Washtenaw County, Michigan Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Washtenaw 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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A
Health Above averageHealthiest county in Michigan
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B
Income Around averageAmong the top 5 wealthiest counties in Michigan
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A+
Education Top gradeBest educated county in Michigan
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Washtenaw County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 369,612 | 10,068,405 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 511.3 | 104.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.27% | 0.19% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 34.0 | 40.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 149,967 | 4,073,089 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Washtenaw County grew by 5.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 369,612 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Washtenaw County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 30.3% of residents. That is 9.1 points above Michigan as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 111,914 30.3% +9.1 pts
- Millennials 29–44 77,220 20.9% +0.2 pts
- Gen X 45–60 66,702 18.0% -2.5 pts
- Boomers 61–79 54,360 14.7% -3.6 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 50.0% of the people living in Washtenaw County and men 50.0%.
- Women 50.0% Michigan 50.5%
- Men 50.0% Michigan 49.5%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Washtenaw County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Washtenaw County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Washtenaw County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $89,172 | $72,977 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.41% | 4.60% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Washtenaw County is about 22% higher than in Michigan.
Housing
| Metric | Washtenaw County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $354,959 | $138,713 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,463 | $1,129 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 61.6% | 73.2% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Washtenaw County is about 20.2 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,463 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Washtenaw County spend about 42 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 177 hours, about 7.4 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Washtenaw County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 21.2 | 21.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 42.4 | 42.6 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 177 | 178 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,481 | $5,509 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 22.6% | 13.5% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 13,322 | 8,204 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,836 | 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 Washtenaw County is about the same as 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
Washtenaw County has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Washtenaw County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.4% | 28.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.33 | 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
Washtenaw County has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Washtenaw County | Michigan Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.6 | 78.3 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 11.1% | 16.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 14.0% | 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).
Washtenaw County, MI Compared With Nearby Counties
Washtenaw County, MI is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 369,612 residents against a local median of 160,066. Where Washtenaw County, MI breaks from the counties next to it is median home price, sitting 133% above the local median of $152,125 at $354,959.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $89,172 against a local median of $70,175, 27% above it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is median household income, and at 27% above the local median it puts Washtenaw County, MI at the better end of the local range. The counties themselves sit within $138,693 of each other on median home price, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Washtenaw County, MI, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Washtenaw County, MI has the highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washtenaw County, MI | 369,612 | $89,172 #2/6 | $354,959 #1/6 | 21.2 min #2/6 |
| Livingston County, MI | 195,818 | $103,306 | $164,261 | 28.6 min |
| Lenawee County, MI | 98,415 | $70,175 | $152,038 | 22.9 min |
| Monroe County, MI | 155,488 | $77,773 | $194,999 | 23.5 min |
| Wayne County, MI | 1,771,784 | $60,677 | $56,306 | 22.5 min |
| Jackson County, MI | 160,066 | $66,829 | $152,125 | 17.9 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Washtenaw County, Michigan.
What is the population of Washtenaw County, Michigan?
About 369,612 people live in Washtenaw County, Michigan, in 149,967 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 34.0, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 3 years.
How densely populated is Washtenaw County, Michigan?
Averaged over its land area, Washtenaw County, Michigan has 511 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 5.9 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Washtenaw County, Michigan?
The median home costs 4.0 times the median household income ($354,959 against $89,172), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,463 a month takes about 20% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
What share of adults in Washtenaw County, Michigan have a college degree?
49.4% of adults in Washtenaw County, 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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