The Great Lakes Bay Michigan Works! Area has a Lower Housing Vacancy Rate than the State.

The Great Lakes Bay Michigan Works! region had nearly 216,800 total housing units according to the 2024 American Community Survey five-year estimates. The region had the ninth most housing units among all Michigan Works! areas, behind Michigan Works! Southwest (222,800) and ahead of Capital Area Michigan Works! (207,300). Great Lakes Bay Michigan Works! accounted for 4.7 percent of Michigan’s 4.62 million housing units.

More than 91 percent of Great Lakes Bay Michigan Works! housing units were occupied while 8.8 percent were vacant. This is higher than the statewide rates of 88.2 percent occupied and 11.8 percent vacant. The region had a slightly higher share of owner-occupied units (74.3 percent) compared to Michigan (73.2 percent) while having a lower share of renter-occupied units (25.7 percent) than the state (26.8 percent).

The statewide average household size measured 2.54 for owner-occupied units and 2.10 for renter-occupied units. Within Great Lakes Bay Michigan Works!, only Isabella County had an average household size of owner-occupied units (2.55) greater than the statewide average. Both Midland County (1.96) and Bay County (1.90) had an average household size of renter-occupied units less than 2 within the region. The greatest share of regional housing units was built between 1970 and 1979 (17.2 percent). Statewide, this decade also had the greatest share of units built at 14.9 percent. A further 16.6 percent of regional units were built prior to 1940, greater than the 14.6 percent share statewide.

From 1980 to 2024, the Great Lakes Bay Michigan Works! area had a smaller share of new housing units built compared to the state. Just 4.8 percent of regional housing units were built in 2010 or later. This lagged the statewide share of 5.9 percent and was tied with the Upper Peninsula Michigan Works! region for sixth lowest share among Michigan Works! areas.