Census-designated place · Michigan
Pearl Beach, Michigan
Pearl Beach, census-designated place, in St. Clair County, Michigan. Pearl Beach had 4,698 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 4,506 (±456). GEOID 2663200.
Residents, 2020 Census
4,698
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 4,506 ±456
Median household income
$83,208
±$8,050 (90% margin)
Michigan: $72,875
Median home value
$301,700
±$29,075 (90% margin)
Michigan: $231,600
Median gross rent
$1,054
±$158 (90% margin)
Michigan: $1,129
Where is Pearl Beach and what county is it in?
Pearl Beach is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in St. Clair County, Michigan. It covers 4.8 square miles of land, 978 residents per square mile in 2020.
Pearl Beach is in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 6 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Pearl Beach lies entirely within Clay Township, a township with its own local government (2020 census blocks).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Pearl Beach, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 4,698 residents in Pearl Beach, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 4,506 (±456).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Pearl Beach is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Pearl Beach | St. Clair County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,506 ±456 | 160,221 | +1,634 |
| Households | 2,146 ±219 | 67,816 | +705 |
| Average household size | 2.10 ±0.13 | 2.34 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,311 ±228 | 72,799 | +588 |
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 Pearl Beach?
The median resident of Pearl Beach is 53.7 years old; 15.6% are under 18 and 25.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 96.0%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 2.6%. 3.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Pearl Beach | St. Clair County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.7 ±3.2 | 44.5 | −5.0 |
| Under 18 years | 15.6% ±4.0 pts | 20.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 25.8% ±4.3 pts | 20.4% | – |
| Male | 53.2% ±4.1 pts | 50.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.5% ±0.6 pts | 3.7% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 96.0% ±1.9 pts | 89.7% | −2.9 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±0.9 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.6% ±1.4 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.1% ±1.9 pts | 2.0% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.4% ±1.6 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.5% ±2.4 pts | 7.1% | – |
| With a disability | 16.5% ±4.5 pts | 16.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 8.1% ±3.7 pts | 4.9% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 93.2% ±2.4 pts | 92.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 20.4% ±4.6 pts | 20.3% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.2% ±2.8 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.3% ±3.6 pts | 90.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.2% ±2.5 pts | 0.7% | – |
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 Pearl Beach earn?
Half of Pearl Beach's 2,146 households earn less than $83,208 a year (±$8,050), against $71,270 in St. Clair County and $72,875 in Michigan. In 2015-2019 it was $90,234 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 10.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Pearl Beach | St. Clair County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $83,208 ±$8,050 | $71,270 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $99,322 ±$10,522 | $90,649 | – |
| Per capita income | $46,530 ±$5,083 | $38,214 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 10.0% ±3.7 pts | 11.3% | +6.3 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 8.5% ±9.1 pts | 15.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 9.1% ±4.9 pts | 13.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.0% ±2.7 pts | 94.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 94.2% ±2.6 pts | 90.9% | – |
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 Pearl Beach?
Owners occupy 93.3% of Pearl Beach's occupied homes and renters 6.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $301,700 by its owner (±$29,075). The median renter pays $1,054 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Pearl Beach | St. Clair County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $301,700 ±$29,075 | $224,600 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,054 ±$158 | $1,029 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 29.9% ±42.8 pts | 44.7% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,704 ±$121 | $1,469 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 93.3% ±5.1 pts | 80.8% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 6.7% ±5.1 pts | 19.2% | – |
| Housing units | 2,311 ±228 | 72,799 | +588 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.3% ±0.6 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 7.1% ±11.8 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 85.4% ±5.9 pts | 79.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 9.0% ±3.2 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.1% ±1.2 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.2% ±3.4 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 7.5% ±5.0 pts | 17.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.3% ±2.6 pts | 5.9% | – |
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 Pearl Beach work and get to work?
84.2% of Pearl Beach's workers drive alone and 6.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 37.7 minutes.
| Measure | Pearl Beach | St. Clair County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 56.4% ±5.1 pts | 60.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% ±3.1 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 84.2% ±5.1 pts | 79.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.9% ±4.2 pts | 8.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.1% ±3.3 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 37.7 min ±3.2 | 28.5 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 Pearl Beach?
1 census tract lies mostly in Pearl Beach, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 6460St. Clair County | 4,161 | $70,179 |
| Tract 6470St. Clair County | 2,899 | $88,327 |
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 Pearl Beach) · Census block assignment files
How does Pearl Beach compare with other places in Michigan?
Pearl Beach ranks 399th of 1,354 places in Michigan with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 433rd | 1,356 |
| Residents per square mile | 342nd | 1,356 |
| Median household income | 399th | 1,354 |
| Per capita income | 266th | 1,355 |
| Median home value | 221st | 1,354 |
| Median gross rent | 470th | 1,212 |
| Poverty rate | 654th | 1,213 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 783rd | 1,350 |
| Median age | 118th | 1,356 |
| Owner-occupied share | 269th | 1,356 |
| Work from home | 927th | 1,062 |
| Travel time to work | 44th | 1,356 |
Pearl Beach's figures with every place in Michigan (CSV)
Every place in Michigan, sortable · Compare Pearl Beach 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 Pearl Beach?
18 of the 57 figures for Pearl Beach 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 Pearl Beach 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.