Luce County, Michigan Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Luce County, MI Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
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D
Income Well below averageLeast wealthy county in Michigan
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Luce County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,271 | 10,068,405 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 3.3 | 104.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.10% | 0.19% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 43.1 | 40.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 2,455 | 4,073,089 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Luce County declined by 5.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 6,271 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Luce County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 23.1% of residents. That is 4.8 points above Michigan as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,084 17.3% -3.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,336 21.3% +0.6 pts
- Gen X 45–60 1,353 21.6% +1.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 1,449 23.1% +4.8 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Michigan, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 41.1% of the people living in Luce County and men 58.9%.
- Women 41.1% Michigan 50.5%
- Men 58.9% Michigan 49.5%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Luce County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Luce County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Luce County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,506 | $72,977 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.95% | 4.60% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 9.9% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Luce County is about 24% lower than in Michigan.
Housing
| Metric | Luce County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $176,389 | $138,713 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $674 | $1,129 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 82.6% | 73.2% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Luce County is about 21.8 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $674 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Luce County spend about 23 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 95 hours, about 4.0 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Luce County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 11.4 | 21.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 22.9 | 42.6 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 95 | 178 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $2,955 | $5,509 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 7.6% | 13.5% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,759 | 8,204 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 176 | 1,585 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Michigan:
Luce County (11.4 min), Dickinson County (12.2 min), Schoolcraft County (12.5 min).
Slowest:
Lapeer County (31.3 min), Lake County (31.1 min), Livingston County (28.6 min).
The average commute time in Luce County is 11 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in Michigan.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Luce County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Luce County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.9% | 28.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.08 | 2.42 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Michigan:
Washtenaw County (0.4), Oakland County (0.4), Leelanau County (0.4).
Lowest:
Lake County (0.2), Oscoda County (0.2), Kalkaska County (0.2).
Health
Luce County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Luce County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 81.5 | 78.3 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 17.5% | 16.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 22.5% | 20.9% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Michigan:
Washtenaw County (0.8), Ottawa County (0.8), Livingston County (0.8).
Lowest:
Clare County (0.8), Oscoda County (0.8), Lake County (0.8).
Luce County, MI Compared With Nearby Counties
How Luce County, MI compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luce County, MI | 6,271 | $55,506 #3/3 | $176,389 #3/3 | 11.4 min #1/3 |
| Chippewa County, MI | 36,295 | $62,983 | $178,274 | 13.5 min |
| Charlevoix County, MI | 26,108 | $76,927 | $326,041 | 17.5 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Luce County, Michigan.
What is the population of Luce County, Michigan?
About 6,271 people live in Luce County, Michigan, in 2,455 households of 2.1 people on average. The median age is 43.1, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 6 years.
Is Luce County, Michigan mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Luce County, Michigan has 3 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 4% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Luce County, Michigan an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 3.2 times the median household income ($176,389 against $55,506), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $674 a month takes about 15% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Luce County, Michigan?
Unemployment in Luce County, Michigan is 9.9%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What share of adults in Luce County, Michigan have a college degree?
16.9% of adults in Luce County, Michigan hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 6), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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