Census-designated place · Michigan
Shields, Michigan
Shields, census-designated place, in Saginaw County, Michigan. Shields had 7,402 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±452). GEOID 2673560.
Residents, 2020-2024
7,402
±452 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 7,035
Median household income
$82,125
±$8,466 (90% margin)
Michigan: $72,875
Median home value
$174,500
±$20,701 (90% margin)
Michigan: $231,600
Median gross rent
$941
±$86 (90% margin)
Michigan: $1,129
Where is Shields and what county is it in?
Shields is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Saginaw County, Michigan. It covers 7.9 square miles of land, 893 residents per square mile in 2020.
Shields is in the Saginaw, MI metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Shields lies mostly within Thomas Township and reaches into James Township, towns or townships with their 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 Shields, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Shields's population at 7,402 (±452). The 2020 Census counted 7,035 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Shields is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Shields | Saginaw County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 7,402 ±452 | 188,665 | +1,457 |
| Households | 3,173 ±202 | 77,958 | +584 |
| Average household size | 2.29 ±0.14 | 2.34 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 3,343 ±232 | 86,208 | +578 |
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 Shields?
The median resident of Shields is 48.0 years old; 17.3% are under 18 and 28.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 89.0%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 4.3%. 7.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Shields | Saginaw County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.0 ±2.7 | 41.2 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 17.3% ±3.2 pts | 21.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 28.7% ±3.7 pts | 20.4% | – |
| Male | 48.1% ±3.0 pts | 48.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.3% ±2.1 pts | 9.2% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 89.0% ±3.8 pts | 67.8% | −6.3 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.5% ±1.5 pts | 18.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±1.5 pts | 1.2% | – |
| 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% ±0.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.0% ±2.5 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 7.9% ±5.1 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 11.3% ±7.4 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.1% ±2.2 pts | 6.6% | – |
| With a disability | 19.5% ±3.9 pts | 17.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.4% ±1.6 pts | 4.5% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.0% ±3.8 pts | 91.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 30.8% ±6.3 pts | 24.4% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 15.2% ±4.3 pts | 8.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.4% ±3.8 pts | 90.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 1.0% | – |
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 Shields earn?
Half of Shields's 3,173 households earn less than $82,125 a year (±$8,466), against $60,622 in Saginaw County and $72,875 in Michigan. In 2015-2019 it was $75,380 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 13.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Shields | Saginaw County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $82,125 ±$8,466 | $60,622 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $97,191 ±$10,287 | $82,545 | – |
| Per capita income | $42,149 ±$4,550 | $34,578 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 13.1% ±5.2 pts | 18.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 12.2% ±9.4 pts | 27.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 10.5% ±3.9 pts | 19.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.9% ±2.9 pts | 94.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 89.6% ±4.1 pts | 89.0% | – |
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 Shields?
Owners occupy 80.6% of Shields's occupied homes and renters 19.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $174,500 by its owner (±$20,701). The median renter pays $941 a month including utilities, and 50.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Shields | Saginaw County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $174,500 ±$20,701 | $152,800 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $941 ±$86 | $947 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 50.3% ±21.2 pts | 45.6% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,419 ±$153 | $1,277 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 80.6% ±5.5 pts | 74.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 19.4% ±5.5 pts | 25.9% | – |
| Housing units | 3,343 ±232 | 86,208 | +578 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 12.0% ±17.9 pts | 12.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 69.6% ±6.5 pts | 75.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.1% ±1.2 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.2% ±1.7 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 2.9% ±1.6 pts | 16.7% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.5% ±4.6 pts | 7.0% | – |
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 Shields work and get to work?
82.0% of Shields's workers drive alone and 12.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 22.8 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 6.2%.
| Measure | Shields | Saginaw County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 53.2% ±4.8 pts | 57.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.2% ±2.7 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 82.0% ±5.1 pts | 77.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 3.0% ±2.3 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 2.5% ±3.0 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 12.6% ±3.7 pts | 10.0% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.8 min ±1.9 | 22.4 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 Shields?
1 census tract lies mostly in Shields, and 3 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 120.01Saginaw County | 3,609 | $71,518 |
| Tract 120.03Saginaw County | 4,590 | $78,470 |
| Tract 120.02Saginaw County | 3,701 | $88,274 |
| Tract 119.01Saginaw County | 1,712 | $70,000 |
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 Shields) · Census block assignment files
How does Shields compare with other places in Michigan?
Shields ranks 427th 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) | 283rd | 1,356 |
| Residents per square mile | 378th | 1,356 |
| Median household income | 427th | 1,354 |
| Per capita income | 404th | 1,355 |
| Median home value | 879th | 1,354 |
| Median gross rent | 666th | 1,212 |
| Poverty rate | 421st | 1,213 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 377th | 1,350 |
| Median age | 337th | 1,356 |
| Owner-occupied share | 886th | 1,356 |
| Work from home | 381st | 1,062 |
| Travel time to work | 883rd | 1,356 |
Shields's figures with every place in Michigan (CSV)
Every place in Michigan, sortable · Compare Shields 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 Shields?
14 of the 57 figures for Shields 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 Shields 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.