Portage, Michigan Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Portage, 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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A
Education Above average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Portage | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 49,224 | 10,068,405 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1399.8 | 104.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.37% | 0.19% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.6 | 40.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 20,826 | 4,073,089 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Portage grew by 7.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 49,224 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Portage is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 22.8% of residents. That is 1.6 points above Michigan as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 11,215 22.8% +1.6 pts
- Millennials 29–44 10,324 21.0% +0.3 pts
- Gen X 45–60 9,720 19.7% -0.8 pts
- Boomers 61–79 8,116 16.5% -1.8 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 51.7% of the people living in Portage and men 48.3%.
- Women 51.7% Michigan 50.5%
- Men 48.3% Michigan 49.5%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Portage
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Portage has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Portage | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $86,377 | $72,977 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.11% | 4.60% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Portage is about 18% higher than in Michigan.
Housing
| Metric | Portage | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $394,141 | $138,713 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,133 | $1,129 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 69.0% | 73.2% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Portage is about 29.0 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,133 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Portage 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 | Portage | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 17.4 | 21.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 34.8 | 42.6 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 145 | 178 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,490 | $5,509 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 13.7% | 13.5% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 14,028 | 8,204 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,892 | 1,585 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Portage 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
Portage has a education index of A, which means it is very educated.
| Metric | Portage | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.1% | 28.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.35 | 2.42 | 2.53 |
Health
Portage has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Portage | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.0 | 78.3 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 10.8% | 16.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 16.0% | 20.9% | 19.0% |
Portage, MI Compared With Nearby Cities
How Portage, MI compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portage, MI | 49,224 | $86,377 #1/2 | $394,141 #1/2 | 17.4 min #2/2 |
| Kalamazoo, MI | 73,365 | $52,381 | $115,572 | 16.3 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Portage, Michigan.
What is the population of Portage, Michigan?
About 49,224 people live in Portage, Michigan, in 20,826 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 36.6, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Portage, Michigan mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Portage, Michigan has 1,400 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 16 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Portage, Michigan?
The median home costs 4.6 times the median household income ($394,141 against $86,377), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,133 a month takes about 16% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
What share of adults in Portage, Michigan have a college degree?
44.1% of adults in Portage, Michigan hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 2), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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