Poverty and living standards in Michigan, United States: official figures
The Census Bureau estimates that 13.4% of people in Michigan lived below the federal poverty line in 2024, about 1,326,356 people; joint 11th highest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 12.1%).
Has poverty in Michigan gone up or down?
In 2019 the estimate for Michigan was 12.9% (1,264,445 people), so the rate is up 0.5 percentage points over five years; the national rate moved from 12.3% to 12.1%.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many children live in poverty in Michigan?
17.7% of children under 18 in Michigan were in poverty in 2024, about 367,505 children; 14th highest among the 50 states and DC. For children under 5 the rate was 19.2% (U.S.: 15.5% for under-18s, 16.5% for under-5s).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow unequal are incomes in Michigan?
The Gini index of household income inequality in Michigan was 0.4679 in 2024 (0 means every household has the same income, 1 means one household has it all); 24th most unequal among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 0.4809).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many renters in Michigan are cost-burdened?
51.2% of renting households in Michigan spent 30% or more of their income on rent and utilities in 2024, and 26.8% spent half or more; the 30% share is 18th highest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 51.8%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many households in Michigan get food stamps?
13.2% of households in Michigan (547,357) said they received SNAP food benefits at some point in the previous 12 months in the 2024 American Community Survey; 14th highest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 11.8%). 45% of those households had incomes below the poverty line, and 55% of households below the poverty line did not receive SNAP.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people get SNAP in Michigan?
An average of 1,490,110 people in Michigan received SNAP benefits each month in fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025), up 1.1% on fiscal 2024 (1,474,427), according to USDA administrative data; nationally the average was 42.14 million.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service · saved copyHow much are SNAP benefits in Michigan?
SNAP benefits paid in Michigan totaled $3.1 billion in fiscal 2025, an average of $174.78 per person per month (U.S.: $189.36); 9th smallest average benefit among the 50 states and DC.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service · saved copyHow many homeless people are there in Michigan?
Local counts on a single night in January 2025 found 10,155 people experiencing homelessness in Michigan, up 4.3% on 2024 (9,739) and up 18.4% on 2019 (8,575); 16th largest count among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 745,652).
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyHow many homeless people in Michigan sleep outside?
Of those counted in Michigan in January 2025, 8,439 were in emergency shelters or transitional housing and 1,716 (16.9%) were unsheltered, sleeping outside or in places not meant for housing; 12th lowest unsheltered share among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 35.7%).
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyWho is homeless in Michigan?
The January 2025 count in Michigan included 3,859 people in families with children, 2,501 children under 18, 1,115 chronically homeless individuals and 428 veterans.
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyHow many households in Michigan are food insecure?
On average over 2021 to 2023, 13.0% of households in Michigan were food insecure, meaning they had difficulty at some time in the year providing enough food because of a lack of resources; 10th highest among the 50 states and DC and not statistically different from the national average of 12.2%, according to USDA.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service · saved copyIs food insecurity in Michigan getting worse?
5.3% of households in Michigan had very low food security in 2021-23, with some members eating less or skipping meals. Overall food insecurity was 11.8% in 2018-20 and 13.9% in 2011-13; the move from 2018-20 to 2021-23 is +1.2 percentage points, a change USDA does not rate as statistically significant.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service · saved copyHow Michigan compares with other states
People in poverty (all ages) (2024)
Michigan ranks 12 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau SAIPE model estimates
| Rank | Region | People in poverty (all ages) |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Oklahoma | 14.8% |
| 10 | New York | 14.0% |
| 11 | Texas | 13.4% |
| 12 | Michigan | 13.4% |
| 13 | Tennessee | 13.3% |
| 14 | South Carolina | 13.3% |
| 15 | Georgia | 12.8% |
Children under 18 in poverty (2024)
Michigan ranks 14 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau SAIPE model estimates
| Rank | Region | Children under 18 in poverty |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | South Carolina | 18.1% |
| 12 | Texas | 17.9% |
| 13 | New York | 17.9% |
| 14 | Michigan | 17.7% |
| 15 | Georgia | 16.9% |
| 16 | North Carolina | 16.6% |
| 17 | Ohio | 16.4% |
Gini index of household income inequality (2024)
Michigan ranks 24 of 51, highest first. 0 = perfect equality, 1 = one household has all income
| Rank | Region | Gini index of household income inequality |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | Kentucky | 0.4711 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | 0.4696 |
| 23 | Virginia | 0.4691 |
| 24 | Michigan | 0.4679 |
| 25 | West Virginia | 0.4668 |
| 26 | South Carolina | 0.4662 |
| 27 | Nevada | 0.4653 |
Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent (2024)
Michigan ranks 18 of 51, highest first. Share of renter households for which the ratio can be computed
| Rank | Region | Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | New York | 51.5% |
| 16 | North Carolina | 51.5% |
| 17 | Maryland | 51.5% |
| 18 | Michigan | 51.2% |
| 19 | Rhode Island | 51.1% |
| 20 | Washington | 50.7% |
| 21 | Mississippi | 50.3% |
Households that received SNAP in the past 12 months (2024)
Michigan ranks 14 of 51, highest first. American Community Survey
| Rank | Region | Households that received SNAP in the past 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | California | 13.5% |
| 12 | Illinois | 13.4% |
| 13 | Kentucky | 13.4% |
| 14 | Michigan | 13.2% |
| 15 | Alabama | 13.1% |
| 16 | Maine | 12.7% |
| 17 | North Carolina | 12.0% |
Households with food insecurity (average 2021-23) (2021-2023)
Michigan ranks 10 of 51, highest first. Low or very low food security
| Rank | Region | Households with food insecurity (average 2021-23) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | South Carolina | 14.4% |
| 8 | West Virginia | 13.7% |
| 9 | Wyoming | 13.1% |
| 10 | Michigan | 13.0% |
| 11 | New Mexico | 12.9% |
| 12 | Nebraska | 12.9% |
| 13 | Ohio | 12.8% |
People experiencing homelessness (one night in January) (2025)
Michigan ranks 16 of 51, highest first. HUD point-in-time count
| Rank | Region | People experiencing homelessness (one night in January) |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | New Jersey | 13,714 |
| 14 | Georgia | 12,284 |
| 15 | Ohio | 12,196 |
| 16 | Michigan | 10,155 |
| 17 | Nevada | 9,905 |
| 18 | Tennessee | 8,850 |
| 19 | Minnesota | 8,392 |
Share of homeless people who were unsheltered (2025)
Michigan ranks 40 of 51, highest first. HUD point-in-time count
| Rank | Region | Share of homeless people who were unsheltered |
|---|---|---|
| 37 | North Dakota | 19.3% |
| 38 | Virginia | 18.6% |
| 39 | Wyoming | 18.3% |
| 40 | Michigan | 16.9% |
| 41 | District of Columbia | 15.5% |
| 42 | New Jersey | 14.5% |
| 43 | Illinois | 14.2% |
People receiving SNAP (monthly average, FY2025) (FY2025)
Michigan ranks 8 of 51, highest first. USDA FNS National Data Bank
| Rank | Region | People receiving SNAP (monthly average, FY2025) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 1,964,591 |
| 6 | Illinois | 1,895,979 |
| 7 | Georgia | 1,528,094 |
| 8 | Michigan | 1,490,110 |
| 9 | North Carolina | 1,439,835 |
| 10 | Ohio | 1,436,239 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | 1,087,752 |
More on Michigan: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · the United States
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Gini index of income inequality (B19083), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 dc8a2b21190b…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Receipt of food stamps/SNAP by poverty status for households (B22003), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 53dc663e0426…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Gross rent as a percentage of household income (B25070), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 edf1abe1970b…)
- USDA Economic Research Service: Household Food Security in the United States in 2023 (ERR-337), tables 4 and 5: food insecurity by State, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c0eebe273d83…)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: 2007-2025 Point-in-Time Estimates of Homelessness by State (2025 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report, Part 1), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c04ebcbe51c8…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): 2024 poverty and median household income, states and counties, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cb52c47d75c1…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): 2019 poverty and median household income, states and counties, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 229d90cb3e05…)
- USDA Food and Nutrition Service: SNAP Monthly State Participation and Benefit Summary, fiscal years 1969 to current (FY24.xlsx and FY25.xlsx), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d31418fd3b4b…)
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