Washtenaw County vs Wayne County
A side-by-side comparison of Washtenaw County and Wayne County: population, income, housing, and more.
Washtenaw County and Wayne County are counties in Michigan. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Wayne County has the higher population (1,773,767 vs 368,394 in Washtenaw County). Washtenaw County has the higher median household income ($87,156 vs $59,521 in Wayne County). Washtenaw County has the higher median home value ($353,000 vs $170,200 in Wayne County).
Population, income & housing
| Washtenaw County | Wayne County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 368,394 | 1,773,767 |
| Median age | 34.8 yrs | 37.8 yrs |
| Median household income | $87,156 | $59,521 |
| Median home value | $353,000 | $170,200 |
| Median gross rent | $1,400 | $1,087 |
| Housing units | 158,115 | 796,119 |
| Homeownership rate | 61.6% | 64.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58.1% | 26.9% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 8.7% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Washtenaw County | Wayne County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 367,000 → 368,394 (+0.4%) | 1,757,299 → 1,773,767 (+0.9%) |
| Median household income | $72,586 → $87,156 (+20.1%) | $47,301 → $59,521 (+25.8%) |
| Median home value | $263,600 → $353,000 (+33.9%) | $113,000 → $170,200 (+50.6%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,114 → $1,400 (+25.7%) | $875 → $1,087 (+24.2%) |
Washtenaw County
367,000368,394
$72,586$87,156
$263,600$353,000
$1,114$1,400
Wayne County
1,757,2991,773,767
$47,301$59,521
$113,000$170,200
$875$1,087
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Washtenaw County | Wayne County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 4.6% | 6.3% |
| 5 to 17 | 13.7% | 17.4% |
| 18 to 24 | 17.6% | 8.4% |
| 25 to 34 | 14.2% | 14.4% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.9% | 12.0% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.3% | 12.4% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.3% | 13.0% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.2% | 9.8% |
| 75 and over | 6.1% | 6.3% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Washtenaw County | Wayne County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 67.9% | 48.2% |
| Black or African American | 11.4% | 37.0% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Asian | 8.8% | 3.5% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Two or more races | 5.5% | 4.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5.6% | 6.7% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Washtenaw County | Wayne County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 4.2% | 12.1% |
| High school graduate | 14.2% | 29.5% |
| Some college or associate's | 23.4% | 31.5% |
| Bachelor's degree | 27.1% | 16.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 31.0% | 10.6% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Washtenaw County | Wayne County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 61.9% | 73.0% |
| Carpooled | 6.3% | 8.7% |
| Public transit | 3.8% | 2.2% |
| Walked | 5.8% | 1.7% |
| Bicycle | 1.0% | 0.2% |
| Worked from home | 20.3% | 12.4% |
| Other means | 0.8% | 1.8% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Washtenaw County | Wayne County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 57.0% | 69.7% |
| 1-unit, attached | 7.1% | 6.0% |
| 2 to 4 units | 6.6% | 6.7% |
| 5 to 19 units | 16.8% | 7.4% |
| 20 or more units | 8.7% | 8.4% |
| Mobile home & other | 3.8% | 1.8% |
Poverty & households
| Washtenaw County | Wayne County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 13.8% | 20.1% |
| Average household size | 2.34 | 2.53 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 23 | 25 |
| Median year structure built | 1978 | 1956 |
Full profiles
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