Metro area profile · Michigan
Bay City, MI metro area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Bay City metro area, each scored against other metro areas.
- Population, 2025
- 102,123
- −1.6% since 2020
- Households
- 45,103
- Median household income
- $61,763
- +26.5% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $152,200
- Jobs located here
- 31,089
- Highest market score
- 64
- Dentists and orthodontists, #91 of 387 scored metro areas
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Bay City metro area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Bay City metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 102,123 people live in the Bay City metro area, in 45,103 households. Population estimates put the population change in the Bay City metro area from 2020 to 2025 at −1.6%, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in the Bay City metro area is $61,763 a year, 23% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 26.5% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in the Bay City metro area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 104, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (58).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Bay City metro area are for dentists and orthodontists (64); clothing and shoe stores (63); and clothing, shoe and laundry businesses (63). The Bay City metro area ranks #91 of 387 scored metro areas for dentists and orthodontists.
The Bay City metro area is made up of one county, Bay County. For its number of households, the Bay City metro area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for electricians (60% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for real estate agents and brokers (61% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Bay City metro area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Bay City metro area with other metro areas for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among metro areas | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dentists and orthodontists | 64 | #91 of 387 | 42 | 9.3 | $1.4M | 141 | 32 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 63 | #103 of 387 | 44 | 9.8 | $1.8M | 144 | 13 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 63 | #106 of 387 | 61 | 13.5 | $1.3M | 150 | 18 |
| Spas and skin care | 62 | #74 of 387 | 27 | 6.0 | $1.5M | 170 | 6 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 62 | #94 of 387 | 29 | 6.4 | $5.4M | 146 | 10 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 61 | #119 of 387 | 350 | 77.6 | $447K | 120 | 153 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 60 | #84 of 387 | 54 | 12.0 | Index only | 198 | 11 |
| Real estate | 60 | #89 of 387 | 72 | 16.0 | Index only | 187 | 22 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 59 | #118 of 387 | 18 | 4.0 | $6.2M | 129 | 20 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 58 | #120 of 387 | 149 | 33.0 | $1M | 158 | 71 |
| Veterinarians | 58 | #133 of 384 | 9 | 2.0 | $3.7M | 137 | 8 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 56 | #129 of 387 | 15 | 3.3 | $2.2M | 109 | 4 |
| Car washes and detailing | 55 | #163 of 387 | 15 | 3.3 | $3M | 119 | 7 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 52 | #146 of 347 | 7 | 1.6 | $4.7M | 116 | 6 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 52 | #166 of 387 | 51 | 11.3 | $646K | 98 | 10 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 52 | #170 of 387 | 165 | 36.6 | $244K | 115 | 31 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 51 | #178 of 387 | 303 | 67.2 | $192K | 126 | 164 |
| Nail salons | 51 | #179 of 387 | 15 | 3.3 | $2.7M | 161 | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 50 | #180 of 373 | 9 | 2.0 | Index only | 166 | 4 |
| Pizza | 50 | #189 of 387 | 29 | 6.4 | $5.4M | 106 | 71 |
| Home repair trades | 49 | #199 of 387 | 47 | 10.4 | $2.4M | 97 | 40 |
| Barbershops | 48 | #204 of 387 | 15 | 3.3 | $2.7M | 142 | Under 3 |
| Gyms | 48 | #216 of 387 | 29 | 6.4 | $1.1M | 87 | 6 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 48 | #216 of 386 | 13 | 2.9 | $4.5M | 143 | 11 |
| Roofing and gutters | 47 | #213 of 381 | 11 | 2.4 | $10.1M | 119 | 7 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 47 | #216 of 387 | 55 | 12.2 | $2.8M | 93 | 71 |
| Tire shops | 47 | #224 of 386 | 17 | 3.8 | $2.6M | 106 | 7 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 46 | #226 of 381 | 14 | 3.1 | $3.2M | 104 | 10 |
| Pet businesses | 45 | #232 of 387 | 40 | 8.9 | $839K | 95 | 19 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 44 | #245 of 387 | 25 | 5.5 | $2.3M | 130 | 94 |
| Auto repair and car care | 44 | #246 of 387 | 167 | 37.0 | $270K | 100 | 65 |
| Auto repair shops | 44 | #254 of 387 | 100 | 22.2 | $450K | 101 | 45 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 42 | #240 of 387 | 32 | 7.1 | $1.6M | 94 | 57 |
| Chiropractors | 40 | #262 of 386 | 23 | 5.1 | $2.5M | 106 | 15 |
| Child care and preschools | 40 | #262 of 387 | 17 | 3.8 | $887K | 89 | 18 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 40 | #279 of 387 | 41 | 9.1 | $3.8M | 92 | 13 |
| Physical therapy | 38 | #287 of 386 | 35 | 7.8 | $1.7M | 69 | 12 |
| Pet stores | 37 | #288 of 382 | 8 | 1.8 | $4.2M | 93 | 3 |
| House cleaning | 37 | #291 of 375 | 8 | 1.8 | $6.3M | 99 | 21 |
| Gas stations | 34 | #297 of 387 | 60 | 13.3 | $1.9M | 81 | 34 |
| Hair salons | 34 | #347 of 387 | 106 | 23.5 | $380K | 88 | 21 |
| Insurance agencies | 33 | #287 of 387 | 63 | 14.0 | $1.1M | 89 | 36 |
| Funeral homes | 31 | #304 of 377 | 12 | 2.7 | $570K | 84 | 9 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 31 | #314 of 385 | 23 | 5.1 | $2.2M | 75 | 36 |
| Electricians | 28 | #350 of 383 | 18 | 4.0 | $6.2M | 51 | 13 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 25 | #357 of 386 | 21 | 4.7 | $1.6M | 63 | 8 |
| Grocery stores | 24 | #349 of 387 | 29 | 6.4 | $8.8M | 95 | 19 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 22 | #269 of 290 | 6 | 1.3 | $7.5M | 55 | 5 |
| Convenience stores | 22 | #356 of 387 | 42 | 9.3 | $6.1M | 77 | 16 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 17 | #373 of 387 | 100 | 22.2 | $2.6M | 75 | 35 |
| Home inspectors | 5 | #242 of 243 | 5 | 1.1 | Index only | 44 | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 0.9 | $20.1M | 128 | Under 3 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 0.9 | Index only | 263 | 3 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 0.7 | $26.8M | 214 | 5 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.2 | $50.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in the Bay City metro area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $45M | $998 | 104 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $116.2M | $2,576 | 99 |
| Food away from home | $156.3M | $3,466 | 85 |
| Groceries | $255.1M | $5,656 | 89 |
| Personal care products and services | $40.3M | $893 | 89 |
| Child care and other personal services | $15.1M | $334 | 58 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $32.9M | $730 | 74 |
| Medical and dental services | $58.1M | $1,288 | 100 |
| Pets | $33.5M | $744 | 82 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $80.3M | $1,781 | 87 |
| Vehicle insurance | $70.7M | $1,567 | 80 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $110.9M | $2,458 | 81 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $50.5M | $1,120 | 79 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $584M | $12,949 | 78 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Bay City metro area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 102,123−1.6% since 2020
- Households
- 45,103
- Median age
- 45.0
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 77%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.8
- Land area
- 442 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 233
- Median household income
- $61,763+26.5% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $79,153
- Median home value
- $152,200
- Jobs located here
- 31,089
- Daytime population
- 93,442Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Bay City metro area?
These figures cover the whole metro area. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Bay City metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Bay City metro area 1
- Bay County, MI103,008 people
Other markets based in Michigan 12
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- Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI metro area175,961 people
- Jackson, MI metro area160,060 people
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- Traverse City, MI metro area155,449 people
- Niles, MI metro area153,288 people
Questions
How fast is the Bay City, MI metro area growing?
Population estimates put the Bay City metro area at 102,123 people in 2025, down 1.6% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 45,103 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 26.5%, before inflation.
How much do households in the Bay City, MI metro area spend?
Households in the Bay City metro area spend about $584M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $255.1M on groceries and $156.3M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Bay City metro area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 104, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (58).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Bay City, MI metro area?
Of the business types scored in the Bay City metro area, dentists and orthodontists (64); clothing and shoe stores (63); and clothing, shoe and laundry businesses (63) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For dentists and orthodontists, that ranks #91 of 387 scored metro areas.
How does the Bay City, MI metro area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Bay City metro area is $61,763, 23% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 1.6% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $152,200, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for electricians (60% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for real estate agents and brokers (61% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 51 of the 56 business types have a score in the Bay City metro area, each ranked against other metro areas.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Bay City metro area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in the Bay City metro area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Bay City metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.