2026 CFLEADS Economic Mobility Summit

The last ten years reshaped Wayne County.

Around 51,000 people now live across the county. New jobs have been created, especially in growing sectors like hospitality and banking. Meanwhile, housing became more expensive.

Many trends that reshaped the rest of the nation are also present in Wayne County. For example, about 1 in 9 residents now work from home. The local population is also aging. About 26% of residents are over 65.

Median household incomes in Wayne County have shifted little over the past decade, and many local families are struggling to make ends meet.

9,000 residents live just above the poverty line. This group is often called near-poor, similar to the group that some researchers label ALICE, for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. These households typically earn incomes between about $35,000 and $70,000 a year for a family of four.

6,000 residents live in poverty. These households typically earn incomes less than about $35,000 a year for a family of four.

So, how does poverty in Wayne County compare to similar counties?

[BULLET] The share of residents who are poor is smaller than in peer counties, and it has remained about the same in recent years.

[BULLET] The share of poor adults who are elderly or disabled is similar to the share among peers. About 45% of poor adults fall into this group.

Something went wrong when submitting the form. Please refresh and try again.

Something went wrong when submitting the form. Please refresh and try again.

If you are interested in learning more about Common Good Labs and our research, please sign up for our quarterly newsletter here.

Photo attribution: Mr. Matté, via wikimedia, licensed under BY-SA 4.0. Converted to WebP from the original.