City · Michigan
Belding, Michigan
Belding, city, in Ionia County, Michigan. Belding had 6,000 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 5,938 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 5,960 (±19). GEOID 2606900.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
6,000
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 5,938 · ACS 2020-2024: 5,960 ±19
Median household income
$60,373
±$6,214 (90% margin)
Michigan: $72,875
Median home value
$163,800
±$10,758 (90% margin)
Michigan: $231,600
Median gross rent
$668
±$62 (90% margin)
Michigan: $1,129
Where is Belding and what county is it in?
Belding is a city in Ionia County, Michigan. It covers 4.7 square miles of land, 1,257 residents per square mile in 2020.
Belding is in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 5 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Belding, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 6,000 people lived in Belding on July 1, 2025, up 1.0% since 2020, faster than Michigan (+0.5%). The 2020 Census counted 5,938 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 5,960 (±19).
| Measure | Belding | Ionia County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,960 ±19 | 66,574 | +242 |
| Households | 2,157 ±155 | 23,355 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.71 ±0.20 | 2.71 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,294 ±159 | 24,861 | no clear change |
Belding's population since 2000
From 5,877 in 2000 to 6,000 in 2025: up 2.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Belding as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
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 Belding?
The median resident of Belding is 38.0 years old; 22.6% are under 18 and 13.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 81.8%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 8.1%.
| Measure | Belding | Ionia County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.0 ±2.7 | 39.1 | +3.9 |
| Under 18 years | 22.6% ±3.3 pts | 20.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 13.0% ±1.6 pts | 15.8% | – |
| Male | 46.5% ±3.3 pts | 53.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 8.1% ±4.3 pts | 5.3% | +5.7 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 81.8% ±6.5 pts | 85.3% | −12.3 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.9% ±2.8 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.4 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.8 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.3% ±2.8 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±1.1 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.7% ±1.5 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.4% ±3.8 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.1% ±2.2 pts | 6.5% | – |
| With a disability | 20.1% ±4.2 pts | 14.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.7% ±2.4 pts | 5.2% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 88.4% ±4.2 pts | 91.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 16.8% ±4.5 pts | 18.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.4% ±1.8 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.8% ±2.1 pts | 87.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
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 Belding earn?
Half of Belding's 2,157 households earn less than $60,373 a year (±$6,214), against $75,611 in Ionia County and $72,875 in Michigan. In 2015-2019 the median was $51,458 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $8,915 after inflation. 15.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Belding | Ionia County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,373 ±$6,214 | $75,611 | +$8,915 |
| Mean household income | $70,412 ±$5,564 | $88,563 | – |
| Per capita income | $27,902 ±$2,038 | $33,289 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 15.5% ±3.8 pts | 10.6% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 14.1% ±8.3 pts | 13.0% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 25.7% ±5.4 pts | 13.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.4% ±2.9 pts | 93.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.4% ±4.4 pts | 87.6% | – |
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 Belding?
Owners occupy 71.8% of Belding's occupied homes and renters 28.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $163,800 by its owner (±$10,758). The median renter pays $668 a month including utilities, and 45.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Belding | Ionia County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $163,800 ±$10,758 | $198,500 | +$48,976 |
| Median gross rent | $668 ±$62 | $884 | −$184 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 45.9% ±13.0 pts | 35.1% | +16.8 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,185 ±$92 | $1,383 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 71.8% ±4.6 pts | 77.3% | +13.3 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 28.2% ±4.6 pts | 22.7% | – |
| Housing units | 2,294 ±159 | 24,861 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±1.9 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 14.5% ±7.6 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 72.9% ±4.4 pts | 74.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 4.8% ±2.9 pts | 11.7% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.5% ±1.9 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.4% ±2.6 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 38.8% ±5.9 pts | 27.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 8.3% ±3.5 pts | 6.2% | – |
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 Belding work and get to work?
80.8% of Belding's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 27.8 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.4%.
| Measure | Belding | Ionia County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.4% ±4.5 pts | 59.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% ±2.5 pts | 3.9% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 80.8% ±6.3 pts | 78.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 14.6% ±6.4 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.5% ±1.8 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Walked | 1.7% ±1.4 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Worked from home | 1.5% ±1.2 pts | 9.1% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 27.8 min ±2.7 | 27.1 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 Belding?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Belding, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $58,125 (Tract 303) to $66,923 (Tract 302).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 303Ionia County | 3,151 | $58,125 |
| Tract 302Ionia County | 2,809 | $66,923 |
| Tract 304.01Ionia County | 3,463 | $63,493 |
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 Belding) · Census block assignment files
How does Belding compare with other places in Michigan?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Belding is the 4,418th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 135th-most populous of 533 in Michigan.
Belding ranks 1,012th of 1,354 places in Michigan with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 135th | 533 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 544th | 1,281 |
| Residents per square mile | 274th | 1,356 |
| Median household income | 1,012th | 1,354 |
| Per capita income | 1,187th | 1,355 |
| Median home value | 982nd | 1,354 |
| Median gross rent | 1,137th | 1,212 |
| Poverty rate | 300th | 1,213 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 980th | 1,350 |
| Median age | 1,081st | 1,356 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,066th | 1,356 |
| Travel time to work | 439th | 1,356 |
Belding's figures with every place in Michigan (CSV)
Every place in Michigan, sortable · Compare Belding 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 Belding?
13 of the 57 figures for Belding 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 Belding 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' public schools in Belding.