Small-town market profile · Michigan
Houghton, MI area market data
How the Houghton area compares with other small-town markets for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 40,028
- +1.8% since 2020
- Households
- 15,440
- Median household income
- $58,128
- +31.5% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $160,800
- Jobs located here
- 12,154
- Highest market score
- 82
- Salons, barbers and spas, #5 of 538 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Houghton area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Houghton 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
The Houghton area has an estimated 40,028 people and 15,440 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of the Houghton area grew 1.8%, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in the Houghton area is $58,128, 28% below the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 31.5%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Houghton area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 107, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (59).
Of the business types scored in the Houghton area, salons, barbers and spas (82); hair salons (80); and dentists and orthodontists (80) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For salons, barbers and spas, that ranks #5 of 538 scored small-town markets.
The Houghton area takes in 2 counties: Houghton County and Keweenaw County. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for grocery stores (62% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for real estate businesses (63% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Houghton area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Houghton area with other small-town markets 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 small-town markets | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salons, barbers and spas | 82 | #5 of 538 | 38 | 24.6 | $363K | 171 | 3 |
| Hair salons | 80 | #12 of 538 | 22 | 14.2 | $628K | 146 | 3 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 80 | #18 of 526 | 9 | 5.8 | $2.2M | 227 | 8 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 79 | #28 of 458 | 6 | 3.9 | $3.3M | 188 | 12 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 77 | #45 of 536 | 19 | 12.3 | $1.5M | 166 | 4 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 76 | #54 of 536 | 13 | 8.4 | $2.1M | 168 | 4 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 72 | #72 of 538 | 83 | 53.8 | $242K | 158 | 34 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 71 | #46 of 476 | 5 | 3.2 | $7.7M | 161 | 10 |
| Spas and skin care | 71 | #55 of 504 | 8 | 5.2 | $1.7M | 197 | Under 3 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 70 | #87 of 537 | 16 | 10.4 | $3.4M | 110 | 24 |
| Barbershops | 69 | #76 of 377 | 5 | 3.2 | $2.8M | 146 | Under 3 |
| Tire shops | 69 | #88 of 431 | 5 | 3.2 | $3.2M | 126 | 3 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 68 | #62 of 533 | 18 | 11.7 | Index only | 204 | 3 |
| Pet businesses | 63 | #109 of 527 | 15 | 9.7 | $774K | 88 | Under 3 |
| Convenience stores | 60 | #178 of 529 | 14 | 9.1 | $6.2M | 79 | Under 3 |
| Real estate | 59 | #141 of 536 | 22 | 14.2 | Index only | 211 | 13 |
| Gyms | 59 | #162 of 506 | 11 | 7.1 | $1.1M | 81 | 3 |
| Auto repair and car care | 58 | #193 of 538 | 54 | 35.0 | $292K | 109 | 29 |
| Auto repair shops | 57 | #191 of 538 | 31 | 20.1 | $508K | 114 | 23 |
| Home repair trades | 54 | #212 of 526 | 16 | 10.4 | $2.4M | 99 | 24 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 52 | #254 of 535 | 19 | 12.3 | $610K | 92 | 6 |
| Funeral homes | 51 | #175 of 365 | 7 | 4.5 | $327K | 48 | 3 |
| Pizza | 51 | #247 of 520 | 17 | 11.0 | $3.2M | 62 | 24 |
| Physical therapy | 47 | #233 of 400 | 11 | 7.1 | $1.8M | 76 | 6 |
| Gas stations | 46 | #315 of 536 | 24 | 15.5 | $1.7M | 71 | 20 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 46 | #321 of 538 | 38 | 24.6 | $2.3M | 68 | 11 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 45 | #318 of 529 | 18 | 11.7 | $3M | 80 | 8 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 43 | #250 of 387 | 6 | 3.9 | $2.6M | 85 | 10 |
| Insurance agencies | 42 | #330 of 537 | 16 | 10.4 | $1.5M | 122 | 19 |
| Electricians | 40 | #207 of 295 | 8 | 5.2 | $4.8M | 40 | 8 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 40 | #372 of 538 | 82 | 53.1 | $654K | 99 | 45 |
| Chiropractors | 38 | #307 of 426 | 13 | 8.4 | $1.5M | 64 | 8 |
| Child care and preschools | 38 | #326 of 454 | 8 | 5.2 | $666K | 67 | 13 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 36 | #407 of 538 | 176 | 114.0 | $305K | 82 | 77 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 32 | #436 of 507 | 21 | 13.6 | $2.6M | 62 | 11 |
| Grocery stores | 29 | #434 of 506 | 17 | 11.0 | $5.1M | 55 | 10 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.6 | $2.9M | 144 | 3 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.6 | $2.9M | 114 | Under 3 |
| Veterinarians | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.6 | $2.9M | 107 | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.6 | $2.9M | 71 | 3 |
| Car washes and detailing | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.9 | $5.3M | 209 | Under 3 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.9 | $9.3M | 74 | Under 3 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.9 | $5.8M | 346 | 11 |
| Optometrists and eye care | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.9 | $6.7M | 213 | Under 3 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.9 | Index only | 120 | 3 |
| Roofing and gutters | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.9 | $12.8M | 151 | 6 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.3 | $8.7M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Nail salons | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.3 | $6.9M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.3 | $7.9M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.3 | $5.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.6 | $17.4M | Too few | 11 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.6 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 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 Houghton 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 | $15.8M | $1,021 | 107 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $40.4M | $2,619 | 101 |
| Food away from home | $53.6M | $3,475 | 85 |
| Groceries | $87.1M | $5,642 | 89 |
| Personal care products and services | $13.8M | $894 | 89 |
| Child care and other personal services | $5.3M | $345 | 59 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $11.6M | $751 | 76 |
| Medical and dental services | $20.1M | $1,299 | 101 |
| Pets | $11.6M | $752 | 83 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $27.8M | $1,802 | 88 |
| Vehicle insurance | $24.6M | $1,591 | 81 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $38.3M | $2,482 | 82 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $17.4M | $1,129 | 80 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $200.6M | $12,993 | 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 Houghton area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 40,028+1.8% since 2020
- Households
- 15,440
- Median age
- 37.5
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 73%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.8
- Land area
- 1,549 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 26
- Median household income
- $58,128+31.5% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $80,984
- Median home value
- $160,800
- Jobs located here
- 12,154
- Daytime population
- 38,592Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Houghton area?
These figures cover the whole small-town market. 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 Houghton 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 Houghton area 2
- Houghton County, MI37,693 people
- Keweenaw County, MI2,133 people
Other markets based in Michigan 12
- Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area4,376,828 people
- Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area1,162,152 people
- Lansing-East Lansing, MI metro area472,669 people
- Flint, MI metro area403,305 people
- Ann Arbor, MI metro area369,822 people
- Kalamazoo-Portage, MI metro area262,375 people
- Saginaw, MI metro area188,665 people
- Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI metro area175,961 people
- Jackson, MI metro area160,060 people
- Monroe, MI metro area155,505 people
- Traverse City, MI metro area155,449 people
- Niles, MI metro area153,288 people
Questions
How fast is the Houghton, MI area growing?
Population estimates put the Houghton area at 40,028 people in 2025, up 1.8% since 2020, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 15,440 households. Median household income rose 31.5% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in the Houghton, MI area spend?
Households in the Houghton area spend about $200.6M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $87.1M on groceries and $53.6M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in the Houghton area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 107, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (59).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Houghton, MI area?
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Houghton area are for salons, barbers and spas (82); hair salons (80); and dentists and orthodontists (80). The Houghton area ranks #5 of 538 scored small-town markets for salons, barbers and spas.
How does the Houghton, MI area compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in the Houghton area is $58,128 a year, 28% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 1.8% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $160,800, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, the Houghton area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for grocery stores (62% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for real estate businesses (63% 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. A small-town market is a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people and the county or counties tied to it by commuting. 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. 36 of the 56 business types have a score in the Houghton area, each ranked against other small-town markets.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Houghton 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 Houghton 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 Houghton 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.