Houghton County, Michigan: commercial real estate data.
Houghton County, Michigan has a population of 37,693 across 1,009 square miles, up 1.8 percent since the 2020 census base. 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.
126 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Houghton County
How many people live in Houghton County
- Population37,693
- 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-equivalents1264th
Houghton County is the 42nd largest of 83 Michigan counties by population. A median home costs 2.7 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market 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 growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.79 percent
- Census 2020 base population37,373
- 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
The county has grown 1.79 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration alone 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 people moving to Houghton County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving741
- People arriving, from those returns1,243
- Adjusted gross income arriving$48.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$64,949
- Largest single originHoughton County Non-migrants (12,205 households)
- Largest single destination (12,205 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houghton County Non-migrants | 12,205 | 25,144 | $821.4 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 386 | 640 | $27.4 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 228 | 391 | $12.4 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 179 | 288 | $13.6 m |
| Other flows - West | 115 | 194 | $6.9 m |
| Other flows - South | 92 | 158 | $6.9 m |
| Marquette County | 40 | 53 | $1.5 m |
| Baraga County | 38 | 73 | $4.5 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Houghton County Non-migrants, 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 the Houghton County economy runs on
- 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 Michigan counties49th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents1462nd
- 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
Who employs people in Houghton County
- Covered employment, annual average12,124
- Establishments reporting949
- Average annual pay$54,867
- Average weekly wage$1,055
- Sector 62, employment1,792
- Sector 62, average annual pay$61,236
- Sector 44-45, employment1,563
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$31,676
- Sector 72, employment1,396
- Sector 72, average annual pay$18,297
- Sector 31-33, employment939
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$55,484
- Sector 23, employment788
- Sector 54, employment671
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 1,792 | 79 | $61,236 |
| Sector 44-45 | 1,563 | 116 | $31,676 |
| Sector 72 | 1,396 | 103 | $18,297 |
| Sector 31-33 | 939 | 55 | $55,484 |
| Sector 23 | 788 | 129 | $58,748 |
| Sector 54 | 671 | 86 | $79,155 |
| Sector 52 | 375 | 46 | $75,892 |
| Sector 81 | 351 | 80 | $36,239 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 1,792 jobs, 14.8 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Houghton County
What businesses operate 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.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Houghton County
What is being built in Houghton County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024111
- Declared construction value permitted$27.6 m
- Single family units authorised103
- Multifamily units authorised8
- Multifamily share of units7.2 percent
- Average declared value per unit$248,374
- Units authorised per 1,000 households7.8
Multifamily is 7.2 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Houghton County
How much SBA lending happens in Houghton County
- 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)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals86.1 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$13.2 m
The average approval of $229,365 sits close to the median of $194,000, so lending here is fairly evenly sized rather than driven by a few large deals. 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
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
Too few loans have reached a final outcome to publish a charge off rate. only 5 resolved loans, too few to publish a rate. A rate computed on a handful of loans is noise, so none is shown.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Houghton County
Which parts of Houghton County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending9
- HANCOCK, approvals8
- Lake Linden, approvals7
- CALUMET, approvals4
- Pelkie, approvals3
- CHASSELL, approvals3
- HOUGHTON, approvals2
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| HANCOCK | 8 | $1,922,200 |
| Lake Linden | 7 | $823,000 |
| CALUMET | 4 | $1,391,200 |
| Pelkie | 3 | $691,000 |
| CHASSELL | 3 | $819,000 |
| HOUGHTON | 2 | $732,300 |
| Toivola | 2 | $480,000 |
| HUBBELL | 1 | $201,600 |
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 big 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
What hazards affect Houghton County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book8
- Of those, participating in the NFIP8
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
The EPA places the county in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L.
US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001. FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
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.
- Population37,693
- 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?
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 growing?
The population has grown 1.79 percent since the 2020 census base. 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 there 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 the average wage in Houghton County?
Average annual pay is $54,867, or $1,055 a week, across 12,124 covered jobs. 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 totalling $7.1 m since FY2020, across 8 lenders, with a median approval of $194,000, plus 5 504 approvals worth $6.1 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Houghton County?
111 housing units were authorised 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 Houghton County Non-migrants, with 12,205 households. Arriving households report an average income of $64,949 against null 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?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.