Best Counties for Families in Michigan 2026

83 counties ranked by schools, safety, income, and affordability.

Top 5 Family Counties in Michigan

1Keweenaw County

All 83 Family-Ranked Counties in Michigan

Rank	County	Persona Score	Overall Score
1	Keweenaw County, MI	72	71.6
2	Presque Isle County, MI	70	70.1
3	Iron County, MI	65	60.4
4	Alger County, MI	64	64.3
5	Livingston County, MI	63	54.6
6	Leelanau County, MI	62	60.9
7	Ontonagon County, MI	62	63.5
8	Alcona County, MI	59	62.1
9	Ottawa County, MI	59	52.1
10	Midland County, MI	59	52.4
11	Emmet County, MI	57	55.3
12	Charlevoix County, MI	56	55.2
13	Dickinson County, MI	56	58.2
14	Lake County, MI	54	55.2
15	Baraga County, MI	54	55.7
16	Huron County, MI	54	55.5
17	Lapeer County, MI	53	49.3
18	Antrim County, MI	52	54.7
19	Benzie County, MI	52	52.8
20	Grand Traverse County, MI	52	50.7
21	Chippewa County, MI	51	52.8
22	Schoolcraft County, MI	51	55.6
23	Oakland County, MI	51	43.7
24	Ionia County, MI	50	50.7
25	Newaygo County, MI	50	50
26	Marquette County, MI	49	51
27	Otsego County, MI	48	50.8
28	Sanilac County, MI	48	51.8
29	Gogebic County, MI	48	55.5
30	Cheboygan County, MI	47	51
31	Arenac County, MI	46	51.9
32	Oscoda County, MI	46	54.3
33	Menominee County, MI	46	56
34	Barry County, MI	46	46.2
35	Houghton County, MI	46	54.6
36	Mason County, MI	46	52
37	Gladwin County, MI	45	49.4
38	Monroe County, MI	44	43.1
39	Tuscola County, MI	44	46.5
40	Washtenaw County, MI	44	38
41	Missaukee County, MI	43	50.2
42	Macomb County, MI	43	37.3
43	Shiawassee County, MI	43	42.7
44	St. Clair County, MI	42	42.3
45	Osceola County, MI	42	51.2
46	Lenawee County, MI	41	40.3
47	Allegan County, MI	40	40.2
48	Delta County, MI	40	49.5
49	Montmorency County, MI	39	52.5
50	Ingham County, MI	39	37.9
51	Hillsdale County, MI	39	45.3
52	Crawford County, MI	39	49.5
53	Eaton County, MI	39	39.7
54	Oceana County, MI	39	46
55	Mackinac County, MI	38	45.9
56	Iosco County, MI	38	50.3
57	Alpena County, MI	38	52.2
58	Luce County, MI	38	50
59	Van Buren County, MI	37	38.2
60	Kent County, MI	37	36.8
61	Roscommon County, MI	36	47.4
62	Kalkaska County, MI	36	46.2
63	Gratiot County, MI	36	43.1
64	St. Joseph County, MI	35	38.4
65	Cass County, MI	35	41.1
66	Mecosta County, MI	34	42.1
67	Bay County, MI	33	39.4
68	Clare County, MI	32	43.1
69	Branch County, MI	32	37.2
70	Montcalm County, MI	30	38
71	Ogemaw County, MI	30	41.7
72	Isabella County, MI	29	35.7
73	Jackson County, MI	29	33.3
74	Manistee County, MI	28	41.9
75	Muskegon County, MI	27	33.8
76	Wexford County, MI	27	36.8
77	Clinton County, MI	27	33.8
78	Saginaw County, MI	27	31.8
79	Genesee County, MI	27	31.5
80	Kalamazoo County, MI	27	31
81	Berrien County, MI	25	32.7
82	Calhoun County, MI	25	28.9
83	Wayne County, MI	24	25.6

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best county for families in Michigan?

Based on our analysis of school quality, safety, income, and cost of living, Keweenaw County ranks as the top family county in Michigan with a family score of 72.

How many counties in Michigan are ranked for families?

We rank 83 counties in Michigan for family suitability, scoring each on school quality (35%), safety (30%), income (20%), and cost of living (15%).

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Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019-2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.