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Jackson County, MI: population growth, jobs and income

Jackson County lost 36 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−0.0%).

Jackson County had an estimated 159,552 residents in 2025, down 0.4% (663 fewer people) since 2020. That is slower than Michigan as a whole (+0.6%), and the 62nd fastest growth of 83 counties in Michigan.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Jackson County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Jackson County, ranked against Michigan and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$985/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes9.7%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months2812025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration added 180 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out.

Private employers had 50,612 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −2.7% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 5.4% in 2025, 1.5 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 303 new homes in 2025, or 1.9 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $66,073 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +21.2% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 2,020th.

Part of the Jackson, MI metro area.

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Jackson County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
2025159,552−36
2024159,588−19
2023159,607−173
2022159,780−415
2021160,195−20
2020160,215–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Jackson County

Jackson County lost 663 people since 2020 even though 536 more people moved in from other U.S. counties than left: deaths outnumbered births by 1,865, and net international migration added 676.

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−340−1,865
International migrationfrom and to other countries+119+676
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties+180+536
Census adjustmentbalancing residual+5−10
Total change−36−663

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn MichiganAmong U.S. counties
Population growth62nd of 832,020th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents52nd of 831,719th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth69th of 832,219th of 3,092
Median household income32nd of 831,514th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate29th of 832,715th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents51st of 831,586th of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

Get the county report — $99

The County Growth and Demographics Report for Jackson County, MI as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

Add 2 neighbouring counties for $50: the Washtenaw County and Ingham County reports too, $149 for all 3.

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Neighbouring counties

Over 2020–25, Jackson County's population change (−0.4%) was ahead of 2 of its 7 neighbouring counties, behind 4 and level with Washtenaw County.

4 of its 7 neighbouring counties had a higher median household income than Jackson County's $66,073 (2020–24).

Jackson County, MI and its 7 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Jackson County, MI This county159,552−0.4%1.11.9$66,073
Ingham County, MI289,709+1.7%1.41.9$65,526
Hillsdale County, MI45,738−0.0%1.02.2$64,242
Lenawee County, MI97,779−1.6%2.11.9$70,518
Eaton County, MI109,581+0.4%3.21.0$79,597
Calhoun County, MI133,408−0.6%−0.30.9$63,177
Washtenaw County, MI370,214−0.4%−6.62.9$89,180
Livingston County, MI197,315+1.7%2.12.7$103,039

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

All 83 Michigan counties · Every state

Questions

Is Jackson County growing?

No. Its population fell 0.4% between 2020 and 2025, about 663 fewer people (Census Bureau population estimates). Michigan as a whole changed +0.6% over the same years. That ranks 62nd of 83 counties in Michigan for population growth.

How many people moved to Jackson County?

On net, about 180 people in 2025: that many more moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Jackson County?

It averaged 5.4% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Jackson County?

About 159,552 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Jackson County?

Private employers there had 50,612 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −2.7% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Michigan

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Michigan county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

Jackson County data alerts

Email me when Jackson County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Jackson County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.