For years, Livingston County proudly wore the mantle of the fastest-growing in Michigan. It’s not difficult to understand why: a commuter’s paradise, Livingston County is located in the middle of Detroit, Ann Arbor, Lansing and Flint, a veritable golden driving triangle of I-96, U.S. 23, and M-59. (According to 2020 census data, the average commute of a Livingston County worker is 31.6 minutes.)
But Livingston County’s growth rate has slowed; 2020 census data shows it now ranks No. 6 in Michigan with a growth rate of 9.27% from 2010, lagging behind Washtenaw (No. 5 at 10.36%); Allegan (No. 4 at 10.61%); Kent (No. 3 at 11.94%), and Grand Traverse (No. 2 at 12.33%); the new fastest-growing county in Michigan is Ottawa, with a growth rate of 15.97% between the 2010 and 2020 censuses.
Looking back historically, this is by far the smallest growth percentage Livingston County has seen since the 1940s. Compare its 2020 growth rate of 9.27% to that of 15.3 percent in the 2010 census, 35.7 percent in the 2000 census, 15.3 percent in the 1990 census, and a whopping 70.1 percent in the 1980 census.
Even though it is no longer the fastest-growing, Livingston can still take heart in what seems to be its perpetual ranking as the wealthiest county in Michigan, based on median household income. According to data compiled by Ann Arbor SPARK, which works on regional economic development, Livingston County is No. 1 out of 8 in the region in terms of median household income, and it ranks 5th nationally.
The U.S. Census pegs Livingston County’s median household income at $88,908, about 4% higher than that of Oakland County, its much-larger neighbor to the east. Livingston County has beat Oakland County in median household income every year since 1995.
Comparing apples to apples, Livingston County’s 2020 median household income of $88,908 is 40% higher than Michigan’s ($63,202), and 31% higher than the nation’s ($67,521).
You can check out more census information by clicking here.
In addition to being pretty darn wealthy, Livingston County’s population has also become more educated, according to the 2020 census. Since the 2010 census, there’s been a drop in the percentage of residents not completing high school (-1.9%), those who stopped their education after high school (-1.6%), or those who did not go on to earn any post-high school degrees (-2.4%), while those earning associate’s degrees rose 10.1%, those completing bachelor’s degrees grew 24.7%, and those gaining graduate and professional degrees increased 11.8%.
There is also a graying of the community underway, which will likely result in future challenges for Livingston County as to labor shortages, availability of public transportation, and delivery of social services.
Between the 2010 and 2020 census, the age of the average Livingston County resident increased nearly 3 years, from 40.9 to 43.7; in that same time frame, the number of residents over 65 grew 46.1%, the number of persons ages 5-17 dropped 14.6%, and the number of those under 5 fell 3.1%.
Projections by SEMCOG (Southeast Michigan Council of Governments) for 2015-2045 show a gobsmacking increase in the number of senior citizens in Livingston County. SEMCOG is predicting that the number of county residents 85 and older will grow a whopping 337.3% by 2050; the next largest increase is in those 65-84, which is predicted to grow 82%.
On the opposite end of the age spectrum, SEMCOG is projecting that between 2015 and 2045, the number of those 25-54 will grow 31.6%, and the number of those under 5 will grow 24.7%.
SEMCOG is predicting that Livingston County’s population will grow about 24% by 2045.
In the Census Quick Facts for Livingston County I learned the following:
• Over 90% of Livingston County residents live in the same house as they did the year before.
• Of the county’s nearly 74,000 households, 96 percent have a computer, and over 91% have a broadband internet subscription.
• Ownership of employer firms in 2017 broke down as follows: 2,182 owned by men; 749 owned by women; 143 owned by minorities; and 221 owned by veterans.
