About Saginaw County
A quick look at who lives here, the money pressures many families face, and the health challenges this site focuses on.
Community at a glance
-
800square miles
Saginaw County sits in central Michigan and covers about 800 square miles.
(BWell Saginaw Partner Coalition, 2023) -
35communities
The county is made up of 3 cities, 5 villages, and 27 townships.
(BWell Saginaw Partner Coalition, 2023) -
2%fewer people
The population dropped by about 2% between 2015 and 2021.
(BWell Saginaw Partner Coalition, 2023) -
41median age
Half of residents are younger than 41 and half are older. The largest age group is adults ages 20 to 44.
(BWell Saginaw Partner Coalition, 2023) -
Many families are working hard and still coming up short
21%of adults live in poverty
22%of children live in poverty
43%of households are ALICE
(BWell Saginaw Partner Coalition, 2023)What does ALICE mean?
ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. These are households that are working but still struggle to afford basics like housing, food, childcare, and health care.
Why this matters for health
When money is tight, health often has to wait. Poverty and financial strain make it harder to get health care and to live a healthy lifestyle (BWell Saginaw Partner Coalition, 2023). It can mean skipping a doctor visit, stretching a prescription, or having less time and energy to take care of yourself.
Economic Strain in Saginaw County
Percent of adults, children, and households
Summary: About 1 in 5 adults (21%) and children (22%) in Saginaw County live in poverty. Even more households, 43%, are ALICE: working, but still unable to cover basic costs.
Source: BWell Saginaw Partner Coalition (2023).Show the data as a table
| Group | Percent |
|---|---|
| Adults in poverty | 21% |
| Children in poverty | 22% |
| ALICE households | 43% |
Major health challenges
The community health assessment found many concerns. This site focuses on two of them.
Mental health and substance use
Many adults in Saginaw County are struggling with their mental health, and for many it got worse during the COVID-19 pandemic. Substance use is causing serious harm, including deaths from drug poisoning. Not everyone who needs care is getting it (BWell Saginaw Partner Coalition, 2023).
Mental Health Snapshot
Percent who said yes
Summary: Almost 1 in 5 adults (18%) had poor mental health on 14 or more days in the past month, and 22% have been told by a doctor they have a depressive disorder. More than 1 in 3 people who took the community survey (36%) said their mental health got worse since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: BWell Saginaw Partner Coalition (2023). The first two bars describe adults in the county. The third bar describes people who took the community survey.Show the data as a table
| Measure | Percent |
|---|---|
| Adults with poor mental health on 14 or more days in the past month | 18% |
| Adults told by a doctor they have a depressive disorder | 22% |
| Survey respondents whose mental health got somewhat or much worse since COVID-19 | 36% |
Employment
A lack of job opportunities is one of the community's top concerns. A job affects much more than income. It can decide whether a family has health insurance, a steady home, and room to breathe when money gets tight (BWell Saginaw Partner Coalition, 2023).
How we learned this
The numbers on this site come from the 2023-2026 Community Health Assessment by the BWell Saginaw Partner Coalition. The assessment used secondary data, meaning information that was already collected by sources like BRFSS and MiPHY. It also listened to residents through 1,577 community surveys and six community conversations (BWell Saginaw Partner Coalition, 2023).
Read the full 2023-2026 Community Health Assessment report (PDF)
This site is a student project and a work in progress. Some numbers may be updated as the research continues.