Census-designated place · Michigan
Bay Shore, Michigan
Bay Shore, census-designated place, mostly in Charlevoix County (72.3% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Emmet County, Michigan. Bay Shore had 687 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 697 (±202). GEOID 2606180.
Residents, 2020 Census
687
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 697 ±202
Median household income
$75,217
±$10,352 (90% margin)
Michigan: $72,875
Median home value
$153,600
±$45,290 (90% margin)
Michigan: $231,600
Median gross rent
$869
±$171 (90% margin)
Michigan: $1,129
Where is Bay Shore and what county is it in?
Bay Shore is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, mostly in Charlevoix County (72.3% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Emmet County, Michigan. It covers 1.6 square miles of land, 442 residents per square mile in 2020.
Bay Shore lies mostly within Hayes Township (Charlevoix County) and reaches into Resort Township, towns or townships with their own local government (2020 census blocks).
| County | 2020 residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Charlevoix County | 497 | 72.3% |
| Emmet County | 190 | 27.7% |
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Bay Shore, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 687 residents in Bay Shore, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 697 (±202).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Bay Shore is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Bay Shore | Charlevoix County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 697 ±202 | 26,108 | no clear change |
| Households | 376 ±109 | 12,267 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 1.85 ±0.23 | 2.10 | −0.68 |
| Housing units | 475 ±124 | 17,640 | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Bay Shore?
The median resident of Bay Shore is 51.0 years old; 9.9% are under 18 and 19.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 92.1%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 3.6%.
| Measure | Bay Shore | Charlevoix County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.0 ±6.1 | 50.4 | +14.3 |
| Under 18 years | 9.9% ±4.0 pts | 17.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 19.8% ±11.5 pts | 27.1% | – |
| Male | 50.4% ±6.0 pts | 49.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.7% ±1.1 pts | 2.0% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 92.1% ±4.6 pts | 92.3% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 3.6% ±3.1 pts | 0.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 1.0% ±2.1 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.6% ±2.6 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.6% ±3.1 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.0% ±4.3 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 0.3% ±0.8 pts | 7.3% | – |
| With a disability | 11.6% ±5.9 pts | 14.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.6% ±4.6 pts | 6.2% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 85.9% ±9.3 pts | 95.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 31.9% ±10.4 pts | 35.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 11.0% ±6.6 pts | 14.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 95.6% ±3.6 pts | 92.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.3% ±0.6 pts | 1.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Bay Shore earn?
Half of Bay Shore's 376 households earn less than $75,217 a year (±$10,352), against $76,531 in Charlevoix County and $72,875 in Michigan. In 2015-2019 the median was $44,613 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $30,604 after inflation.
| Measure | Bay Shore | Charlevoix County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $75,217 ±$10,352 | $76,531 | +$30,604 |
| Mean household income | $92,027 ±$17,865 | $104,936 | – |
| Per capita income | $50,537 ±$7,735 | $48,894 | +$19,522 |
| People below the poverty line | 7.7% ±6.3 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 17.4% ±19.9 pts | 9.9% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 4.3% ±4.4 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 99.5% ±1.4 pts | 94.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 94.4% ±4.2 pts | 90.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Bay Shore?
Owners occupy 83.8% of Bay Shore's occupied homes and renters 16.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $153,600 by its owner (±$45,290). The median renter pays $869 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Bay Shore | Charlevoix County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $153,600 ±$45,290 | $276,800 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $869 ±$171 | $949 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 16.4% ±26.0 pts | 35.1% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,275 ±$139 | $1,478 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 83.8% ±13.4 pts | 83.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 16.2% ±13.4 pts | 16.5% | – |
| Housing units | 475 ±124 | 17,640 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±8.6 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±36.3 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 48.4% ±13.1 pts | 78.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 51.6% ±13.1 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±6.1 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.1% ±8.6 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 5.1% ±4.2 pts | 10.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.7% ±4.1 pts | 5.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Bay Shore work and get to work?
62.1% of Bay Shore's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 17.0 minutes.
| Measure | Bay Shore | Charlevoix County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 74.3% ±12.3 pts | 57.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.5% ±3.5 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 62.1% ±15.4 pts | 74.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 30.7% ±17.4 pts | 9.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±6.3 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±6.3 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Worked from home | 7.1% ±5.6 pts | 12.4% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 17.0 min ±2.6 | 19.9 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Bay Shore?
No census tract lies mostly in Bay Shore; 3 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 4Charlevoix County | 2,759 | $90,602 |
| Tract 9706Emmet County | 6,453 | $90,391 |
| Tract 9708Emmet County | 4,281 | $63,767 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Bay Shore) · Census block assignment files
How does Bay Shore compare with other places in Michigan?
Bay Shore is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
Bay Shore's figures with every place in Michigan (CSV)
Every place in Michigan, sortable · Compare Bay Shore with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Bay Shore?
27 of the 57 figures for Bay Shore on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Bay Shore are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.