City · Michigan
Owosso, Michigan
Owosso, city, in Shiawassee County, Michigan. Owosso had 14,437 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 14,714 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 14,632 (±45). GEOID 2661940.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
14,437
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 14,714 · ACS 2020-2024: 14,632 ±45
Median household income
$54,229
±$4,373 (90% margin)
Michigan: $72,875
Median home value
$132,600
±$6,811 (90% margin)
Michigan: $231,600
Median gross rent
$784
±$81 (90% margin)
Michigan: $1,129
Where is Owosso and what county is it in?
Owosso is a city in Shiawassee County, Michigan. It covers 5.2 square miles of land, 2,804 residents per square mile in 2020.
Owosso is in the Owosso, MI micropolitan statistical area (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 Owosso, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 14,437 people lived in Owosso on July 1, 2025, down 1.8% since 2020, while Michigan grew 0.5%. The 2020 Census counted 14,714 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 14,632 (±45).
| Measure | Owosso | Shiawassee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 14,632 ±45 | 67,991 | +96 |
| Households | 6,320 ±252 | 28,126 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.29 ±0.09 | 2.39 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 6,960 ±290 | 30,354 | no clear change |
Owosso's population since 2000
From 15,713 in 2000 to 14,437 in 2025: down 8.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Owosso 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 Owosso?
The median resident of Owosso is 38.9 years old; 21.0% are under 18 and 15.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 92.5%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 3.7%.
| Measure | Owosso | Shiawassee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.9 ±1.7 | 43.2 | +4.1 |
| Under 18 years | 21.0% ±1.7 pts | 20.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 15.7% ±2.0 pts | 19.8% | – |
| Male | 47.5% ±2.2 pts | 49.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.7% ±1.3 pts | 3.2% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 92.5% ±1.9 pts | 92.7% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.8% ±1.1 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.9% ±0.9 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.5% ±1.6 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.5% ±1.3 pts | 6.4% | – |
| With a disability | 17.5% ±2.1 pts | 16.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.1% ±1.4 pts | 4.0% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.5% ±1.9 pts | 92.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 21.1% ±2.8 pts | 20.0% | +9.0 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.8% ±1.1 pts | 6.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.9% ±2.3 pts | 92.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.3% ±0.8 pts | 0.9% | – |
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 Owosso earn?
Half of Owosso's 6,320 households earn less than $54,229 a year (±$4,373), against $67,404 in Shiawassee County and $72,875 in Michigan. In 2015-2019 it was $55,631 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 17.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Owosso | Shiawassee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,229 ±$4,373 | $67,404 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $77,030 ±$13,615 | $84,758 | – |
| Per capita income | $34,428 ±$5,974 | $35,522 | +$6,187 |
| People below the poverty line | 17.2% ±3.7 pts | 12.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 20.5% ±7.9 pts | 15.8% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 20.7% ±3.9 pts | 15.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.4% ±1.3 pts | 94.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 90.8% ±2.0 pts | 88.5% | – |
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 Owosso?
Owners occupy 68.3% of Owosso's occupied homes and renters 31.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $132,600 by its owner (±$6,811). The median renter pays $784 a month including utilities, and 38.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Owosso | Shiawassee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $132,600 ±$6,811 | $171,600 | +$28,853 |
| Median gross rent | $784 ±$81 | $899 | −$116 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 38.3% ±8.1 pts | 38.8% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,135 ±$52 | $1,352 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 68.3% ±3.7 pts | 80.1% | +10.1 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 31.7% ±3.7 pts | 19.9% | – |
| Housing units | 6,960 ±290 | 30,354 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 7.6% ±4.7 pts | 6.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 72.1% ±3.7 pts | 80.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.6% ±0.9 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.4% ±0.4 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 35.3% ±4.2 pts | 21.7% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 9.0% ±2.4 pts | 5.6% | – |
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 many new homes is Owosso building?
Builders took permits for 18 new housing units in Owosso in 2025 (2 in single-family houses), 1.2 per 1,000 residents against 2.3 across Michigan.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Owosso work and get to work?
80.5% of Owosso's workers drive alone and 5.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 22.9 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.5%.
| Measure | Owosso | Shiawassee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.1% ±3.6 pts | 59.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% ±1.7 pts | 4.0% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 80.5% ±3.5 pts | 79.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.3% ±2.8 pts | 8.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.4% ±0.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 2.6% ±1.5 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.7% ±1.9 pts | 8.3% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.9 min ±2.3 | 27.8 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 Owosso?
5 census tracts lie mostly in Owosso, and 3 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $45,972 (Tract 308) to $75,784 (Tract 304).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 308Shiawassee County | 3,462 | $45,972 |
| Tract 304Shiawassee County | 3,249 | $75,784 |
| Tract 305Shiawassee County | 3,024 | $51,264 |
| Tract 307Shiawassee County | 2,206 | $59,602 |
| Tract 306Shiawassee County | 1,790 | $49,898 |
| Tract 303Shiawassee County | 5,257 | $51,721 |
| Tract 317Shiawassee County | 4,297 | $64,238 |
| Tract 316Shiawassee County | 3,482 | $51,611 |
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 Owosso) · Census block assignment files
How does Owosso compare with other places in Michigan?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Owosso is the 2,469th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 68th-most populous of 533 in Michigan.
Owosso ranks 1,152nd 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 | 68th | 533 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 1,123rd | 1,281 |
| Residents per square mile | 78th | 1,356 |
| Median household income | 1,152nd | 1,354 |
| Per capita income | 803rd | 1,355 |
| Median home value | 1,182nd | 1,354 |
| Median gross rent | 1,007th | 1,212 |
| Poverty rate | 236th | 1,213 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 753rd | 1,350 |
| Median age | 1,034th | 1,356 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,134th | 1,356 |
| Work from home | 957th | 1,062 |
| Travel time to work | 878th | 1,356 |
Owosso's figures with every place in Michigan (CSV)
Every place in Michigan, sortable · Compare Owosso 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 Owosso?
10 of the 57 figures for Owosso 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 Owosso 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 Owosso.