Top 10 poorest cities in Michigan 2024

Last updated on January 24th, 2024 at 06:17 am

Michigan – Lansing, stunning scenery, and some of the greatest people you’ll meet in the US of A all come to mind when you think about Michigan.

But like all states, Michigan has some regions that are struggling. In these areas, an above-average percentage of people live in poverty, are unemployed, or are not earning as much as they should.

Following are the top 10 poorest cities in Michigan in 2024.

Rank	Name	Population	Poverty rate
1	Highland Park	10,867	46.5%
2	River Rouge	7,502	42.2%
3	Benton Harbor	9,843	45.4%
4	Flint	96,559	38.8%
5	Muskegon Heights	10,748	36.7%
6	Hamtramck	21,882	46.5%
7	Detroit	674,841	35.0%
8	Saginaw	48,650	34.8%
9	Ecorse	9,432	33.3%
10	Inkster	24,520	33.5%

1) Highland Park

Unfortunately, Highland Park is Michigan’s poorest city due to a combination of low wages and a lack of employment opportunities.

The lowest median family income and highest poverty rate in Michigan are both found in the 10,867-person city. Housing is reasonably priced since, at the very least, the cost of living is among the lowest in the state.

2) River Rouge

River Rouge is the second-poorest city in Michigan. The city has the fourth-highest rate of poverty and the fourth-lowest median household income nationwide. The Wolverine State ‘only’ has the highest unemployment rate, though.

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3) Benton Harbor

Benton Harbor has the second-lowest median income of all the cities, ranking as the third poorest city overall.

And that indicates that the economy’s quality has increased somewhat between second and third on our ranking. The state’s poverty rate, which is 45.4209824633371%, is among the lowest in the nation.

The city’s low cost of living, however, more than makes up for its residents’ relatively modest salaries. In comparison to most areas of the Wolverine State, the money you do make here goes further.

4) Flint

The fourth poorest city in Michigan is Flint. The community has the eighth-highest rate of poverty in the state and the seventh-lowest median household income. Despite this, the city still has a huge range of cultures because it conducts several events all year long.

5) Muskegon Heights

Muskegon Heights is the fifth-poorest city in Michigan. The city has the tenth-lowest state-wide median income. Although Michigan’s poverty rate is the ninth highest in the nation, a significant portion of the population is kept out of poverty thanks to the state’s extremely low cost of living. The news is still not ideal for Muskegon Heights.

6) Hamtramck

The Wolverine State’s sixth poorest city is Hamtramck. It has the 15th highest unemployment rate and the second-highest incidence of poverty.

7) Detroit

Detroit is ranked as Michigan’s eighth poorest city. With a population of over 674,841, the city has the 10th highest rate of poverty in the state. Its extremely low cost of living, however, makes it easier to pay the expenses each month.

8) Saginaw

The seventh poorest city in Michigan is Saginaw. The town’s major concern is its high unemployment rate, which is the seventh highest in the state.

9) Ecorse

Ecorse, Michigan, is one of the 10 poorest cities in the state; it comes in at number nine.

Despite having the eighth-lowest median income, a sizable portion of the population lives in poverty. Overall, Ecorse has the 14th-highest percentage of residents who live in poverty out of all the Michigan communities we looked at.

10) Inkster

Inkster completes the list of the ten poorest cities in Michigan. In the Wolverine State, the city of 24,520 inhabitants has a poverty rate and median income that are both in the bottom 20%.