State rank#4 of 83
Smallest county663,150 residentsWayne County
Published county profile · Official data · FIPS 26081
Kent County, Michigan
County-level income, housing, jobs, education, health, and population with transparent statewide comparisons and source periods.
Population663,150
Household income$82,631
Unemployment3.9%
Life expectancy78.5 years
County overview
Living metrics at a glance
Kent County has 663,150 residents and ranks #4 by population among Michigan county equivalents. Median household income is $82,631. The annual-average unemployment rate is 3.9%. Its clearest relative strength is mental health access. Its county population is above the state county median. Every figure below stays at county scope.
Within Michigan
County population range
The marker places this county between the smallest and largest county populations in the state.
Relocation guide
Moving to Kent County: what to check
Data narrows the search; municipality, neighborhood, commute, schools, and current listings complete the decision.
Before moving
Before moving, compare municipalities inside Kent County, because county averages do not describe every neighborhood. Review current housing inventory, commute destinations, school districts, healthcare access, and job locations. Its clearest relative strength is mental health access.
Cost and housing
Housing benchmarks are $289,900 median home value and $1,243/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $82,631, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
Who it may suit
Kent County may be worth a closer look for movers prioritizing mental health access, unemployment rate, and median household income. College attainment is 40.8% and life expectancy is 78.5 years.
Potential advantages
- Mental health access: 1 per 192 residents, rank #4 of 83 available Michigan counties.
- Unemployment rate: 3.9%, rank #5 of 83 available Michigan counties.
- Median household income: $82,631, rank #8 of 83 available Michigan counties.
Trade-offs to check
- Median gross rent: $1,243/mo, rank #79 of 83; investigate local variation before moving.
- Median home value: $289,900, rank #76 of 83; investigate local variation before moving.
- Poor or fair health: 15.7%, rank #23 of 83; investigate local variation before moving.
Income, housing, jobs, education & health
County metrics within Michigan
Rank and range use only counties in Michigan with that field available. A lower rank number is stronger when the metric has a clear direction.
Median household income
$82,631
$82,631; above the state county median of $63,724.
State rank #8 of 83 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Median home value
$289,900
$289,900; above the state county median of $178,300.
State rank #76 of 83 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Median gross rent
$1,243/mo
$1,243/mo; above the state county median of $884/mo.
State rank #79 of 83 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Unemployment rate
3.9%
3.9%; below the state county median of 5.4%.
State rank #5 of 83 · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics
Bachelor’s degree or higher
40.8%
40.8%; above the state county median of 22.5%.
State rank #8 of 83 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Life expectancy
78.5 years
78.5 years; above the state county median of 76.3 years.
State rank #13 of 83 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Poor or fair health
15.7%
15.7%; below the state county median of 17.3%.
State rank #23 of 83 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Uninsured
5.5%
5.5%; below the state county median of 6.4%.
State rank #17 of 83 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Primary care access
1 per 1,068 residents
1 per 1,068 residents; below the state county median of 1 per 2,008 residents.
State rank #10 of 82 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Mental health access
1 per 192 residents
1 per 192 residents; below the state county median of 1 per 481 residents.
State rank #4 of 83 · County Health Rankings & RoadmapsCommon questions
Kent County FAQ
Is Kent County a good place to live?
Kent County may be worth a closer look for movers prioritizing mental health access, unemployment rate, and median household income. College attainment is 40.8% and life expectancy is 78.5 years.
What should I know before moving to Kent County?
Start with housing, employment, commute, schools, healthcare access, and the specific municipality. Housing benchmarks are $289,900 median home value and $1,243/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $82,631, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
What is the population of Kent County?
Kent County has 663,150 residents in the 2020–2024 ACS 5-year dataset.
What is the FIPS code for Kent County?
The five-digit county FIPS code is 26081; the parent state FIPS is 26.
What is the median household income in Kent County?
The ACS median household income is $82,631.
How much does housing cost in Kent County?
Housing benchmarks are $289,900 median home value and $1,243/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $82,631, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
What is the unemployment rate in Kent County?
The BLS LAUS annual-average unemployment rate is 3.9%.
Similar population
Nearby counties in the state ranking
Source and gate
Methodology and source periods
All records join by five-digit FIPS. Profiles publish when ACS county population is at least 100,000 or the county is the state’s largest. Missing source values remain unavailable and are excluded from ranks. Runtime data was generated 2026-07-26.
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