Houghton County, Michigan: commercial real estate data.
Houghton County, Michigan had an estimated 38,041 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.8 percent since the 2020 census base of 37,373, across 1,009 square miles. County output reached $1.59 bn in 2024, 891 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 31 7(a) approvals worth $7.1 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Houghton County
How many people live in Houghton County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202437,693
- Households14,305
- Average household size2.63
- Median household income$58,899
- Median age32.2
- Median gross rent$840 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$159,900
- Home value to household income2.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher37.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree16.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over21,930
- Population under 187,459
- Share under 1819.8 percent
- Population 65 and over6,775
- Share 65 and over18.0 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6423,459
- Civilian labor force17,857
- Unemployment rate5.7 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over59.1 percent
- Rank by population among Michigan counties42nd of 83
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1264th of 3,222
Houghton County is the 42nd largest of 83 Michigan counties by population. A median home costs 2.7 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 19.8 percent against 18.0 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Houghton County
Is Houghton County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202438,041
- Census 2020 base population37,373
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.79 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024194
- Births, 2024370
- Deaths, 2024382
- Natural change, 2024-12
- Net domestic migration, 2024-171
- Net international migration, 2024378
- Total net migration, 2024207
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-88
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1243rd of 3,144
The county has grown 1.79 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.
Houghton County
Where are people moving to Houghton County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving741
- People arriving, from those returns1,243
- Tax returns filed by households leaving920
- Net household movement-179
- Adjusted gross income arriving$48.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-315,000
- Average income of an arriving household$64,949
- Average income of a leaving household$52,654
- Largest single originMarquette County (40 households)
- Largest single destinationMarquette County (48 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marquette County | 40 | 53 | $1.5 m |
| Baraga County | 38 | 73 | $4.5 m |
| Keweenaw County | 29 | 59 | $1.4 m |
| Oakland County | 20 | 27 | $998,000 |
Households arriving report $12,295 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 Marquette 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.
Houghton County
What is the Houghton County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.59 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.49 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20247.0 percent
- GDP change over five years38.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Michigan areas BEA publishes49th of 83
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1462nd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$42,153
Output grew 7.0 percent in the latest year and 38.4 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.
Houghton County
Employment by industry in Houghton County
- Covered employment, annual average12,124
- Establishments reporting949
- Average annual pay$54,867
- Average weekly wage$1,055
- Health care and social assistance, employment1,792
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$61,236
- Retail trade, employment1,563
- Retail trade, average annual pay$31,676
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,396
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$18,297
- Manufacturing, employment939
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$55,484
- Construction, employment788
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment671
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 1,792 | 79 | $61,236 |
| Retail trade | 1,563 | 116 | $31,676 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,396 | 103 | $18,297 |
| Manufacturing | 939 | 55 | $55,484 |
| Construction | 788 | 129 | $58,748 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 671 | 86 | $79,155 |
| Finance and insurance | 375 | 46 | $75,892 |
| Other services, except public administration | 351 | 80 | $36,239 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 1,792 jobs, 14.8 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Houghton County
How many businesses are in Houghton County?
- Establishments, all industries891
- Employment at those establishments9,246
- Annual payroll$395.8 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents23.6
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.
Houghton County
Building permits in Houghton County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024111
- Declared construction value permitted$27.6 m
- Single family units authorized103
- Multifamily units authorized8
- Multifamily share of units7.2 percent
- Average declared value per unit$248,374
- Units authorized per 1,000 households7.8
Single-family homes are 92.8 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Houghton County
SBA loans in Houghton County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded31
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$7.1 m
- Average 7(a) approval$229,365
- Median 7(a) approval$194,000
- 10th percentile approval$50,000
- 90th percentile approval$538,300
- Largest single approval$780,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)152
- Jobs per approval4.9
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active8
- Distinct industries receiving approvals24
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer9.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms3
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter27
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countRoofing Contractors (4)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (16)
- 504 approvals recorded5
- 504 gross approval dollars$6.1 m
- Average 504 approval$1,227,400
- Median 504 approval$782,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval11.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved9.6
- Most active CDCMichigan Certified Development Corporation (5)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$13.2 m
The average approval of $229,365 sits above the median of $194,000; the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 9.7 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.
Houghton County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Houghton County
Do SBA loans in Houghton County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded5
- Paid in full5
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure21
- Status: Paid in full5
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
- Status: Cancelled4
Only 5 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.
Houghton County
SBA lending by place in Houghton County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending9
- Hancock, approvals8
- Lake Linden, approvals7
- Calumet, approvals4
- Chassell, approvals3
- Pelkie, approvals3
- Houghton, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Hancock | 8 | $1,922,200 |
| Lake Linden | 7 | $823,000 |
| Calumet | 4 | $1,391,200 |
| Chassell | 3 | $819,000 |
| Pelkie | 3 | $691,000 |
| Houghton | 2 | $732,300 |
| Toivola | 2 | $480,000 |
| Hubbell | 1 | $201,600 |
| 1 other borrower city | 1 | $50,000 |
Hancock accounts for 8 approvals against 7 in Lake Linden. 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.
Houghton County
How large is Houghton County?
- Land area1,009 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Michigan counties10th of 83
- Width, east to west36 mi
- Height, north to south59.8 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land37
- Establishments per square mile0.88
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.
Houghton County
Flood risk in Houghton County
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book8
- Of those, participating in the NFIP8
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Houghton County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The EPA places Houghton County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 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 Houghton 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 Houghton County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202437,693
- Households14,305
- Average household size2.63
- Median household income$58,899
- Median age32.2
Common questions
Houghton County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Houghton County, Michigan?
The Census Bureau estimates 38,041 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 37,693, in 14,305 households, ranking 42nd of 83 Michigan counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Houghton County's population growing?
The population has grown 1.79 percent since the 2020 census base of 37,373, to 38,041 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 370 births against 382 deaths, with net migration of 207. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Houghton County?
$58,899. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $159,900, which is 2.7 times income, and median gross rent is $840 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Houghton County?
891 establishments, employing 9,246 people with an annual payroll of $395.8 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 Houghton County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 1,792 jobs, 14.8 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 12,124 jobs at an average annual pay of $54,867, or $1,055 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Houghton County?
31 7(a) approvals totaling $7.1 m since FY2020, across 8 lenders, with a median approval of $194,000, plus 5 504 approvals worth $6.1 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Houghton County?
111 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $27.6 m. Multifamily was 7.2 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Houghton County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Houghton County come from?
The largest single origin is Marquette County, with 40 households. Arriving households report an average income of $64,949 against $52,654 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Houghton 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 Houghton 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.
Houghton County
Cities and places in Houghton.
15 Census places lie wholly or partly in Houghton County. All 15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houghton | city | 8,474 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Hancock | city | 4,574 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Laurium | village | 1,509 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dollar Bay | CDP | 1,049 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lake Linden | village | 1,020 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Chassell | CDP | 899 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Hubbell | CDP | 881 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Calumet | village | 645 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Atlantic Mine | CDP | 491 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| South Range | village | 482 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Painesdale | CDP | 416 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dodgeville | CDP | 409 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Copper City | village | 253 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Trimountain | CDP | 196 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hurontown | CDP | 134 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 6 of the county's 31 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Houghton County, the largest being Pelkie (3), Toivola (2), Nisula (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.
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