Population of GST Michigan Works! Region Holds Steady Over the Year

New population estimates for counties were recently released by the U.S. Census Bureau on March 26. These estimates include the population as of July 1, 2025 and revised annual estimates of county populations from 2020 to 2024. The GST Michigan Works! region’s population measured 681,600 in July 2025. This accounted for about 6.7 percent of the state’s total population (10,127,900).

In total, Michigan’s population grew by just under 28,000 between July 2024 and July 2025, or 0.3 percent. The population of the GST Michigan Works! region held steady over the year, losing about 600 (-0.1 percent). Only Lapeer County saw population growth within the region, increasing by more than 200 (0.3 percent). Each of the other counties saw marginal population losses, let by Huron County, which decreased by 200 (-0.7 percent).

Compared to July 2015, the population in the GST Michigan Works! region has fallen by 14,700 (-2.1 percent). The share of the state’s total population has also fallen from the 7.0 percent share recorded in July 2015.

Like the year-over-year change, Lapeer County was the only county within the region to record a population gain since 2015, increasing by about 700 (0.8 percent). Genessee County, the largest county in the region, lost nearly 10,000 since July 2015. This was the second largest numeric decrease among Michigan counties, behind Wayne County (-21,800). Huron County had the largest percentage change regionally, falling by 5.0 percent (-1,600). This was the fourth largest percentage loss among all Michigan counties.

Learn more about the latest county population trends from MCDA's demography team.