Kalkaska County, Michigan: commercial real estate data.
Kalkaska County, Michigan had an estimated 18,618 residents on July 1, 2024, up 3.8 percent since the 2020 census base of 17,937, across 560 square miles. County output reached $838.6 m in 2024, 353 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 22 7(a) approvals worth $8.9 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Kalkaska County
How many people live in Kalkaska County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202418,239
- Households7,789
- Average household size2.34
- Median household income$68,578
- Median age44.4
- Median gross rent$853 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$188,900
- Home value to household income2.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher19.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over13,436
- Population under 183,671
- Share under 1820.1 percent
- Population 65 and over3,961
- Share 65 and over21.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6410,607
- Civilian labor force8,269
- Unemployment rate3.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over56.8 percent
- Rank by population among Michigan counties66th of 83
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1979th of 3,222
Kalkaska County is the 66th largest of 83 Michigan counties by population. A median home costs 2.8 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 21.7 percent against 20.1 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.
Kalkaska County
Is Kalkaska County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202418,618
- Census 2020 base population17,937
- Population change since the 2020 census base3.80 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024196
- Births, 2024163
- Deaths, 2024262
- Natural change, 2024-99
- Net domestic migration, 2024293
- Net international migration, 20246
- Total net migration, 2024299
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,017
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents726th of 3,144
The county has grown 3.80 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.
Kalkaska County
Where are people moving to Kalkaska County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving674
- People arriving, from those returns1,155
- Tax returns filed by households leaving509
- Net household movement165
- Adjusted gross income arriving$40.6 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$16.8 m
- Average income of an arriving household$60,263
- Average income of a leaving household$46,831
- Largest single originGrand Traverse County (183 households)
- Largest single destinationGrand Traverse County (118 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Traverse County | 183 | 322 | $8.8 m |
| Antrim County | 79 | 142 | $3.5 m |
| Oakland County | 28 | 50 | $3.7 m |
Households arriving report $13,432 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 Grand Traverse 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.
Kalkaska County
What is the Kalkaska County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$838.6 m
- County GDP, 2023$788.3 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.4 percent
- GDP change over five years48.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Michigan areas BEA publishes62nd of 83
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1997th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$45,981
Output grew 6.4 percent in the latest year and 48.2 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.
Kalkaska County
Employment by industry in Kalkaska County
- Covered employment, annual average4,860
- Establishments reporting388
- Average annual pay$60,400
- Average weekly wage$1,162
- Construction, employment559
- Construction, average annual pay$91,110
- Retail trade, employment472
- Retail trade, average annual pay$42,574
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, employment332
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, average annual pay$86,903
- Manufacturing, employment287
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$55,790
- Wholesale trade, employment219
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, employment150
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | 559 | 49 | $91,110 |
| Retail trade | 472 | 45 | $42,574 |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 332 | 21 | $86,903 |
| Manufacturing | 287 | 14 | $55,790 |
| Wholesale trade | 219 | 14 | $77,924 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 150 | 18 | $48,565 |
| Other services, except public administration | 114 | 34 | $38,946 |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 64 | 12 | $53,888 |
Construction is the largest private sector at 559 jobs, 11.5 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Kalkaska County
How many businesses are in Kalkaska County?
- Establishments, all industries353
- Employment at those establishments4,120
- Annual payroll$266.4 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.
Kalkaska County
Building permits in Kalkaska County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202438
- Declared construction value permitted$6.3 m
- Single family units authorized38
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$164,763
- Units authorized per 1,000 households4.9
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.
Kalkaska County
SBA loans in Kalkaska County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded22
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$8.9 m
- Average 7(a) approval$404,359
- Median 7(a) approval$100,000
- 10th percentile approval$29,000
- 90th percentile approval$548,600
- Largest single approval$4,110,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)148
- Jobs per approval6.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active5
- Distinct industries receiving approvals12
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer13.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms3
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter18
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals4.5 percent
- Leading industry by approval countGeneral Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload (6)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (14)
- 504 approvals recorded6
- 504 gross approval dollars$1.7 m
- Average 504 approval$291,167
- Median 504 approval$228,500
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval3.2
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved10.9
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$10.6 m
The average approval of $404,359 sits well above the median of $100,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 13.6 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.
Kalkaska County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Kalkaska County
Do SBA loans in Kalkaska County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded4
- Paid in full4
- Charged off0
- Status: Cancelled7
- Status: Exempt from disclosure11
- Status: Paid in full4
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.
Kalkaska County
SBA lending by place in Kalkaska County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Kalkaska, approvals14
- Rapid City, approvals4
- S Boardman, approvals2
- South Boardman, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Kalkaska | 14 | $7,373,600 |
| Rapid City | 4 | $634,000 |
| S Boardman | 2 | $477,000 |
| South Boardman | 2 | $411,300 |
Kalkaska accounts for 14 approvals against 4 in Rapid City. 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.
Kalkaska County
How large is Kalkaska County?
- Land area560 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Michigan counties54th of 83
- Width, east to west23.9 mi
- Height, north to south24.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land33
- Establishments per square mile0.63
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.
Kalkaska County
Flood risk in Kalkaska County
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book1
- Of those, participating in the NFIP1
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Kalkaska County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The EPA places Kalkaska 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. 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 Kalkaska 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 Kalkaska County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202418,239
- Households7,789
- Average household size2.34
- Median household income$68,578
- Median age44.4
Common questions
Kalkaska County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Kalkaska County, Michigan?
The Census Bureau estimates 18,618 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 18,239, in 7,789 households, ranking 66th of 83 Michigan counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Kalkaska County's population growing?
The population has grown 3.80 percent since the 2020 census base of 17,937, to 18,618 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 163 births against 262 deaths, with net migration of 299. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Kalkaska County?
$68,578. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $188,900, which is 2.8 times income, and median gross rent is $853 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Kalkaska County?
353 establishments, employing 4,120 people with an annual payroll of $266.4 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 Kalkaska County?
Construction is the largest private sector at 559 jobs, 11.5 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 4,860 jobs at an average annual pay of $60,400, or $1,162 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Kalkaska County?
22 7(a) approvals totaling $8.9 m since FY2020, across 5 lenders, with a median approval of $100,000, plus 6 504 approvals worth $1.7 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Kalkaska County?
38 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $6.3 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Kalkaska 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 Kalkaska County come from?
The largest single origin is Grand Traverse County, with 183 households. Arriving households report an average income of $60,263 against $46,831 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Kalkaska 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 Kalkaska 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.
Kalkaska County
Cities and places in Kalkaska.
5 Census places lie wholly or partly in Kalkaska County. All 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalkaska | village | 2,539 | 14 | Wholly in this county |
| Rapid City | CDP | 1,328 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| South Boardman | CDP | 553 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Manistee Lake | CDP | 412 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bear Lake | CDP | 343 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 2 of the county's 22 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Kalkaska County, the largest being S Boardman (2). 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