Clare County, Michigan: commercial real estate data.
Clare County, Michigan had an estimated 31,405 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.8 percent since the 2020 census base of 30,861, across 564 square miles. County output reached $1.55 bn in 2024, 607 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 46 7(a) approvals worth $10.3 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Clare County
How many people live in Clare County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202431,218
- Households12,521
- Average household size2.49
- Median household income$49,384
- Median age49.0
- Median gross rent$765 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$133,800
- Home value to household income2.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher12.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over23,203
- Population under 186,014
- Share under 1819.3 percent
- Population 65 and over7,988
- Share 65 and over25.6 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6417,216
- Civilian labor force11,918
- Unemployment rate9.5 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over47.3 percent
- Rank by population among Michigan counties47th of 83
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1441st of 3,222
Clare County is the 47th largest of 83 Michigan counties by population. A median home costs 2.7 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 25.6 percent against 19.3 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Clare County
Is Clare County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202431,405
- Census 2020 base population30,861
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.76 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202429
- Births, 2024316
- Deaths, 2024474
- Natural change, 2024-158
- Net domestic migration, 2024185
- Net international migration, 20243
- Total net migration, 2024188
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,347
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1258th of 3,144
The county has grown 1.76 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Clare County
Where are people moving to Clare County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,006
- People arriving, from those returns1,823
- Tax returns filed by households leaving854
- Net household movement152
- Adjusted gross income arriving$49.4 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$16.0 m
- Average income of an arriving household$49,099
- Average income of a leaving household$39,119
- Largest single originIsabella County (140 households)
- Largest single destinationIsabella County (175 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isabella County | 140 | 266 | $6.3 m |
| Gladwin County | 64 | 124 | $3.4 m |
| Midland County | 49 | 89 | $3.6 m |
| Genesee County | 45 | 71 | $2.0 m |
| Oakland County | 41 | 70 | $2.5 m |
| Wayne County | 39 | 61 | $2.5 m |
| Macomb County | 34 | 69 | $2.1 m |
| Ingham County | 23 | 37 | $1.3 m |
Households arriving report $9,980 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Isabella County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Clare County
What is the Clare County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.55 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.46 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.3 percent
- GDP change over five years29.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Michigan areas BEA publishes50th of 83
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1491st of 3,127
- GDP per resident$49,562
Output grew 6.3 percent in the latest year and 29.5 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Clare County
Employment by industry in Clare County
- Covered employment, annual average7,261
- Establishments reporting623
- Average annual pay$47,949
- Average weekly wage$922
- Health care and social assistance, employment1,074
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$49,502
- Retail trade, employment938
- Retail trade, average annual pay$34,964
- Manufacturing, employment924
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$67,943
- Accommodation and food services, employment812
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$17,931
- Other services, except public administration, employment408
- Construction, employment391
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 1,074 | 77 | $49,502 |
| Retail trade | 938 | 102 | $34,964 |
| Manufacturing | 924 | 32 | $67,943 |
| Accommodation and food services | 812 | 60 | $17,931 |
| Other services, except public administration | 408 | 52 | $38,296 |
| Construction | 391 | 76 | $56,354 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 252 | 33 | $81,559 |
| Wholesale trade | 240 | 19 | $65,599 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 1,074 jobs, 14.8 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Clare County
How many businesses are in Clare County?
- Establishments, all industries607
- Employment at those establishments6,793
- Annual payroll$316.7 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents19.4
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Clare County
Building permits in Clare County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202430
- Declared construction value permitted$9.5 m
- Single family units authorized30
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$315,112
- Units authorized per 1,000 households2.4
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Clare County
SBA loans in Clare County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded46
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$10.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$224,426
- Median 7(a) approval$72,600
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$637,500
- Largest single approval$1,830,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)231
- Jobs per approval5.0
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active6
- Distinct industries receiving approvals35
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer10.9 percent
- Loans on real estate terms5
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter38
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals2.2 percent
- Leading industry by approval countInsurance Agencies and Brokerages (4)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (36)
- 504 approvals recorded5
- 504 gross approval dollars$1.9 m
- Average 504 approval$387,600
- Median 504 approval$278,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval8.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved20.6
- Most active CDCMichigan Certified Development Corporation (5)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$12.3 m
The average approval of $224,426 sits well above the median of $72,600, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 10.9 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Clare County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Clare County
Do SBA loans in Clare County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded4
- Paid in full4
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure35
- Status: Cancelled3
- Status: Paid in full4
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed4
Only 4 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Clare County
SBA lending by place in Clare County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending5
- Clare, approvals21
- Harrison, approvals15
- Farwell, approvals8
- Gladwin, approvals1
- Lake George, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Clare | 21 | $5,974,200 |
| Harrison | 15 | $1,451,200 |
| Farwell | 8 | $2,733,700 |
| Gladwin | 1 | $114,500 |
| Lake George | 1 | $50,000 |
Clare accounts for 21 approvals against 15 in Harrison. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Clare County
How large is Clare County?
- Land area564 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Michigan counties50th of 83
- Width, east to west24 mi
- Height, north to south24.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land55
- Establishments per square mile1.08
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Clare County
Flood risk in Clare County
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book14
- Of those, participating in the NFIP11
- NFIP participation rate78.6 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Clare County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The EPA places Clare County in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 78.6 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Clare County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Clare County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202431,218
- Households12,521
- Average household size2.49
- Median household income$49,384
- Median age49.0
Common questions
Clare County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Clare County, Michigan?
The Census Bureau estimates 31,405 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 31,218, in 12,521 households, ranking 47th of 83 Michigan counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Clare County's population growing?
The population has grown 1.76 percent since the 2020 census base of 30,861, to 31,405 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 316 births against 474 deaths, with net migration of 188. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Clare County?
$49,384. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $133,800, which is 2.7 times income, and median gross rent is $765 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Clare County?
607 establishments, employing 6,793 people with an annual payroll of $316.7 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Clare County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 1,074 jobs, 14.8 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 7,261 jobs at an average annual pay of $47,949, or $922 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Clare County?
46 7(a) approvals totaling $10.3 m since FY2020, across 6 lenders, with a median approval of $72,600, plus 5 504 approvals worth $1.9 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Clare County?
30 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $9.5 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Clare County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Clare County come from?
The largest single origin is Isabella County, with 140 households. Arriving households report an average income of $49,099 against $39,119 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Clare County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Clare County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Clare County
Cities and places in Clare.
3 Census places lie wholly or partly in Clare County. All 3 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clare | city | 3,324 | 21 | 85.0 percent here, 15.0 percent Isabella County |
| Harrison | city | 2,110 | 15 | Wholly in this county |
| Farwell | village | 974 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
A further 2 of the county's 46 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Clare County, the largest being Gladwin (1), Lake George (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby