Saginaw County, Michigan: commercial real estate data.
Saginaw County, Michigan has a population of 188,665 across 800 square miles, down 1.3 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $11.01 bn in 2024, 4,092 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 289 7(a) approvals worth $96.6 m.
129 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Saginaw County
How many people live in Saginaw County
- Population188,665
- Households77,958
- Average household size2.42
- Median household income$60,622
- Median age41.2
- Median gross rent$947 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$152,800
- Home value to household income2.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher24.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over131,086
- Population under 1840,264
- Share under 1821.3 percent
- Population 65 and over38,429
- Share 65 and over20.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64109,972
- Civilian labor force87,598
- Unemployment rate6.4 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over59.0 percent
- Rank by population among Michigan counties11th of 83
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents366th
Saginaw County is the 11th largest of 83 Michigan counties by population. A median home costs 2.5 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.3 percent against 20.4 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Saginaw County
Is Saginaw County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.27 percent
- Census 2020 base population190,122
- Births, 20241,889
- Deaths, 20242,424
- Natural change, 2024-535
- Net domestic migration, 2024163
- Net international migration, 2024320
- Total net migration, 2024483
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-487
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2279th
The county has lost 1.27 percent of its population 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.
Saginaw County
Where people moving to Saginaw County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving3,744
- People arriving, from those returns6,358
- Adjusted gross income arriving$187.0 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$49,958
- Largest single originSaginaw County Non-migrants (73,936 households)
- Largest single destination (73,936 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saginaw County Non-migrants | 73,936 | 142,783 | $4.97 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 939 | 1,640 | $48.7 m |
| Bay County | 493 | 815 | $24.8 m |
| Genesee County | 458 | 794 | $18.9 m |
| Other flows - South | 443 | 819 | $22.9 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 318 | 508 | $15.5 m |
| Midland County | 304 | 548 | $18.4 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 262 | 430 | $12.9 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Saginaw 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.
Saginaw County
What the Saginaw County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$11.01 bn
- County GDP, 2023$10.83 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20241.6 percent
- GDP change over five years26.3 percent
- Rank by GDP among Michigan counties10th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents411th
- GDP per resident$58,355
Output grew 1.6 percent in the latest year and 26.3 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.
Saginaw County
Who employs people in Saginaw County
- Covered employment, annual average79,478
- Establishments reporting3,966
- Average annual pay$58,049
- Average weekly wage$1,116
- Sector 62, employment14,629
- Sector 62, average annual pay$65,313
- Sector 44-45, employment10,842
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$36,815
- Sector 31-33, employment10,729
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$82,362
- Sector 72, employment8,057
- Sector 72, average annual pay$22,768
- Sector 56, employment5,214
- Sector 23, employment3,351
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 14,629 | 584 | $65,313 |
| Sector 44-45 | 10,842 | 606 | $36,815 |
| Sector 31-33 | 10,729 | 185 | $82,362 |
| Sector 72 | 8,057 | 371 | $22,768 |
| Sector 56 | 5,214 | 199 | $43,471 |
| Sector 23 | 3,351 | 351 | $79,077 |
| Sector 52 | 2,868 | 207 | $79,886 |
| Sector 81 | 2,539 | 382 | $38,531 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 14,629 jobs, 18.4 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.
Saginaw County
What businesses operate in Saginaw County
- Establishments, all industries4,092
- Employment at those establishments77,361
- Annual payroll$4.13 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents21.7
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.
Saginaw County
What is being built in Saginaw County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024141
- Declared construction value permitted$37.2 m
- Single family units authorised121
- Multifamily units authorised20
- Multifamily share of units14.2 percent
- Average declared value per unit$264,160
- Units authorised per 1,000 households1.8
Multifamily is 14.2 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Saginaw County
How much SBA lending happens in Saginaw County
- 7(a) approvals recorded289
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$96.6 m
- Average 7(a) approval$334,310
- Median 7(a) approval$100,000
- 10th percentile approval$24,800
- 90th percentile approval$855,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)2,492
- Jobs per approval8.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active34
- Distinct industries receiving approvals118
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer17.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms51
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter228
- Franchise loans22
- Franchise share of approvals7.6 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (20)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (147)
- 504 approvals recorded52
- 504 gross approval dollars$35.2 m
- Average 504 approval$676,904
- Median 504 approval$436,000
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval17.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved26.3
- Most active CDCMichigan Certified Development Corporation (45)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals84.8 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$131.8 m
The average approval of $334,310 sits well above the median of $100,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 17.6 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.
Saginaw County
Do SBA loans in Saginaw County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded51
- Paid in full50
- Charged off1
- Charge off rate on resolved loans2.0 percent
- Status: Paid in full50
- Status: Exempt from disclosure195
- Status: Cancelled32
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed11
Of the 51 loans that have reached a final outcome, 2.0 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Saginaw County
Which parts of Saginaw County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending20
- SAGINAW, approvals192
- FRANKENMUTH, approvals19
- CHESANING, approvals18
- Bridgeport, approvals12
- SAINT CHARLES, approvals11
- Freeland, approvals8
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| SAGINAW | 192 | $67,457,300 |
| FRANKENMUTH | 19 | $4,188,000 |
| CHESANING | 18 | $7,874,800 |
| Bridgeport | 12 | $1,766,700 |
| SAINT CHARLES | 11 | $996,800 |
| Freeland | 8 | $766,300 |
| Birch Run | 7 | $6,095,900 |
| Merrill | 5 | $4,617,000 |
SAGINAW accounts for 192 approvals against 19 in FRANKENMUTH. 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.
Saginaw County
How big is Saginaw County
- Land area800 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Michigan counties21st of 83
- Width, east to west33.9 mi
- Height, north to south30.4 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land236
- Establishments per square mile5.12
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.
Saginaw County
What hazards affect Saginaw County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book26
- Of those, participating in the NFIP24
- NFIP participation rate92.3 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 7
- Communities carrying a CRS class3
The EPA places the county in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The best Community Rating System class in the county is 7, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for properties in the participating community.
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 Saginaw 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 Saginaw County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population188,665
- Households77,958
- Average household size2.42
- Median household income$60,622
- Median age41.2
Common questions
Saginaw County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Saginaw County, Michigan?
188,665, in 77,958 households, ranking 11th of 83 Michigan counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Saginaw County growing?
The population has fallen 1.27 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 1,889 births against 2,424 deaths, with net migration of 483. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Saginaw County?
$60,622. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $152,800, which is 2.5 times income, and median gross rent is $947 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Saginaw County?
4,092 establishments, employing 77,361 people with an annual payroll of $4.13 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Saginaw County?
Average annual pay is $58,049, or $1,116 a week, across 79,478 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Saginaw County?
289 7(a) approvals totalling $96.6 m since FY2020, across 34 lenders, with a median approval of $100,000, plus 52 504 approvals worth $35.2 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Saginaw County get paid back?
Of the 51 loans that have reached a final outcome, 50 were paid in full and 1 charged off, a charge off rate of 2.0 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Saginaw County?
141 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $37.2 m. Multifamily was 14.2 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Saginaw 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 Saginaw County come from?
The largest single origin is Saginaw County Non-migrants, with 73,936 households. Arriving households report an average income of $49,958 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 Saginaw 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 Saginaw 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.