A Statistical View of Veterans in Michigan
(Kurt Metzger, Nov. 11, 2025)
Michigan – For this Veterans Day we’ve decided to take a look at statistics regarding veterans in Michigan.
The Census Bureau counted 435,461 veterans in Michigan in 2024 (latest data available). This represents 5.4 percent of Michigan’s 18 years and over population.
Michigan ranks 13th among states in its number of veterans (it ranks 10th in overall population). Almost one-third of that total lives in the tri-county (Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne) area.
Eighty percent of Michigan veterans live in the 31 largest counties (those over 65,000 population), with the highest shares of veteran residents showing up in the smaller counties in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower.
The State of Michigan has just released a report, Michigan Veterans: Population, Employment, and Earnings from which I wanted to pull a few statistics.
~A majority (55 percent) of Michigan veterans are in their retirement years, age 65 or older. One-third (33.2 percent) are 75 years and over.
~90.7 percent of veterans are male.
The racial demographics of veterans are like those of nonveterans in the state.
~Michigan veterans are largely white non-Hispanic (83 percent). Just over 9 percent of veterans are Black or African American and less than 10 percent are from other racial groups, combined.
~About one-third of Michigan’s veteran population has a disability, more than double the share of nonveterans.
~Nearly 8 percent of veterans work in public administration, more than double the rate of nonveterans (3.4 percent).
~Veterans are less likely to have obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher compared to the nonveteran population. Veterans are more likely than nonveterans to have some college or an associate degree as their highest educational attainment.
~Annually, veterans in Michigan earn roughly $10,000 more than nonveterans.
The poverty rate among veterans (7.9 percent) is notably lower than the statewide average (12.2 percent).
~Oakland County was home to 40,232 veterans in 2024, representing only 3.9 percent of the 18 years and over population. This is the smallest share among the 31 largest counties.
~Macomb County had 35,742 veterans (5.1 percent), and Wayne County had 57,894 veterans (4.3 percent).
~Only two counties, Monroe (8.2 percent) and Midland (8.0 percent), hit the eight percent mark.
Thank you to all the Veterans who served, and those currently in the military.
For more stories about the Census and other interesting numbers, visit the Data-Based Stories Archives on Oakland County Times. Thanks to Data Expert Kurt Metzger for this work!
