Counties with the most born-and-bred residents in Michigan

Many people choose not to leave the state they were raised in for reasons ranging from wanting to be close to family, to not having the resources to leave, to sticking with a lower cost of living.

In order to determine where people stay put in your home state, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the most born-and-bred residents in Michigan using data from the Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the highest percentage of residents who were born in the state according to the latest data, which is 2024 five-year estimates. The percentage of residents who were born in another state, a U.S. territory, and another country is also included.

Read on to find out where the most loyal Michigan residents live.

50. Manistee County
- Population: 25,350
- Born in Michigan: 20,081 (79.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,816 (19.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 58 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 395 (1.6% of population)

49. Chippewa County
- Population: 36,295
- Born in Michigan: 28,792 (79.3% of population)
- Born in a different state: 5,849 (16.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 599 (1.7% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,055 (2.9% of population)

48. Midland County
- Population: 83,757
- Born in Michigan: 67,020 (80.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 13,494 (16.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 566 (0.7% of population)
- Born in another country: 2,677 (3.2% of population)

47. Eaton County
- Population: 109,130
- Born in Michigan: 87,693 (80.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 16,282 (14.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 604 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 4,551 (4.2% of population)

46. Delta County
- Population: 36,813
- Born in Michigan: 29,593 (80.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 6,770 (18.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 96 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 354 (1.0% of population)

45. Mason County
- Population: 29,207
- Born in Michigan: 23,479 (80.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 5,083 (17.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 161 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 484 (1.7% of population)

44. Charlevoix County
- Population: 26,108
- Born in Michigan: 20,997 (80.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,496 (17.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 148 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 467 (1.8% of population)

43. Allegan County
- Population: 121,456
- Born in Michigan: 97,695 (80.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 18,656 (15.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 871 (0.7% of population)
- Born in another country: 4,234 (3.5% of population)

42. Emmet County
- Population: 34,125
- Born in Michigan: 27,586 (80.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 5,701 (16.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 327 (1.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 511 (1.5% of population)

41. Isabella County
- Population: 64,565
- Born in Michigan: 52,351 (81.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 9,607 (14.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 491 (0.8% of population)
- Born in another country: 2,116 (3.3% of population)

40. Antrim County
- Population: 24,127
- Born in Michigan: 19,630 (81.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,026 (16.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 80 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 391 (1.6% of population)

39. Livingston County
- Population: 195,833
- Born in Michigan: 159,394 (81.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 29,232 (14.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 1,303 (0.7% of population)
- Born in another country: 5,904 (3.0% of population)

38. Kalkaska County
- Population: 18,239
- Born in Michigan: 14,847 (81.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,027 (16.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 101 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 264 (1.4% of population)

37. Schoolcraft County
- Population: 8,128
- Born in Michigan: 6,661 (82.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,337 (16.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 46 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 84 (1.0% of population)

36. Mecosta County
- Population: 41,242
- Born in Michigan: 33,821 (82.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 6,249 (15.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 335 (0.8% of population)
- Born in another country: 837 (2.0% of population)

35. Alcona County
- Population: 10,397
- Born in Michigan: 8,540 (82.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,584 (15.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 65 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 208 (2.0% of population)

34. Iosco County
- Population: 25,347
- Born in Michigan: 20,901 (82.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,750 (14.8% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 179 (0.7% of population)
- Born in another country: 517 (2.0% of population)

33. Otsego County
- Population: 25,584
- Born in Michigan: 21,144 (82.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,923 (15.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 107 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 410 (1.6% of population)

32. Genesee County
- Population: 403,305
- Born in Michigan: 334,851 (83.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 54,944 (13.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 2,014 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 11,496 (2.9% of population)

31. Cheboygan County
- Population: 25,865
- Born in Michigan: 21,482 (83.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,668 (14.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 139 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 576 (2.2% of population)

30. Montmorency County
- Population: 9,516
- Born in Michigan: 7,910 (83.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,287 (13.5% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 147 (1.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 172 (1.8% of population)

29. Barry County
- Population: 63,409
- Born in Michigan: 52,849 (83.3% of population)
- Born in a different state: 8,402 (13.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 421 (0.7% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,737 (2.7% of population)

28. Jackson County
- Population: 160,060
- Born in Michigan: 133,622 (83.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 22,240 (13.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 724 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 3,474 (2.2% of population)

27. Baraga County
- Population: 8,191
- Born in Michigan: 6,845 (83.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,249 (15.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 39 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 58 (0.7% of population)

26. Crawford County
- Population: 13,369
- Born in Michigan: 11,176 (83.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,946 (14.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 39 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 208 (1.6% of population)

25. Wexford County
- Population: 34,077
- Born in Michigan: 28,517 (83.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,740 (13.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 211 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 609 (1.8% of population)

24. Oscoda County
- Population: 8,425
- Born in Michigan: 7,060 (83.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,264 (15.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 22 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 79 (0.9% of population)

23. Clinton County
- Population: 79,626
- Born in Michigan: 66,755 (83.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 10,207 (12.8% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 477 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 2,187 (2.7% of population)

22. Clare County
- Population: 31,218
- Born in Michigan: 26,199 (83.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,542 (14.5% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 211 (0.7% of population)
- Born in another country: 266 (0.9% of population)

21. Muskegon County
- Population: 175,961
- Born in Michigan: 149,165 (84.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 22,359 (12.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 1,071 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 3,366 (1.9% of population)

20. Saginaw County
- Population: 188,665
- Born in Michigan: 161,194 (85.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 21,957 (11.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 1,002 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 4,512 (2.4% of population)

19. Ogemaw County
- Population: 20,885
- Born in Michigan: 17,857 (85.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,554 (12.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 82 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 392 (1.9% of population)

18. Montcalm County
- Population: 67,816
- Born in Michigan: 58,017 (85.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 8,024 (11.8% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 222 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,553 (2.3% of population)

17. Newaygo County
- Population: 50,792
- Born in Michigan: 43,455 (85.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 6,060 (11.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 212 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,065 (2.1% of population)

16. Roscommon County
- Population: 23,737
- Born in Michigan: 20,359 (85.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,982 (12.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 87 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 309 (1.3% of population)

15. Osceola County
- Population: 23,227
- Born in Michigan: 19,949 (85.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,994 (12.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 85 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 199 (0.9% of population)

14. Presque Isle County
- Population: 13,209
- Born in Michigan: 11,381 (86.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,601 (12.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 80 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 147 (1.1% of population)

13. Gratiot County
- Population: 41,385
- Born in Michigan: 35,718 (86.3% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,887 (11.8% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 225 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 555 (1.3% of population)

12. Alpena County
- Population: 28,880
- Born in Michigan: 24,930 (86.3% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,472 (12.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 129 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 349 (1.2% of population)

11. Lapeer County
- Population: 88,837
- Born in Michigan: 77,038 (86.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 9,288 (10.5% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 426 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 2,085 (2.3% of population)

10. Ionia County
- Population: 66,574
- Born in Michigan: 58,223 (87.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 7,000 (10.5% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 433 (0.7% of population)
- Born in another country: 918 (1.4% of population)

9. Missaukee County
- Population: 15,207
- Born in Michigan: 13,300 (87.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,612 (10.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 45 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 250 (1.6% of population)

8. St. Clair County
- Population: 160,221
- Born in Michigan: 140,218 (87.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 15,518 (9.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 1,245 (0.8% of population)
- Born in another country: 3,240 (2.0% of population)

7. Gladwin County
- Population: 25,693
- Born in Michigan: 22,621 (88.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,663 (10.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 93 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 316 (1.2% of population)

6. Shiawassee County
- Population: 67,991
- Born in Michigan: 60,103 (88.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 6,794 (10.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 313 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 781 (1.1% of population)

5. Huron County
- Population: 31,113
- Born in Michigan: 27,554 (88.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,837 (9.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 208 (0.7% of population)
- Born in another country: 514 (1.7% of population)

4. Sanilac County
- Population: 40,462
- Born in Michigan: 35,940 (88.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,700 (9.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 259 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 563 (1.4% of population)

3. Arenac County
- Population: 15,077
- Born in Michigan: 13,444 (89.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,446 (9.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 60 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 127 (0.8% of population)

2. Bay County
- Population: 103,008
- Born in Michigan: 92,376 (89.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 8,969 (8.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 375 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,288 (1.3% of population)

1. Tuscola County
- Population: 52,980
- Born in Michigan: 48,043 (90.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,266 (8.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 218 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 453 (0.9% of population)

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