In our last post we detailed metro Detroit’s most populous counties’ decline. In this post we widen our lens to look at all of the Michigan’s populous counties––those with at least 200,000 residents–– in the rest of the state. .As you will see, mirroring Michigan’s precipitous economic decline since 1999, each of the five most populous counties outside metro Detroit have experienced declines in per capital income.
To review the data for metro Detroit:
- in 1999 Oakland County’s per capita income was 55 percent above the nation’s. In 2024 it was 28 percent above.
- in 1999 Livingston’s County’s per capita income was 17 percent above the nation’s. In 2024 it was four percent above.
- in 1999 Macomb County’s per capita income was eight percent above the nation’s. In 2024 it was 17 percent below.
- in 1999 Washtenaw County’s per capita income was 20 percent above the nation’s. In 2024 it was nine percent above.
- in 1999 Wayne County’s per capita income was nine percent below the nation’s. In 2024 it was 24 percent below.
Now the details on the remainder of Michigan’s most populous counties:
In 1999 Genesee County’s per capita income was 10 percent below the nation’s. In 2024 it was 27 percent below. It ranked 612 among the nation’s counties in 1999. In 2024 it ranked 1,869. If Genesee County’s per capita income were still 10 below each person in Genesee County would have about $12,000 more income.
In 1999 Ingham County’s per capita income was eight percent below the nation’s. In 2024 it was 26 percent below. It ranked 507 among the nation’s counties in 1999. In 2024 it ranked 1,718. You read that right more than 1,200 counties passed Ingham in the last quarter of a century. If Ingham County’s per capita income were still eight percent below each person in Ingham County would have about $13,000 more income.
In 1999 Kalamazoo County’s per capita income was three percent below the nation’s. In 2024 it was ten percent below. It ranked 385 among the nation’s counties in 1999. In 2024 it ranked 759. If Kalamazoo County’s per capita income were still three percent below each person in Kalamazoo County would have about $5,000 more income.
In 1999 Kent County’s per capita income was four percent above the nation’s. In 2024 it was the same as the nation’s. It ranked 237 among the nation’s counties in 1999. In 2024 it ranked 425. If Kent County’s per capita income were still four percent above each person in Kent County would have about $2,700 more income.
In 1999 Ottawa County’s per capita income was two percent below the nation’s. In 2024 it was nine percent below. It ranked 358 among the nation’s counties in 1999. In 2024 it ranked 716. If Ottawa County’s per capita income were still two percent below each person in Ottawa County would have about $5,000 more income.
What are the common characteristics of big population counties that are now more prosperous than each of these populous counties? Prosperous large population counties are predominantly from regions with a high proportion of high wage households. Plus, mainly in Florida, counties with a high proportion of high net worth retirees. Leaving aside those whose prosperity is retiree driven, prosperous counties, like prosperous states, are characterized by being in regions that are knowledge economy concentrated and have a high proportion of adults with a BA or more.
That both Kent and Genesee counties––one widely viewed as rising the other as falling–– declined compared to the nation since 1999 is strong evidence that Michigan’s economic well being collapse this last quarter of a century is an all state problem. Not just, as conventional wisdom has it, a result of steep declines in Michigan’s high low income and high minority counties, like Genesee County. Yes those counties have declined steeply. But so have our most prosperous counties. It is far past time for alarm bells and for Michigan to adopt a new, big change, economic agenda.
