41% against +50%.
What was the median household income in Clare County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Clare County, Michigan was $49,816, up 5% from $47,434 in 2022. The Michigan median that year was $71,362.
What was the median household income in Clare County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Clare County, Michigan was $41,128. By 2024 it had risen 20% to $49,410.
Is unemployment high in Clare County, Michigan?
Unemployment in Clare County, Michigan is 9.5%, well above the Michigan rate of 5.7%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Clare County, Michigan?
The Gini coefficient in Clare County is 0.547. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Clare County, Michigan?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Clare County, Michigan has narrowed from about 34% to 27% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 15% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,843 since 2009.
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