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Saginaw County, MI: population growth, jobs and income

Saginaw County lost 74 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−0.0%).

Saginaw County had an estimated 187,688 residents in 2025, down 1.1% (2,165 fewer people) since 2020. That is slower than Michigan as a whole (+0.6%), and the 73rd fastest growth of 83 counties in Michigan.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Saginaw County report

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

  • Median gross rent$947/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes9.6%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months1692025-10/2026-09
  • 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 177 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out.

Private employers had 77,361 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −3.5% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 6.5% in 2025, 1.7 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 210 new homes in 2025, or 1.1 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $60,622 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +22.3% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 2,226th.

Part of the Saginaw, MI metro area.

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Saginaw County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
2025187,688−74
2024187,762+4
2023187,758−634
2022188,392−1,087
2021189,479−374
2020189,853–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Saginaw County

Saginaw County lost 2,165 people since 2020; the biggest drag was natural change (−2,610).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−377−2,610
International migrationfrom and to other countries+120+703
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties+177−256
Census adjustmentbalancing residual+6−2
Total change−74−2,165

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 growth73rd of 832,226th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents57th of 831,751st of 3,108
Private-sector job growth73rd of 832,320th of 3,092
Median household income55th of 832,007th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate56th of 832,972nd of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents72nd of 832,020th of 3,005

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

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The County Growth and Demographics Report for Saginaw 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.

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Neighbouring counties

Over 2020–25, Saginaw County's population change (−1.1%) was ahead of 2 of its 6 neighbouring counties, behind 2 (Shiawassee County and Midland County) and level with Genesee County and Gratiot County.

Its median household income ($60,622, 2020–24) is lower than in all 6 of its neighbouring counties.

Saginaw County, MI and its 6 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Saginaw County, MI This county187,688−1.1%0.91.1$60,622
Bay County, MI102,123−1.6%1.10.7$61,763
Shiawassee County, MI67,681−0.5%0.51.0$67,404
Midland County, MI83,754+0.3%0.11.5$77,705
Genesee County, MI401,093−1.1%1.01.1$62,281
Gratiot County, MI41,190−1.1%−2.71.2$63,556
Tuscola County, MI52,680−1.2%−0.21.2$63,811

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 Saginaw County growing?

No. Its population fell 1.1% between 2020 and 2025, about 2,165 fewer people (Census Bureau population estimates). Michigan as a whole changed +0.6% over the same years. That ranks 73rd of 83 counties in Michigan for population growth.

How many people moved to Saginaw County?

On net, about 177 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 Saginaw County?

It averaged 6.5% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Saginaw County?

About 187,688 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Saginaw County?

Private employers there had 77,361 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −3.5% 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.

Saginaw County data alerts

Email me when Saginaw 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 Saginaw 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.