Jobs, pay and daily life in Muskegon, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Muskegon is a city in Michigan with 37,226 residents. The median household earns $44,735 a year and the median rent is $996 a month, which is 26.7% of the median household income. It is part of the Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI metropolitan area, where BLS counts 62,340 jobs.
How Muskegon compares. Among the 100 largest places in Michigan, Muskegon is #31 by population, #92 for remote work (#1 = most), #91 for household income (#1 = highest), #91 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Muskegon County, is #35 of 83 counties for average pay ($53,204).
Muskegon has 37,226 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.4% of the population of Michigan. It covers 14 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,632 people per square mile. The median age is 36.0, 10% younger than the state median (36.0 against 40.2).
The median gross rent is $996 a month (rent plus utilities), 12% below the state median ($996 against $1,129). Over a year that is 26.7% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $142,300, which is 3.2 times the median household income ($44,735); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 53.1% of households own their home, 27% below the state average (53.1% against 73.2%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI metropolitan area has 62,340 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $46,060 a year, 10% below the national median ($46,060 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are production (8,520 jobs, median $49,330); food preparation and serving related (7,140 jobs, median $29,640); sales and related (6,750 jobs, median $33,230). The area is most specialised in production (2.5 times) and food preparation and serving related (1.3 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are production ($49,330) and office and administrative support ($44,160). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Muskegon County was 4.6%. 53.3% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Muskegon County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 78.0% drive alone, 0.1% use public transit, 3.1% walk, 5.7% work from home. 9.5% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 27% below the state average (9.5% against 12.9%).
15.5% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 52% below the state share (15.5% against 32.5%). 3.4% of residents were born outside the United States, 54% below the state share (3.4% against 7.2%). The poverty rate is 24.9%, 88% above the state rate (24.9% against 13.2%).
The warmest month is Aug, averaging 71°F (21.4°C), and the coolest is Feb at 27°F (-2.7°C). About 978 mm (39 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Oct is the wettest month (113 mm) and Feb the driest (60 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Norton Shores (4 miles, rent 35% higher); Grand Haven (12 miles, rent 6% lower); Allendale (23 miles, rent 12% higher); Walker (30 miles, rent 21% higher). Rent differences are against Muskegon; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Michigan (335) →State guide: MichiganCountry guideMuskegon CountyMichigan rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 335 federal postings open in Michigan (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Michigan →
These figures are for the whole Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $46,060 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.6% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.9% |
| Manufacturing | 22.0% |
| Retail trade | 14.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 11.7% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.4% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.1% |
| Other services | 4.1% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.0% |
| Public administration | 3.0% |
| Construction | 3.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.8% |
| Information | 1.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.6% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Muskegon lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muskegon County | 175,961 | $8,392 million | $47,693 | 63,475 | 3,152 | $53,204 | +2.0% | 4.6% | 77,809 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 13,093 | 23.7% | $73,625 | 2.51 |
| Retail trade | 11,104 | 20.1% | $34,215 | 1.75 |
| Health care and social assistance | 10,424 | 18.9% | $57,635 | 1.15 |
| Accommodation and food services | 6,838 | 12.4% | $22,338 | 1.18 |
| Construction | 2,424 | 4.4% | $77,963 | 0.73 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,848 | 3.3% | $61,559 | 0.42 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,828 | 3.3% | $35,766 | 0.96 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,553 | 2.8% | $40,896 | 0.42 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,497 | 2.7% | $74,731 | 0.60 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 970 | 1.8% | $25,782 | 0.91 |
| Finance and insurance | 955 | 1.7% | $75,063 | 0.37 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 834 | 1.5% | $75,416 | 0.31 |
| Educational services | 725 | 1.3% | $35,521 | 0.55 |
| Real estate and rental | 623 | 1.1% | $38,620 | 0.63 |
| Information | 264 | 0.5% | $80,929 | 0.22 |
| Utilities | 227 | 0.4% | $144,120 | 0.94 |
| Management of companies | 77 | 0.1% | $100,911 | 0.07 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 78.0% |
| Public transit | 0.1% |
| Walk | 3.1% |
| Work from home | 5.7% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 9.5% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $44,735 |
| Income per person | $24,151 |
| Median gross rent per month | $996 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 26.7% |
| Median home value | $142,300 |
| Homeowners | 53.1% |
| Poverty rate | 24.9% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 92.5 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $46,060 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 4.25%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 36.0 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 87.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 15.5% |
| Born abroad | 3.4% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 53.3% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -2.6 | 27 | 64 |
| Feb | -2.7 | 27 | 60 |
| Mar | 1.1 | 34 | 64 |
| Apr | 6.1 | 43 | 97 |
| May | 11.3 | 52 | 103 |
| Jun | 17.1 | 63 | 88 |
| Jul | 21.3 | 70 | 77 |
| Aug | 21.4 | 71 | 86 |
| Sep | 18.1 | 65 | 82 |
| Oct | 11.4 | 53 | 113 |
| Nov | 5.5 | 42 | 75 |
| Dec | 0.3 | 33 | 69 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norton Shores | MI | 4 mi | 25,041 | $76,579 | $1,341 |
| Grand Haven | MI | 12 mi | 10,996 | $60,669 | $939 |
| Allendale | MI | 23 mi | 26,679 | $70,150 | $1,111 |
| Walker | MI | 30 mi | 25,386 | $76,360 | $1,202 |
| Jenison | MI | 31 mi | 17,582 | $89,593 | $2,306 |
| Comstock Park | MI | 32 mi | 10,577 | $59,984 | $1,189 |
| Holland | MI | 33 mi | 34,423 | $75,865 | $1,193 |
| Grandville | MI | 34 mi | 16,356 | $78,442 | $1,143 |
| Northview | MI | 35 mi | 15,268 | $85,403 | $1,247 |
| Grand Rapids | MI | 35 mi | 198,535 | $69,108 | $1,266 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
37,226 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$996 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 26.7% of the median household income.
$44,735 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.6% (BLS county, Muskegon County (latest month 2026M09)).
Michigan. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.