Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety98#20/924
Economy74#242/925
Housing54#430/925
Health92#77/925
Healthcare84#152/923
Environment35#598/917
Education94#57/925
Infrastructure61#360/925
Community76#221/925
Leisure & amenities31#635/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Midland, MI metro area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Injury deaths · low58 /100k
97/100Michigan 88 /100kUnited States 87 /100k2019-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
High school diploma or higher · high95.5%
96/100Michigan 92.1%United States 89.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B15003
Voter turnout · high77.4%
95/100Michigan 74.6%United States 65.2%2024U.S. Election Assistance CommissionAggregated from counties
Loneliness · low30.3%
94/100Michigan 33.4%United States 33.2%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Property crime rate · low471 /100k
94/100Michigan 1,259 /100kUnited States 1,535 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationAggregated from counties
Some college · high74.9%
93/100Michigan 68.5%United States 67.8%2019-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties

Weaknesses

Distance to an emergency room · high16.7 mi
6/100Michigan 5.8 miUnited States 5.5 miJul 2026Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesAggregated from counties
Public libraries · low0.2 /10k
7/100Michigan 0.7 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesAggregated from counties
Job growth · low-2.4%
11/100Michigan 0.3%United States 0.1%2026 Q1U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsProvisional data
Effective property tax rate · high1.39%
12/100Michigan 1.19%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Grocery stores · low1.0 /10k
13/100Michigan 1.5 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Comfortable days · low23.4%
14/100Michigan 23.1%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationAggregated from counties

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Gyms and fitness centersImproving
0.5 /10k (2020) → 1.0 /10k (2025)
+99%5 yearsUS 1.2 /10k → 1.3 /10k
Child care cost burdenImproving
35.4% (2020 & 2021) → 22.8% (2023 & 2024)
−13 pts3 yearsUS 24.5% → 27.9%
Access to exercise opportunitiesImproving
64.1% (2010 & 2021) → 76.0% (2022 & 2024)
+12 pts3 yearsUS 79.8% → 84.5%
New business applicationsImproving
6.3 /1k (2020) → 9.8 /1k (2025)
+57%5 yearsUS 13.1 /1k → 16.6 /1k
Arts, entertainment and recreationImproving
2.6 /10k (2020) → 4.1 /10k (2025)
+54%5 yearsUS 4.8 /10k → 5.5 /10k
Restaurants and barsImproving
4.9 /10k (2020) → 6.7 /10k (2025)
+36%5 yearsUS 8.8 /10k → 9.0 /10k

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Midland, MI metro area improved on 13 of 31 measures with a comparison and declined on 4. 10 moved within the margin of error and 4 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved13

Gyms+99%0.5 /10k → 1.0 /10k
Restaurants+36%4.9 /10k → 6.7 /10k
Arts & recreation+54%2.6 /10k → 4.1 /10k
Traffic deaths−13%11.3 /100k → 9.8 /100k
New businesses+57%6.3 /1k → 9.8 /1k

Declined4

Firearm deaths+51%7.8 /100k → 11.8 /100k
Pharmacies−22%1.7 /10k → 1.3 /10k
Suicides+23%12.6 /100k → 15.5 /100k
Price / income+0.3×2.3× → 2.5×

All 31 measures

Change of every measure of Midland, MI metro area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	2.6 /10k2020	4.1 /10k2025	+54%	Improved	97%
Average commute time	22.4 min2015-2019	23.7 min2020-2024	+1.3 min	Within the margin of error	23%
Average weekly wage	$1,2832020	$1,3652025	+6.4%	Improved	1%
Bachelor's degree or higher	35.2%2015-2019	36.6%2020-2024	+1.4 points	Within the margin of error	21%
Broadband subscriptions	83.0%2015-2019	89.5%2020-2024	+6.5 points	Improved	18%
Child poverty rate	12.3%2015-2019	13.1%2020-2024	+0.8 points	Within the margin of error	16%
Distance to an airport	81 mi2020	81 mi2025	0 mi	Little change	50%
Drug overdose deaths	13.2 /100k2020	9.6 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−27%	Improved	54%
Effective property tax rate	1.59%2015-2019	1.39%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Little change	73%
Firearm deaths	7.8 /100k2020	11.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+51%	Declined	9%
Grocery stores	1.0 /10k2020	1.0 /10k2025	−0.3%	Little change	49%
Gyms and fitness centers	0.5 /10k2020	1.0 /10k2025	+99%	Improved	96%
High school diploma or higher	94.2%2015-2019	95.5%2020-2024	+1.3 points	Within the margin of error	39%
Home price to income ratio	2.3×2015-2019	2.5×2020-2024	+0.3×	Declined	75%
Income adjusted for local prices	$58,5602019	$73,0652024	+25%	Improved	7%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4732015-2019	0.4622020-2024	−0.010	Within the margin of error	79%
Median household income	$62,6252015-2019	$77,7052020-2024	+24%	Improved	33%
New business applications	6.3 /1k2020	9.8 /1k2025	+57%	Improved	66%
Pharmacies	1.7 /10k2020	1.3 /10k2025	−22%	Declined	16%
Poverty rate	10.4%2015-2019	10.7%2020-2024	+0.3 points	Within the margin of error	21%
Property crime rate	715 /100k2020	471 /100k2025	−34%	Improved	51%
Public libraries	0.2 /10k2019	0.2 /10k2024	−0.4%	Little change	61%
Public transit commuters	0.9%2015-2019	0.6%2020-2024	−0.3 points	Within the margin of error	48%
Rent as share of income	28.0%2015-2019	30.7%2020-2024	+2.7 points	Within the margin of error	14%
Rent-burdened households	45.9%2015-2019	50.9%2020-2024	+5.1 points	Within the margin of error	17%
Restaurants and bars	4.9 /10k2020	6.7 /10k2025	+36%	Improved	98%
Suicide rate	12.6 /100k2020	15.5 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+23%	Declined	22%
Traffic deaths	11.3 /100k2015-2019	9.8 /100k2020-2024	−13%	Improved	80%
Unemployment rate	7.8%2020	4.9%2025	−2.9 points	Improved	47%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	5.2%2015-2019	5.2%2020-2024	−0 points	Within the margin of error	44%
Violent crime rate	150 /100k2020	128 /100k2025	−15%	Improved	47%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 708 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like Midland, MI metro area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Midland, MI metro area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Midland, MI metro area itself moved −2.5 points in standing on average over the same 30 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

83,757 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

34,993 households (±412)

Midland, MI metro area
United States share

Under $25k16%5,633
$25k–50k17%5,958
$50k–75k15%5,258

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

34,993 households (±412)

Midland, MI metro area
United States share

Own78%27,322
Rent22%7,671

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

37,864 workers (±798)

Midland, MI metro area
United States share

Drive alone77%29,315
Carpool8.0%3,020
Public transit0.6%†214

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The 10 largest occupations in Midland, MI employ 9,610 people. 2 pay a median above the US median and 8 below it.

Above the US median
Below the US median

The largest occupations in Midland, MI by employment, with median annual pay and how it compares with the United States
Occupation	Jobs	Median pay	vs USCompared with the US	Concentration
Home Health and Personal Care Aides2,700 jobs	2,700	$36,950US $35,800	+3%	2.62×
Registered Nurses1,380 jobs	1,380	$86,360US $97,550	−11%	1.7×
Fast Food and Counter Workers1,060 jobs	1,060	$28,480US $31,200	−9%	1.14×
Retail Salespersons790 jobs	790	$33,260US $35,410	−6%	0.85×
Cashiers660 jobs	660	$30,280US $32,880	−8%	0.9×
Office Clerks, General630 jobs	630	$43,780US $45,010	−3%	1.06×
General and Operations Managers620 jobs	620	$98,270US $105,770	−7%	0.73×
Customer Service Representatives620 jobs	620	$48,250US $44,770	+8%	0.99×
Nursing Assistants600 jobs	600	$39,340US $42,260	−7%	1.73×
Stockers and Order Fillers550 jobs	550	$35,380US $37,330	−5%	0.81×

Look up any occupation

Search more than 800 occupations and see what they pay in Midland, MI.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025-05 (all industries and ownerships) bls.gov/oes

Reference period: 2025-05. BLS publishes metro areas, states and the nation (not counties or cities), so a county or city page shows its metro area.
Pay is not adjusted for the cost of living, so a higher median does not mean more purchasing power.
BLS caps the highest wages it publishes: where a figure is shown as “or more”, the real value is at least that much.
Some occupations (teachers, performers) are published by the hour or school year and shown here as an annual figure.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Midland, MI has 1,795 employer establishments, 214 for every 10,000 residents (0.86× the US rate of 248), with 37,324 paid employees at an average annual pay of $73,662. The Census Bureau also counts 5,755 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 1,795; 5,755 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 214; US 248
Paid employees: 37,324
Average annual pay: $73,662; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Midland, MI by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	187	22.3	1.07×About typical	2,154	$94,323	267
Restaurants and other eating places	128	15.3	0.83×About typical	2,698	$19,266	15
Specialty trade contractors	111	13.2	0.85×About typical	1,514	$70,380	365
Individual and family services	90	10.7	3.83×More than typical	1,028	$24,565	63
Offices of physicians	77	9.2	1.42×More than typical	786	$176,174	60
Limited-service restaurants	66	7.9	0.98×About typical	1,453	$18,065	4
Construction of buildings	63	7.5	0.99×About typical	424	$59,667	253
Religious organizations	57	6.8	1.22×About typical	465	$25,929	—
Automotive repair and maintenance	50	6	1.18×About typical	289	$39,301	54
Lessors of real estate	49	5.8	0.47×Fewer than typical	198	$34,924	514
Offices of other health practitioners	44	5.2	0.86×About typical	301	$45,196	153
Services to buildings and dwellings	44	5.2	0.78×Fewer than typical	228	$38,404	300

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 83,915 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $1M on contracts performed in Midland, MI metro area: $12.25 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $1M; +407% vs FY2025
Per resident: $12.25; US $1,994
Sole-source: 1.3%; US 30%
Single offer: 9.1%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Food and Drug Administration$901.4K88%
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources$92.9K9.1%
U.S. Geological Survey$18K1.8%
Defense Logistics Agency$13.5K1.3%

Top recipients

LWH ENTERPRISES, INC$901.4K88%
SOLUTION PLANNING AND CONTRACT ENVIRONMENT, INC.$92.9K9.1%
EMILY SCHULTHEIS$18K1.8%
UP ENTERPRISES LLC$9,6480.9%
WESTBAY AUTO PARTS, INC.$3,8500.4%

Spending by fiscal year

2.3MFY2017
5.2MFY2018
4.1MFY2019
24.2MFY2020
-456.5KFY2021
4.8MFY2022
884KFY2023
19.6KFY2024

Top industries (NAICS)

Dairy product manufacturing · 3115$901.4K88%
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services · 5416$92.9K9.1%
Other professional, scientific, and technical services · 5419$18K1.8%
Paint, coating, and adhesive manufacturing · 3255$9,6480.9%
Other chemical product and preparation manufacturing · 3259$3,8500.4%

Largest awards

EO-14398 - REVIEW OF INFANT FORMULA NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS$901.4K
LWH ENTERPRISES, INC· Midland County, MI· Other equipment & supplies· Sep 1, 2026 – Sep 1, 2026· 75F40126C00152
STUDENT CONTRACT - EMILY SCHULTHEIS$106K
EMILY SCHULTHEIS· Midland County, MI· Professional services· May 19, 2025 – Apr 23, 2026· 140G0225P0062
PURCHASE, DELIVERY, AND INSTALLATION OF 14 OFFICE WORKSTATIONS AND FURNITURE FOR FOUR OFFICES, INCLUDING SPACE PLANNING, FURNITURE RECONFIGURATION, REMOVAL OF EXISTING DESKS, AND ASSOCIATED PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND INSTALLATION SERVICES.$92.9K
SOLUTION PLANNING AND CONTRACT ENVIRONMENT, INC.· Midland County, MI· Other equipment & supplies· Sep 28, 2026 – Sep 28, 2026· 7571MN26F80137

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $481.6M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Midland, MI metro area: $5,750 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $481.6M; −31% vs FY2025
Per resident: $5,750; US $12,955
Loan face value: $21.5M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 0.5%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$391M81%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$48.1M10.0%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$43.9M9.1%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$35.5M7.4%
20.279 · National Highway Performance Program (NHPP)$23.5M4.9%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$13.7M2.9%
84.063 · Federal Pell Grant Program$3.7M0.8%
64.110 · Veterans Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for Service-Connected Death$2.8M0.6%

Top recipients (organizations)

TRANSPORTATION, MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF$28.5M5.9%
LANSING, MI
NORTHWOOD UNIVERSITY$4.1M0.9%
MIDLAND, MI
BGC I NON PROFIT HOUSING$1M0.2%
MIDLAND, MI
CLEVELAND MANOR II, INC.$350.6K0.1%
MIDLAND, MI
CITY OF MIDLAND$203.8K0.0%

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$488.3M100%
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$50M10%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Federal Highway Administration$28.5M5.9%
Department of Transportation
Department of Education$4.2M0.9%
Farm Service Agency$2M0.4%

Assistance by fiscal year

506.2MFY2021
470.7MFY2022
491MFY2023
532MFY2024
696.9MFY2025
481.6MFY2026

County aggregates

100%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in Midland, MI

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Midland CountyCentral county8383,754

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

MidlandPrincipal city42,724

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Michigan

Areas based in Michigan, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement
Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordabilityZillow Research · release 2026-08

JSON · /api/v1/places/M33220

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved13

Declined4

Metro and micro areas like Midland, MI metro area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Look up any occupation

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Midland, MI

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Michigan

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved13

Declined4

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Look up any occupation

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type