Mason County, Michigan: commercial real estate data.
Mason County, Michigan had an estimated 29,093 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.1 percent since the 2020 census base of 29,055, across 495 square miles. County output reached $1.35 bn in 2024, 738 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 31 7(a) approvals worth $15.8 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Mason County
How many people live in Mason County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202429,207
- Households12,801
- Average household size2.28
- Median household income$64,748
- Median age47.3
- Median gross rent$896 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$219,600
- Home value to household income3.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher26.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree10.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over21,582
- Population under 185,714
- Share under 1819.6 percent
- Population 65 and over7,689
- Share 65 and over26.3 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6415,804
- Civilian labor force13,182
- Unemployment rate4.5 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over56.1 percent
- Rank by population among Michigan counties49th of 83
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1497th of 3,222
Mason County is the 49th largest of 83 Michigan counties by population. A median home costs 3.4 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 26.3 percent against 19.6 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.
Mason County
Is Mason County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202429,093
- Census 2020 base population29,055
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.13 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-106
- Births, 2024230
- Deaths, 2024430
- Natural change, 2024-200
- Net domestic migration, 202463
- Net international migration, 202432
- Total net migration, 202495
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024744
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1780th of 3,144
The county has grown 0.13 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 by more than net migration added, so the population fell even though more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Mason County
Where are people moving to Mason County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving787
- People arriving, from those returns1,401
- Tax returns filed by households leaving702
- Net household movement85
- Adjusted gross income arriving$52.7 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$9.0 m
- Average income of an arriving household$66,942
- Average income of a leaving household$62,162
- Largest single originManistee County (89 households)
- Largest single destinationManistee County (65 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manistee County | 89 | 163 | $3.4 m |
| Kent County | 65 | 116 | $3.4 m |
| Oceana County | 62 | 114 | $3.1 m |
| Muskegon County | 32 | 55 | $1.8 m |
| Lake County | 30 | 42 | $1.6 m |
| Ottawa County | 29 | 54 | $2.1 m |
| Oakland County | 23 | 37 | $2.0 m |
| Wayne County | 23 | 39 | $2.2 m |
Households arriving report $4,780 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 Manistee 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.
Mason County
What is the Mason County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.35 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.31 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20242.9 percent
- GDP change over five years27.9 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Michigan areas BEA publishes53rd of 83
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1599th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$46,128
Output grew 2.9 percent in the latest year and 27.9 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.
Mason County
Employment by industry in Mason County
- Covered employment, annual average10,186
- Establishments reporting717
- Average annual pay$48,523
- Average weekly wage$933
- Manufacturing, employment1,973
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$60,424
- Retail trade, employment1,491
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,807
- Health care and social assistance, employment1,163
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$48,562
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,014
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$23,116
- Construction, employment545
- Transportation and warehousing, employment287
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1,973 | 34 | $60,424 |
| Retail trade | 1,491 | 100 | $33,807 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,163 | 54 | $48,562 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,014 | 88 | $23,116 |
| Construction | 545 | 93 | $58,247 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 287 | 22 | $56,521 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 282 | 33 | $49,040 |
| Finance and insurance | 240 | 35 | $68,037 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,973 jobs, 19.4 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Mason County
How many businesses are in Mason County?
- Establishments, all industries738
- Employment at those establishments9,225
- Annual payroll$431.4 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents25.3
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.
Mason County
Building permits in Mason County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024177
- Declared construction value permitted$49.1 m
- Single family units authorized80
- Multifamily units authorized97
- Multifamily share of units54.8 percent
- Average declared value per unit$277,310
- Units authorized per 1,000 households13.8
Multifamily is 54.8 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Mason County
SBA loans in Mason County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded31
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$15.8 m
- Average 7(a) approval$511,126
- Median 7(a) approval$350,000
- 10th percentile approval$37,500
- 90th percentile approval$1,120,500
- Largest single approval$2,641,700
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)304
- Jobs per approval9.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active9
- Distinct industries receiving approvals29
- Median 7(a) term180 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer41.9 percent
- Loans on real estate terms13
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter15
- Franchise loans3
- Franchise share of approvals9.7 percent
- Most active lenderWest Shore Bank (12)
- 504 approvals recorded11
- 504 gross approval dollars$10.2 m
- Average 504 approval$923,727
- Median 504 approval$573,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval11.3
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved12.2
- Most active CDCGreat Lakes Commercial Finance (6)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$26.0 m
The average approval of $511,126 sits well above the median of $350,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. 41.9 percent of approvals run on real estate terms of 240 months or more, so this is a market where SBA credit is buying buildings, not just funding operations.
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.
Mason County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Mason County
Do SBA loans in Mason County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded4
- Paid in full4
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure22
- Status: Paid in full4
- Status: Cancelled4
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
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.
Mason County
SBA lending by place in Mason County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending8
- Ludington, approvals22
- Free Soil, approvals2
- Fountain, approvals2
- Pentwater, approvals1
- Zeeland, approvals1
- Muskegon, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Ludington | 22 | $10,860,900 |
| Free Soil | 2 | $1,133,500 |
| Fountain | 2 | $206,500 |
| Pentwater | 1 | $1,240,000 |
| Zeeland | 1 | $969,000 |
| Muskegon | 1 | $585,000 |
| Branch | 1 | $510,000 |
| Custer | 1 | $340,000 |
Ludington accounts for 22 approvals against 2 in Free Soil. 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.
Mason County
How large is Mason County?
- Land area495 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Michigan counties73rd of 83
- Width, east to west23.7 mi
- Height, north to south25.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary3
- Residents per square mile of land59
- Establishments per square mile1.49
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.
Mason County
Flood risk in Mason County
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book15
- Of those, participating in the NFIP12
- NFIP participation rate80.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Mason County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The EPA places Mason 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. 80.0 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 Mason 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 Mason County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202429,207
- Households12,801
- Average household size2.28
- Median household income$64,748
- Median age47.3
Common questions
Mason County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Mason County, Michigan?
The Census Bureau estimates 29,093 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 29,207, in 12,801 households, ranking 49th of 83 Michigan counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Mason County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.13 percent since the 2020 census base of 29,055, to 29,093 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 230 births against 430 deaths, with net migration of 95. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Mason County?
$64,748. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $219,600, which is 3.4 times income, and median gross rent is $896 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Mason County?
738 establishments, employing 9,225 people with an annual payroll of $431.4 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 Mason County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,973 jobs, 19.4 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 10,186 jobs at an average annual pay of $48,523, or $933 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Mason County?
31 7(a) approvals totaling $15.8 m since FY2020, across 9 lenders, with a median approval of $350,000, plus 11 504 approvals worth $10.2 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Mason County?
177 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $49.1 m. Multifamily was 54.8 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Mason 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 Mason County come from?
The largest single origin is Manistee County, with 89 households. Arriving households report an average income of $66,942 against $62,162 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Mason 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 Mason 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.
Mason County
Cities and places in Mason.
5 Census places lie wholly or partly in Mason 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ludington | city | 7,676 | 22 | Wholly in this county |
| Scottville | city | 1,474 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Custer | village | 275 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Fountain | village | 204 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Free Soil | village | 112 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
A further 4 of the county's 31 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Mason County, the largest being Pentwater (1), Zeeland (1), Muskegon (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