Muskegon, Michigan Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Muskegon, 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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C
Health Below average
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F
Income Well below average
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F
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Muskegon | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 37,029 | 10,068,405 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 2034.8 | 104.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.19% | 0.19% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 35.7 | 40.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 13,929 | 4,073,089 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Muskegon declined by 4.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 37,029 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Muskegon is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 23.6% of residents. That is 2.9 points above Michigan as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 8,709 23.5% +2.4 pts
- Millennials 29–44 8,749 23.6% +2.9 pts
- Gen X 45–60 6,947 18.8% -1.8 pts
- Boomers 61–79 5,022 13.6% -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 49.1% of the people living in Muskegon and men 50.9%.
- Women 49.1% Michigan 50.5%
- Men 50.9% Michigan 49.5%
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Economy
Muskegon has a the economy index of F, which means it scores poorly in the economy.
| Metric | Muskegon | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $45,003 | $72,977 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 6.36% | 4.60% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 9.3% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Muskegon is about 38% lower than in Michigan.
Housing
| Metric | Muskegon | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $158,089 | $138,713 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $999 | $1,129 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 52.9% | 73.2% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Muskegon is about 13.2 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $999 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Muskegon spend about 35 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 145 hours, about 6.0 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Muskegon | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 17.3 | 21.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 34.7 | 42.6 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 145 | 178 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,480 | $5,509 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 5.7% | 13.5% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 9,270 | 8,204 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,637 | 1,585 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Muskegon is 17 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
Muskegon has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Muskegon | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.1% | 28.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.36 | 2.42 | 2.53 |
Health
Muskegon has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Muskegon | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 74.4 | 78.3 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 22.7% | 16.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 26.8% | 20.9% | 19.0% |
Muskegon, MI Compared With Nearby Cities
How Muskegon, MI compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muskegon, MI | 37,029 | $45,003 #2/2 | $158,089 #1/2 | 17.3 min #2/2 |
| Norton Shores, MI | 20,639 | $72,926 | $45,002 | 16.4 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Muskegon, Michigan.
How big is Muskegon, Michigan by population?
About 37,029 people live in Muskegon, Michigan, in 13,929 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 35.7, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 2 years.
Is Muskegon, Michigan mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Muskegon, Michigan has 2,035 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 24 times the U.S. average of 86.
Is Muskegon, Michigan an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 3.5 times the median household income ($158,089 against $45,003), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $999 a month takes about 27% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Muskegon, Michigan?
Unemployment in Muskegon, Michigan is 9.3%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
How common is a college degree in Muskegon, Michigan?
13.1% of adults in Muskegon, Michigan hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 8), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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