Norton Shores, Michigan Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Norton Shores, 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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B
Income Around average
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C
Education Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Norton Shores | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,639 | 10,068,405 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 838.1 | 104.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.81% | 0.19% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 40.3 | 40.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 8,180 | 4,073,089 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Norton Shores grew by 9.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 20,639 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Norton Shores is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 20.4% of residents. That is 2.1 points above Michigan as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 3,905 18.9% -2.2 pts
- Millennials 29–44 4,045 19.6% -1.1 pts
- Gen X 45–60 4,027 19.5% -1.0 pts
- Boomers 61–79 4,218 20.4% +2.1 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 50.9% of the people living in Norton Shores and men 49.1%.
- Women 50.9% Michigan 50.5%
- Men 49.1% Michigan 49.5%
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Economy
Norton Shores has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Norton Shores | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $72,926 | $72,977 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.30% | 4.60% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Norton Shores is about the same as in Michigan.
Housing
| Metric | Norton Shores | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $45,002 | $138,713 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,337 | $1,129 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 81.9% | 73.2% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Norton Shores is about 2.8 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,337 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Norton Shores spend about 33 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 137 hours, about 5.7 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Norton Shores | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 16.4 | 21.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 32.9 | 42.6 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 137 | 178 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,249 | $5,509 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 11.8% | 13.5% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 9,993 | 8,204 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,641 | 1,585 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Norton Shores is 16 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
Norton Shores has a education index of C, which means it is somewhat educated.
| Metric | Norton Shores | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.1% | 28.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.50 | 2.42 | 2.53 |
Health
Norton Shores has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Norton Shores | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.3 | 78.3 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.2% | 16.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 19.1% | 20.9% | 19.0% |
Norton Shores, MI Compared With Nearby Cities
How Norton Shores, MI compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norton Shores, MI | 20,639 | $72,926 #1/2 | $45,002 #2/2 | 16.4 min #1/2 |
| Muskegon, MI | 37,029 | $45,003 | $158,089 | 17.3 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Norton Shores, Michigan.
How many people live in Norton Shores, Michigan?
About 20,639 people live in Norton Shores, Michigan, in 8,180 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 40.3, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 3 years.
Is Norton Shores, Michigan mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Norton Shores, Michigan has 838 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 9.7 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Norton Shores, Michigan?
The median home costs 0.6 times the median household income ($45,002 against $72,926), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $1,337 a month takes about 22% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
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