Kalamazoo County, Michigan Income Statistics
Kalamazoo 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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C
Kalamazoo County Below averageWealthier than 78% of counties in Michigan
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Kalamazoo County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $72,425 | $72,977 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $60,519 | $59,920 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.8% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 11.7% | 11.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 9.4% | 9.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Kalamazoo County is about 1% lower than in Michigan. Income has been growing faster in Kalamazoo County (4.8%/yr) than in Michigan (4.6%/yr).
About 12% of adults in Kalamazoo County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, about the same as the Michigan average of 11%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Kalamazoo County, Michigan grew by 62.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $72,425 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.8% per year.
Kalamazoo County has stayed below the U.S. median household income in every year from 2009 to 2024 and has never reached it. It came closest in 2022, at 8.4% lower. The gap has narrowed from 13% in 2009 to 10.0% in 2024.
Income Distribution in Kalamazoo County
How incomes are spread across brackets, compared with the U.S. Pick a range to count who falls in it.
Households by income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 39,110 households (36.4% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 23.7% of households in Kalamazoo County had an income under $35,000 and 18.6% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., Kalamazoo County has a larger share of households earning $50,000 to $74,999 (17.1% vs 15.5%) and a smaller share earning $200,000 or more (9.4% vs 13.2%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 6,618 | 6.2% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 3,103 | 2.9% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 7,222 | 6.7% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 8,471 | 7.9% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 11,706 | 10.9% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 18,408 | 17.1% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 12,761 | 11.9% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 19,094 | 17.8% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 9,968 | 9.3% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 10,048 | 9.4% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 107,400 households, one per occupied home whatever its size. Households with zero or negative income are counted in the lowest bracket. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19001).
Residents 15+ by personal income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 25,249 residents (11.7% of residents aged 15 and over) have a personal income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 13.9% of residents aged 15 and over.
That is 13.0% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 10.1% of Kalamazoo County residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 31.2% had some income but less than $25,000, and 19.8% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., Kalamazoo County has a larger share of residents earning $1 to $9,999 (13.0% vs 11.2%) and a smaller share with no personal income (10.1% vs 12.8%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 21,930 | 10.1% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 28,168 | 13.0% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 15,097 | 7.0% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 24,245 | 11.2% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 22,114 | 10.2% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 27,604 | 12.8% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 34,258 | 15.8% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 17,693 | 8.2% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 25,249 | 11.7% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 216,358 residents aged 15 and over, the only people the Census Bureau asks about income, and include those who reported none. A share of the whole population would count children as people without income, while a share of earners alone would hide the 10.1% with no income; the calculator adds that second share whenever your range leaves out people with no income. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19325).
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Kalamazoo County
| Metric | Kalamazoo County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.538 | 0.539 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $68,309 | $69,354 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $57,286 | $54,749 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 16.1% | 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 Kalamazoo County, it is 0.538, about the same as Michigan's 0.539, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 19% more than women's income in Kalamazoo County, Michigan. Over a 35-year career, a 19% wage gap accumulates to roughly $385,805 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Kalamazoo County, Michigan has narrowed from about 27% to 16% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,456 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Kalamazoo County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 12.4% | 13.5% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 7,675 people are unemployed in Kalamazoo County, Michigan.
The average commute time in Kalamazoo County is 18 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in Michigan.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Kalamazoo County, Michigan has fallen from 11.5% to 5.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.8% in 2013.
Kalamazoo County has been above the U.S. unemployment rate in most years since 2011, but dipped below it in 2016-2017 (as much as 0.1 points lower). In 2024 its rate was 0.3 points higher.
Kalamazoo County, MI Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Kalamazoo County, MI is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 262,419 residents against a local median of 60,969. Kalamazoo County, MI sits close to the middle of its own neighbourhood. No measure below is more than 15% off the local median, so the choice between these counties turns on things this data does not capture.
The largest of those small differences is median household income, 8% above the local median at $72,425 against $67,257. Kalamazoo County, MI has the 2nd highest median household income 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalamazoo County, MI | 262,419 | $72,425 #2/6 | 4.8%/yr #3/6 | 5.5% #3/6 | 0.538 #6/6 |
| St. Joseph County, MI | 60,969 | $67,257 | 5.0%/yr | 5.9% | 0.504 |
| Barry County, MI | 63,409 | $78,210 | 4.0%/yr | 4.3% | 0.521 |
| Calhoun County, MI | 133,799 | $63,881 | 4.6%/yr | 6.4% | 0.527 |
| Cass County, MI | 51,520 | $70,806 | 5.0%/yr | 5.0% | 0.526 |
| Branch County, MI | 45,300 | $64,556 | 4.2%/yr | 5.7% | 0.523 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Kalamazoo County, Michigan has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it somewhat better than Michigan, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Kalamazoo County, Michigan.
How Rich Is Kalamazoo County, Michigan?
Kalamazoo County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $72,425, about 1% lower than the Michigan average of $72,977.
Are incomes growing in Kalamazoo County, Michigan?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Kalamazoo County, Michigan rose 63%, from $44,501 to $72,425. Over the same years, income here outpaced Michigan as a whole: +63% against +50%.
What was the median household income in Kalamazoo County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Kalamazoo County, Michigan was $70,413, up 3% from $68,235 in 2022. The Michigan median that year was $71,362.
What was the median household income in Kalamazoo County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Kalamazoo County, Michigan was $59,030. By 2024 it had risen 23% to $72,425.
What is the Gini coefficient in Kalamazoo County, Michigan?
The Gini coefficient in Kalamazoo County is 0.538. 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 Kalamazoo County, Michigan?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Kalamazoo County, Michigan has narrowed from about 27% to 16% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,456 since 2009.
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