Small-town market profile · Michigan
Ludington, MI area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Ludington area, each scored against other small-town markets.
- Population, 2025
- 29,040
- 0.0% since 2020
- Households
- 12,801
- Median household income
- $64,748
- +25.2% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $219,600
- Jobs located here
- 8,586
- Highest market score
- 73
- Spas and skin care, #36 of 504 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Ludington area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Ludington 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 29,040 people live in the Ludington area, in 12,801 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of the Ludington area held about level, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in the Ludington area is $64,748 a year, 20% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 25.2% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in the Ludington area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 108, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (61).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Ludington area are for spas and skin care studios (73), physical therapy clinics (69) and funeral homes (68). The Ludington area ranks #36 of 504 scored small-town markets for spas and skin care studios.
The Ludington area is made up of one county, Mason County. For its number of households, the Ludington area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for grocery stores (2.1 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for salons, barbers and spas (42% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Ludington area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Ludington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spas and skin care | 73 | #36 of 504 | 5 | 3.9 | $2.4M | 269 | Under 3 |
| Physical therapy | 69 | #62 of 400 | 5 | 3.9 | $3.4M | 141 | Under 3 |
| Funeral homes | 68 | #77 of 365 | 5 | 3.9 | $446K | 66 | Under 3 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 65 | #95 of 535 | 13 | 10.2 | $766K | 116 | Under 3 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 64 | #121 of 538 | 58 | 45.3 | $791K | 119 | 20 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 62 | #116 of 538 | 35 | 27.3 | $337K | 158 | 10 |
| Gyms | 61 | #136 of 506 | 8 | 6.2 | $1.2M | 96 | Under 3 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 59 | #185 of 537 | 13 | 10.2 | $3.5M | 116 | 26 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 58 | #195 of 526 | 13 | 10.2 | $1.3M | 133 | 8 |
| Gas stations | 57 | #192 of 536 | 14 | 10.9 | $2.4M | 101 | 15 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 56 | #143 of 378 | 5 | 3.9 | $2M | 99 | Under 3 |
| Hair salons | 55 | #209 of 538 | 23 | 18.0 | $513K | 119 | 8 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 53 | #215 of 458 | 10 | 7.8 | $1.7M | 95 | 15 |
| Pizza | 52 | #231 of 520 | 10 | 7.8 | $4.6M | 90 | 26 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 52 | #243 of 538 | 124 | 96.9 | $370K | 100 | 55 |
| Auto repair and car care | 52 | #248 of 538 | 54 | 42.2 | $245K | 91 | 19 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 50 | #272 of 536 | 17 | 13.3 | $1.4M | 109 | 10 |
| Auto repair shops | 50 | #279 of 538 | 30 | 23.4 | $441K | 99 | 16 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 48 | #287 of 536 | 26 | 20.3 | $904K | 103 | 10 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 48 | #288 of 529 | 13 | 10.2 | $3.5M | 95 | 7 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 48 | #293 of 538 | 111 | 86.7 | $153K | 100 | 31 |
| Pet businesses | 48 | #305 of 527 | 16 | 12.5 | $618K | 70 | Under 3 |
| Convenience stores | 46 | #323 of 529 | 15 | 11.7 | $4.9M | 62 | Under 3 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 45 | #304 of 507 | 12 | 9.4 | $3.8M | 92 | 7 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 43 | #362 of 538 | 45 | 35.2 | $1.6M | 48 | 6 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 42 | #315 of 476 | 9 | 7.0 | $3.6M | 76 | 11 |
| Grocery stores | 41 | #351 of 506 | 18 | 14.1 | $4.1M | 44 | 4 |
| Roofing and gutters | 40 | #196 of 288 | 5 | 3.9 | $6.5M | 77 | 3 |
| Insurance agencies | 40 | #354 of 537 | 17 | 13.3 | $1.2M | 97 | 10 |
| Home repair trades | 39 | #391 of 526 | 17 | 13.3 | $1.9M | 79 | 22 |
| Chiropractors | 35 | #332 of 426 | 10 | 7.8 | $1.7M | 71 | 8 |
| Real estate | 33 | #478 of 536 | 36 | 28.1 | Index only | 109 | 13 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 32 | #489 of 533 | 34 | 26.6 | Index only | 92 | 7 |
| Car washes and detailing | 31 | #370 of 441 | 9 | 7.0 | $1.5M | 58 | 3 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 18 | #396 of 399 | 12 | 9.4 | $1.2M | 42 | 18 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 17 | #478 of 481 | 19 | 14.8 | $777K | 46 | 25 |
| Child care and preschools | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.1 | $1.1M | 113 | 9 |
| Collision repair and body shops | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.1 | $3.3M | 107 | 6 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.1 | $3.7M | 58 | 7 |
| Nail salons | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.1 | $2.9M | 176 | Under 3 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.1 | $2.5M | 97 | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.1 | $2.5M | 55 | Under 3 |
| Tire shops | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.1 | $3.3M | 132 | Under 3 |
| Veterinarians | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.1 | $2.5M | 91 | Under 3 |
| Barbershops | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.3 | $3.9M | 208 | Under 3 |
| Electricians | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.3 | $10.8M | 90 | 8 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.3 | $7.8M | 63 | Under 3 |
| Optometrists and eye care | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.3 | $5.7M | 181 | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.3 | $4.9M | 48 | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.6 | $6.6M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.8 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.8 | Index only | Too few | 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.8 | $17M | 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 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in the Ludington 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 | $13.2M | $1,033 | 108 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $33.9M | $2,647 | 102 |
| Food away from home | $45.9M | $3,584 | 88 |
| Groceries | $73.8M | $5,764 | 91 |
| Personal care products and services | $11.8M | $921 | 92 |
| Child care and other personal services | $4.5M | $353 | 61 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $10M | $778 | 79 |
| Medical and dental services | $17M | $1,327 | 103 |
| Pets | $9.9M | $772 | 85 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $23.5M | $1,835 | 89 |
| Vehicle insurance | $20.6M | $1,611 | 82 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $32.5M | $2,538 | 84 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $14.8M | $1,154 | 82 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $169.8M | $13,267 | 80 |
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 Ludington area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 29,0400.0% since 2020
- Households
- 12,801
- Median age
- 47.3
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 78%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.8
- Land area
- 495 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 59
- Median household income
- $64,748+25.2% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $85,702
- Median home value
- $219,600
- Jobs located here
- 8,586
- Daytime population
- 26,202Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Ludington 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 Ludington 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 Ludington area 1
- Mason County, MI29,207 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 Ludington, MI area growing?
Population estimates put the Ludington area at 29,040 people in 2025, unchanged since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 12,801 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 25.2%, before inflation.
How much do households in the Ludington, MI area spend?
Households in the Ludington area spend about $169.8M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $73.8M on groceries and $45.9M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Ludington area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 108, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (61).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Ludington, MI area?
Of the business types scored in the Ludington area, spas and skin care studios (73), physical therapy clinics (69) and funeral homes (68) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For spas and skin care studios, that ranks #36 of 504 scored small-town markets.
How does the Ludington, MI area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Ludington area is $64,748, 20% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population held level from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $219,600, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for grocery stores (2.1 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for salons, barbers and spas (42% 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 Ludington 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 Ludington 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.
All markets in Michigan · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in the Ludington 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 Ludington 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.