County · Michigan

Branch County, Michigan

Branch County, Michigan. Branch County had 45,993 residents in 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.5% since 2020, faster than Michigan (+0.5%). It holds 21 places (5 cities, villages and boroughs and 16 towns and townships) and 13 census tracts. GEOID 26023.

Branch County is the county of the Coldwater, MI micropolitan statistical area (the Census Bureau's July 2023 delineation).

Residents, July 2025 estimate

45,993

Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 44,862 · ACS 2020-2024: 45,300

Median household income

$63,724

±$1,967 (90% margin)
Michigan: $72,875

Median home value

$162,500

±$4,475 (90% margin)
Michigan: $231,600

Median gross rent

$959

±$40 (90% margin)
Michigan: $1,129

How many people live in Branch County, and is it growing?

The 2020 Census counted 44,862 residents in Branch County. The Census Bureau estimates 45,993 for July 1, 2025, up 2.5% since 2020, faster than Michigan (+0.5%). The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts the population at 45,300 over 506 square miles of land.

July 2020→2021 +337 (45,214)
2021→2022 −601 (44,613)
2022→2023 +990 (45,603)
2023→2024 +421 (46,024)
2024→2025 −31 (45,993)

Branch County in Michigan. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Counts, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, with the change from 2015-2019
Measure	Branch County	Michigan	Change since 2015-2019
Total population	45,300	10,077,761	+1,787
Households	16,906±286	4,076,369	no clear change
Average household size	2.57±0.04	2.42	+0.10
Housing units	20,971±61	4,622,236	no clear change

Branch County's population since 2000

From 45,787 in 2000 to 45,993 in 2025: up 0.4%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts. 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.

2000 Census 45,787
2005 (estimate) 46,733
2010 Census 45,248
2015 (estimate) 43,635
2020 Census 44,862
2025 (estimate) 45,993

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); PEP Vintage 2025 (CO-EST2025); 2020 Census · Check it at data.census.gov

What cities and towns are in Branch County?

Branch County holds 21 places: 5 cities, villages and boroughs (incorporated places) and 16 towns and townships (county subdivisions with their own government). The largest is Coldwater with 14,216 residents (2025 estimate). Places that cross a county line are listed with the share of their 2020 residents who live in this county.

Places in Branch County, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Ring: estimate with a coefficient of variation over 40%.

Coldwater	city	13,822	13,671±24	$50,781	$137,500	21.3%	100%
Quincy Township, Branch County	township	4,108	4,126±23	$70,240	$161,000	9.3%	100%
Coldwater Township, Branch County	township	3,406	3,829±29	$72,014	$169,300	9.3%	100%
Union Township, Branch County	township	2,942	2,962±21	$64,107	$126,400	15.4%	100%
Bronson	city	2,307	2,083±312	$46,359	$114,800	20.9%	100%
Ovid Township, Branch County	township	2,161	2,337±314	$73,411	$249,400	8.9%	100%
Algansee Township	township	2,033	2,567±596	$77,978	$232,400	26.9%	100%
Sherwood Township	township	1,959	2,232±333	$64,531	$130,100	9.9%	100%
Girard Township	township	1,770	1,694±309	$77,917	$242,400	15.0%	100%
Union City	village	1,714	1,940±237	$62,788	$107,500	14.5%	97%
Quincy	village	1,554	1,484±265	$59,844	$121,800	16.7%	100%
Bethel Township	township	1,431	1,370±258	$63,118	$124,600	28.7%	100%
Kinderhook Township	township	1,427	1,315±193	$83,348	$231,000	7.5%	100%
Butler Township	township	1,417	1,090±191	$70,909	$178,800	9.1%	100%
Batavia Township	township	1,323	1,010±176	$61,389	$133,300	5.8%	100%
Bronson Township	township	1,288	1,426±246	$77,750	$184,400	8.5%	100%
California Township	township	1,181	1,158±435	$47,206	$119,400	40.7%	100%
Matteson Township	township	1,173	1,171±196	$70,385	$139,300	9.8%	100%
Gilead Township	township	656	708±181	$68,125	$225,500	22.0%	100%
Noble Township	township	458	551±119	$66,806	$225,000	16.6%	100%
Sherwood	village	285	388±172	$58,750	$97,500	8.0%	100%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 place-by-county parts · Check it at data.census.gov

Who lives in Branch County?

The median resident of Branch County is 40.6 years old; 23.5% are under 18 and 19.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 86.4%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 6.8%. 3.9% of residents were born outside the United States.

Age, origin and education, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
Measure	Branch County	Michigan	Change since 2015-2019
Median age	40.6±0.4	40.2	−0.6
Under 18 years	23.5%	21.2%	–
65 years and over	19.4%±0.2 pts	18.6%	–
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	6.8%	5.9%	+2.0 pts
White alone, not Hispanic	86.4%±0.6 pts	72.4%	−4.0 pts
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic	1.7%±0.2 pts	13.1%	−0.6 pts
Asian alone, not Hispanic	0.4%±0.2 pts	3.4%	−0.4 pts
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic	0.1%±0.1 pts	0.3%	–
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic	0.0%±0.1 pts	0.0%	–
Two or more races, not Hispanic	4.1%±0.7 pts	4.5%	–
Some other race alone, not Hispanic	0.4%±0.3 pts	0.5%	–
Born outside the United States	3.9%±0.9 pts	7.2%	no clear change
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+)	11.7%±1.6 pts	10.4%	–
Civilian veterans (age 18+)	6.6%±0.7 pts	5.8%	–
With a disability	15.9%±1.1 pts	14.3%	–
No health insurance coverage	9.8%±1.6 pts	4.9%	no clear change
High school graduate or higher (age 25+)	88.6%±1.3 pts	92.1%	–
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+)	17.3%±1.0 pts	32.4%	+2.9 pts
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+)	4.9%±0.6 pts	12.7%	–
Moved from another state in the past year	1.7%±0.6 pts	1.4%	–

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 Branch County earn?

Half of Branch County's 16,906 households earn less than $63,724 a year (±$1,967), against $72,875 in Michigan. In 2015-2019 it was $63,931 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 16.4% of residents live below the poverty line.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Branch County	Michigan	Change since 2015-2019
Median household income	$63,724±$1,967	$72,875	no clear change
Mean household income	$79,966±$2,392	$98,700	–
Per capita income	$31,163±$832	$40,735	no clear change
People below the poverty line	16.4%±2.0 pts	13.2%	no clear change
Children under 18 below the poverty line	25.8%±4.9 pts	17.6%	no clear change
Households receiving SNAP	12.8%±1.5 pts	13.5%	–
Households with a broadband subscription	84.7%±1.6 pts	90.5%	–

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 Branch County?

Owners occupy 77.7% of Branch County's occupied homes and renters 22.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $162,500 by its owner (±$4,475). The median renter pays $959 a month including utilities, and 37.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Branch County	Michigan	Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied)	$162,500±$4,475	$231,600	+$27,370
Median gross rent	$959±$40	$1,129	no clear change
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent	37.1%±5.6 pts	41.4%	no clear change
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage	$1,241±$50	$1,569	–
Owner-occupied homes	77.7%±1.8 pts	73.2%	+3.5 pts
Housing units	20,971±61	4,622,236	no clear change
Homeowner vacancy rate	1.1%±0.6 pts	0.8%	–
Rental vacancy rate	7.8%±2.7 pts	5.1%	–
Single-family detached homes	74.8%±1.8 pts	72.0%	–
Mobile homes	12.4%±1.5 pts	5.0%	–
Built 2020 or later	0.7%±0.3 pts	1.0%	–
Built 1939 or earlier	22.7%±1.5 pts	14.6%	–

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 Branch County building?

Builders took permits for 44 new housing units across Branch County in 2025 (40 single-family), 1.0 per 1,000 residents.

2019 79 units
2020 34 units
2021 35 units
2022 353 units
2023 41 units
2024 43 units
2025 44 units

Source: Building Permits Survey, annual county files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey

How do people in Branch County get to work?

78.6% of Branch County's workers drive alone and 6.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 22.7 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.7%.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Branch County	Michigan	Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+)	58.1%±1.3 pts	61.3%	–
Unemployment rate	5.7%±1.3 pts	5.7%	+1.5 pts
Drove alone to work	78.6%±2.3 pts	74.3%	–
Carpooled	11.1%±1.7 pts	7.9%	–
Public transportation	0.2%±0.1 pts	0.9%	–
Walked	2.1%±0.6 pts	2.0%	–
Worked from home	6.2%±1.3 pts	13.5%	+2.8 pts
Mean travel time to work	22.7 min±1.0	24.2 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 are Branch County's census tracts?

Branch County is divided into 13 census tracts. Among those with a reliable estimate, median household income runs from $39,300 (Tract 9514) to $82,969 (Tract 9509).

Census tracts of Branch County, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; sort by any column

Tract 950126023950100	Coldwater (1%)	4,027	3,765±373	$77,917	$222,700	$706	10.5%
Tract 950226023950200	Union City (39%)	3,722	3,808±326	$59,941	$129,900	$916	15.3%
Tract 950326023950300	Sherwood (5%)	3,741	3,734±324	$71,307	$134,800	$924	8.1%
Tract 950826023950800	Quincy (14%)	4,788	5,158±498	$64,805	$141,100	$850	27.1%
Tract 950926023950900	Quincy (18%)	2,102	2,210±250	$82,969	$218,300	$947	6.2%
Tract 951026023951000	–	2,175	2,196±230	$73,615	$321,000	$850	9.6%
Tract 951126023951100	–	2,997	3,020±362	$72,866	$200,400	$933	13.6%
Tract 951226023951200	Bronson (33%)	4,154	4,127±368	$58,688	$132,000	$966	19.9%
Tract 9513.0126023951301	Coldwater (24%)	3,248	2,806±250	$72,895	$174,600	$1,234	11.9%
Tract 9513.0226023951302	Coldwater (28%)	2,255	2,313±275	$73,438	$206,500	$1,182	7.0%
Tract 951426023951400	Coldwater (95%)	4,689	4,911±417	$39,300	$134,000	$866	28.7%
Tract 951526023951500	Coldwater	3,247	3,405±500	$60,719	$157,300	$984	9.8%
Tract 951626023951600	Coldwater (74%)	3,717	3,847±391	$51,125	$104,300	$990	23.6%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · Check it at data.census.gov

How does Branch County compare with Michigan's other counties?

Branch County's rank among Michigan's counties with a reliable estimate (1 = highest)
Measure	Rank
Population	38th of 83
Growth 2020-2025	21st of 83
Residents per square mile	34th of 83
Median household income	42nd of 83
Median home value	55th of 83
Median gross rent	28th of 83
Poverty rate	16th of 83
Bachelor's degree or higher	69th of 83
Median age	66th of 83

Every county in Michigan

Source: PlainCities ranks 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 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 Branch County 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.