A recent study by the University of Michigan shows Washtenaw County has one of the highest median income levels in the state. But the numbers don’t tell the whole story.
According to the report, Washtenaw County has the sixth highest median income in the state at just over $77,350 a year, well above the state median of about $63,000. But there are many people in Washtenaw who struggle to afford the basic cost of living.
Analysis writer Amanda Nothaft says there is a lot of disparity in the county.
“A lot of the wealth is centered in Ann Arbor. A lot of the poorer areas are concentrated in Ypsilanti and Ypsilanti Township. There’s a lack of opportunity in that part of the county.”
The data comes from 2021 as the region was coming out of the COVID crisis. Nothaft says the region continues to see wide disparities on income based on race and education levels.
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