Cass County, MI

County

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2024 Population

51,520

US Senator

Gary Peters

Democratic Party

US Senator

Elissa Slotkin

Democratic Party

2024 Poverty Rate

11.9%

9.78% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$70,443

3.58% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$218,000

6.24% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

23,685

0.713% 1-year decline

About

None of the households in Cass County, MI reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98.8% of the residents in Cass County, MI are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Cass County, MI are Southwestern Michigan College (317 degrees awarded in 2024).

In 2024, the median property value in Cass County, MI was $218,000, and the homeownership rate was 81.6%.

Most people in Cass County, MI drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Cass County, MI was 2 cars per household.

Cass County, MI borders Elkhart County, IN, St. Joseph County, IN, Berrien County, MI, Kalamazoo County, MI, St. Joseph County, MI, and Van Buren County, MI.

United States Michigan South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI

Population & Diversity

Cass County, MI is home to a population of 51.5k people, from which 98.8% are citizens. As of 2024, 2.67% of Cass County, MI residents were born outside of the country (1.38k people).

In 2024, there were 19.9 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (43.3k people) in Cass County, MI than any other race or ethnicity. There were 2.18k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 2.06k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.8%

2024 Citizenship

99%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 98.8% of Cass County, MI residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Cass County, MI was 99%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Cass County, MI compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Cass County, MI

White (Non-Hispanic)
43.3k ± 358
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
2.18k ± 269
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
2.06k ± 214

4.52%

Hispanic Population

2.33k people

4.52% of the people in Cass County, MI are hispanic (2.33k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Cass County, MI as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Michigan.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
83,098 ± 7,048 people
India
80,532 ± 6,939 people
Iraq
55,181 ± 5,751 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Michigan was Mexico, the natal country of 83,098 Michigan residents, followed by India with 80,532 and Iraq with 55,181.

Foreign-Born Population

2.67%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

1.38k people

2.3%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

1.19k people

As of 2024, 2.67% of Cass County, MI residents (1.38k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Cass County, MI was 2.3%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Cass County, MI compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
1,179 ± 203
Gulf War (2001-)
542 ± 193
Gulf War (1990s)
379 ± 136

Cass County, MI has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.18 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Cass County, MI.

Health

93.1% of the population of Cass County, MI has health coverage, with 45.7% on employee plans, 17.5% on Medicaid, 17.4% on Medicare, 11.2% on non-group plans, and 1.24% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Cass County, MI see 4,680 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (4,680 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 3427 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 939 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.3% were men and 49.7% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

4,680 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Cass County, MI

Primary care physicians in Cass County, MI see an average of 4,680 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (4,680 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Cass County, MI in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.5% under 18 years, 17% between 18 and 34 years, 39.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 22.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.3% were men and 49.7% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

6.86%

Uninsured

45.7%

Employer Coverage

17.5%

Medicaid

17.4%

Medicare

11.2%

Non-Group

1.24%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Cass County, MI grew by 9.34% from 6.27% to 6.86%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Cass County, MI changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the average number of mentally unhealthy days reported in past 30 days (age-adjusted) was 5.82 in Cass County, MI.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Cass County, MI.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 35.1% in Cass County, MI.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Cass County, MI.

Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 6.88% in Cass County, MI.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Cass County, MI.

Economy

The economy of Cass County, MI employs 23.7k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Cass County, MI were Manufacturing (5,574 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (2,985 people), and Retail Trade (2,373 people), and the highest paying industries were Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($78,250), Utilities ($69,375), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($62,002).

Employment

Occupations

23.7k

2024 Value

± 947

−0.713%

1 Year decline

± 5.67%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Cass County, MI declined at a rate of −0.713%, from 23.9k employees to 23.7k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Cass County, MI, are Production Occupations (2,848 people), Management Occupations (2,840 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (2,488 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Cass County, MI.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Michigan.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Michigan (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

23.7k

2024 Value

± 947

−0.713%

1 Year decline

± 5.67%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Cass County, MI declined at a rate of −0.713%, from 23.9k employees to 23.7k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Cass County, MI, are Manufacturing (5,574 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (2,985 people), and Retail Trade (2,373 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Cass County, MI, though some of these residents may live in Cass County, MI and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$53,965

Median earning men ± $3,547

$37,078

Median earning women ± $2,569

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($84,097), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($79,474), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($75,403).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Information ($65,500), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($51,570), and Public Administration ($47,716).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Michigan.

Y-Axis

2.16%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.37M people employed in Michigan. This represents a 2.16% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 23.6%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Michigan.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

63
Construction
61
Other Services (except Public Administration)
51
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$139k
Manufacturing
$33.2k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$27.8k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Michigan went to Donald J. Trump with 49.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (48.3%), followed by Jill Stein (0.788%).

Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin are the senators currently representing the state of Michigan. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Michigan is currently represented by 13 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Cass County, MI. Showing the available data for Michigan.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (49.7%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (48.3%)
Democratic Party
Jill Stein (0.788%)
Green Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Michigan went to Donald J. Trump with 49.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (48.3%), followed by Jill Stein (0.788%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Michigan for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Michigan

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Michigan.

Gary Peters

Senator from Michigan

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Elissa Slotkin

Senator from Michigan

Assumed office on January 3, 2025

Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin are the senators currently representing Michigan.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Michigan over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Education

In 2024, universities in Cass County, MI awarded 317 degrees. The student population of Cass County, MI in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 772 male students and 1,228 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Cass County, MI are White (237 and 74.8%), Unknown (26 and 8.2%), Black or African American (23 and 7.26%), and Two or More Races (18 and 5.68%).

The largest universities in Cass County, MI by number of degrees awarded are Southwestern Michigan College (317 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Cass County, MI are General Studies (74 and 23.3%), Registered Nursing (38 and 12%), and Welding Technology (22 and 6.94%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2024 there were 2,000 students enrolled in Cass County, MI, 38.6% men and 61.4% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 1,408 records, of which 61.5% were women and 38.5% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Studies
74 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
38 degrees awarded
General Business
17 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Cass County, MI was General Studies with 74 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Cass County, MI according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Southwestern Michigan College

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

317 degrees awarded

In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Southwestern Michigan College with 317 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2024, 137 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Cass County, MI, which is 0.761 times less than the 180 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 237 degrees mean that there were 9.12 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Unknown, with 26 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 2-year ($5,937) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

Public, 2-year ($1,930) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

Public, 2-year ($1,520) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Cass County, MI was $218,000 in 2024, which is 0.655 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $205,200 to $218,000, a 6.24% increase. The homeownership rate in Cass County, MI is 81.6%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Cass County, MI have an average commute time of 24.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Cass County, MI is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 10.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Cass County, MI. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 3.69%.

Housing

Property

$218,000

Median Property Value 2024

±$9,705

$17,314

Median Property Taxes

±$756

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Cass County, MI the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Cass County, MI compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

81.6%

Homeownership

2024

61%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 81.6% of the housing units in Cass County, MI were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 80.5%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Cass County, MI compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$70,443

Median Household Income

± $3,549

21.2k

Number of Households

± 947

In 2024, the median household income of the 21.2k households in Cass County, MI grew to $70,443 from the previous year's value of $68,011.

The following chart displays the households in Cass County, MI distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Cass County, MI is from Michigan.

0.46

2024 Wage GINI in Michigan

0.462

2023 Wage GINI in Michigan

In 2024, the income inequality in Michigan was 0.46 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.474% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Michigan was lower than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Michigan in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Michigan across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (77.4%)
Carpooled (9.93%)
Worked At Home (7.83%)

In 2024, 77.4% of workers in Cass County, MI drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.93%) and those who worked at home (7.83%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

24.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Cass County, MI have a shorter commute time (24.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.96% of the workforce in Cass County, MI have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Cass County, MI compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Cass County, MI distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Cass County, MI have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 10.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Cass County, MI. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 3.69%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

11.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Cass County, MI (6.08k out of 51.1k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Males 6 - 11.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Cass County, MI is White, followed by Two Or More and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 16.7% of the children was living in poverty in Cass County, MI. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 7.7%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798, followed by New York (5,087).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 223 in Cass County, MI. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 56.4% per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.