County outline
Where Muskegon County is located
Area breakdown
Land accounts for 34.5% of Muskegon County’s measured area and water for 65.5%. Its combined area converts to 3,781.4 square kilometers or approximately 934,415 acres.
Green: land · blue: water
| Measurement | Square miles | Square kilometers | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Land | 503.921 | 1,305.149 | 322,509.4 |
| Water | 956.103 | 2,476.295 | 611,905.9 |
| Total | 1,460.024 | 3,781.445 | 934,415.4 |
How Muskegon County compares
By original Census land area, Muskegon County ranks #70 of 83 in Michigan and #2063 of 3,222 nationally. National rankings include the 50 states, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
Its land area is 0.887 times the Michigan county-equivalent median of 567.8 square miles. It accounts for 0.9% of the combined county land area in the state.
See the complete Michigan ranking · What counts as a county equivalent?
Population and density of Muskegon County
The Census Bureau estimates that 177,901 people lived in Muskegon County on July 1, 2025. That ranks #396 of 3,222 county equivalents nationally and #12 of 83 in Michigan. Since the April 1, 2020 estimates base of 174,746, the population has grown by 3,155 (+1.8%), compared with +0.5% for Michigan as a whole.
With 503.9 square miles of land, that is 353 people per square mile (136 per km²), placing Muskegon County #450 nationally for density and #10 in Michigan. The median county equivalent has 47 people per square mile; the Michigan median is 62. Put another way, there are about 1.8 acres of land per resident.
| July 1 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimate | 174,783 | 175,570 | 175,458 | 176,299 | 177,225 | 177,901 |
| Change | — | +787 | −112 | +841 | +926 | +676 |
U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates. Estimates are revised each year and are not decennial census counts. Density divides the whole population by the whole county’s land area, so it describes an average, not how settlement is distributed within the county. Population sources and methods.
Cities and towns in Muskegon County
Muskegon County is divided into 23 municipalities and townships. In Michigan, county subdivisions are local governments, and together they cover all of the county’s land and residents.
The most populous is Muskegon city, with 37,224 residents (20.9% of the county). The largest by land is Fruitland township, at 36.3 mi², or 7.2% of the county’s land. Among those with at least 1,000 residents in 2020, Whitehall city grew fastest since then (+10.1%).
| County subdivision | Population 2025 | Since 2020 | Land mi² | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muskegon cityCounty seat | 37,224 | −0% | 14.1 | 2.8% |
| Norton Shores city | 25,088 | +0.2% | 23.2 | 4.6% |
| Muskegon charter townshipCounty seat | 17,911 | +1.7% | 23.5 | 4.7% |
| Fruitport charter township | 15,666 | +7.5% | 30 | 5.9% |
| Egelston township | 11,445 | +3% | 33.2 | 6.6% |
| Muskegon Heights city | 9,770 | −1.5% | 3.185 | 0.6% |
| Dalton township | 9,651 | +2.2% | 35.3 | 7% |
| Laketon township | 7,721 | +1.2% | 17.4 | 3.5% |
| Fruitland township | 5,955 | +3.1% | 36.3 | 7.2% |
| Roosevelt Park city | 4,121 | −1.2% | 1.027 | 0.2% |
| North Muskegon city | 4,079 | −0.4% | 1.797 | 0.4% |
| Cedar Creek township | 3,365 | +5.3% | 34.9 | 6.9% |
| Whitehall city | 3,205 | +10.1% | 3.216 | 0.6% |
| Ravenna township | 3,045 | +2.9% | 36.2 | 7.2% |
| Casnovia township | 2,825 | +1.5% | 35.6 | 7.1% |
Show the other 8 subdivisions
| Name | Population 2025 | Since 2020 | Land mi² |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sullivan township | 2,725 | +7.2% | 24.1 |
| Holton township | 2,674 | +3.7% | 35 |
| Blue Lake township | 2,450 | +1.6% | 33.6 |
| Montague city | 2,424 | +0.2% | 2.627 |
| Whitehall township | 1,798 | +1.9% | 9.095 |
| Moorland township | 1,767 | +7.9% | 35.7 |
| Montague township | 1,576 | +1.1% | 19.1 |
| White River township | 1,416 | +1.8% | 15.8 |
Population: U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 subcounty estimates, counting only the part of each subdivision inside Muskegon County. Land: 2026 Census Gazetteer. How communities are listed.
Metropolitan area
Muskegon County is a central county of the Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI Metropolitan Statistical Area. Muskegon County is the area’s only county equivalent, so the metro area has the same 503.9 square miles of land. By combined land it ranks #360 of 393 metropolitan areas, and #257 by population. It belongs to the Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI Combined Statistical Area.
ZIP codes
21 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas have land in Muskegon County; 14 of them have most of their land inside the county, and the others mainly cover neighboring areas.
493034931849327493304940349404494124941549425494374944049441494424944349444494454944849451494564945749461
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas are the Census Bureau’s approximations of USPS ZIP Code service areas, from the 2020 Census relationship files. Lighter codes have less than half of their land in this county. Post-office-box and single-address ZIP Codes have no tabulation area.
Counties bordering Muskegon County
Muskegon County shares a land border with 4 county equivalents. Each of them has more land than Muskegon County. The largest neighbor is Kent County (849.5 mi²) and the smallest is Oceana County (538.1 mi²). Together with its neighbors, Muskegon County forms a block of 3,294 mi² of land, of which it holds 15.3%.
| Bordering county equivalent | Land mi² | Size vs. Muskegon | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent County | 849.5 | 1.7× larger | Compare |
| Newaygo County | 838.9 | 1.7× larger | Compare |
| Ottawa County | 563.5 | 1.1× larger | Compare |
| Oceana County | 538.1 | 1.1× larger | Compare |
How big is Muskegon County compared with U.S. states?
Muskegon County has less land than any of the 50 states. Rhode Island, the smallest state by land area, has 1,033.9 mi², about 2.1 times as much. Michigan’s county land could hold about 112 areas the size of Muskegon County.
Another way to picture it: the same land area would fill a square about 22.4 miles (36.1 km) on each side. Real county shapes are rarely square, so this is a scale reference rather than a width or driving distance.
State figures are the sums of each state’s county-equivalent land measurements in the same Census release, so states and counties are compared on the same basis. Published state totals can differ slightly because of rounding. Compare all states · Counties bigger than entire states.
What stands out about Muskegon County?
Muskegon County has more land than 1,159 of the other 3,221 county equivalents in the dataset.
A median is the middle county-equivalent measurement, not the average of the largest and smallest. All three bars use the same linear scale. Very small areas may appear as a thin sliver; the labels retain their values.
Does including water change its rank?
Using land plus water places Muskegon County at #466 nationally by total area, 1,597 places closer to the top than its land rank. The water assigned to this geography moves it ahead of some county equivalents with more land.
Its water share is 65.5%, compared with a national county-equivalent median of 1.2% — 64.3 percentage points higher. This describes the statistical geography’s land/water mix, not flood exposure or developable land.
Closest positions in the national land ranking
These entries sit immediately beside Muskegon County in the national ranking. They can be in different states and are not necessarily geographic neighbors.
| Land rank | County equivalent | Land mi² | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| #2062 | Knox County, Missouri | 504 | Compare |
| #2063 | Muskegon County, Michigan | 503.9 | This county |
| #2064 | Dinwiddie County, Virginia | 503.8 | Compare |
Calculated from the same Census release as the area table. Total-area order uses original ALAND + AWATER; water shares and chart labels use published square miles. Calculation details.
Representative coordinates
The Census internal point is 43.428739, -86.420908. It represents a location inside the geography; it is not necessarily the centroid or the address of a courthouse.
Source and precision
U.S. Census Bureau, 2026 Gazetteer Files, Counties. Original ALAND: 1,305,149,782 m²; AWATER: 2,476,294,649 m². Rankings use ALAND; exact ties use ascending GEOID. Tables preserve Census-published square miles to three decimals, with conversions based on those values.
Common questions
How big is Muskegon County?
Muskegon County, Michigan has 503.9 square miles (1,305.1 km²) of land and 956.1 square miles of water, for a total area of 1,460 square miles. It ranks #2063 of 3,222 U.S. county equivalents by land area.
Is Muskegon County the largest county in Michigan?
No. Muskegon County ranks #70 of 83 in Michigan by land area. The largest is Marquette County, with 1,809.1 square miles of land.
What counties border Muskegon County?
Muskegon County shares a land border with Ottawa County, Newaygo County, Oceana County, and Kent County.
What is the population of Muskegon County?
The Census Bureau estimates Muskegon County had 177,901 residents on July 1, 2025, ranking #396 of 3,222 county equivalents. That is 353 people per square mile of land.
What is the county seat of Muskegon County?
The county seat of Muskegon County is Muskegon.
What cities and towns are in Muskegon County?
Muskegon County has 23 county subdivisions (cities, towns and townships). The most populous five are Muskegon city, Norton Shores city, Muskegon charter township, Fruitport charter township, and Egelston township.
Is Muskegon County part of a metropolitan area?
Yes. It is a central county of the Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI Metropolitan Statistical Area.
How many ZIP codes are in Muskegon County?
21 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas have land in Muskegon County, and 14 of them have most of their land inside the county. Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas approximate USPS ZIP Code areas.
How does Muskegon County compare with U.S. states?
It has less land than every state. Rhode Island, the smallest, has 2.1 times as much land.
How many acres of land are in Muskegon County?
The land measurement converts to approximately 322,509 acres. Including water, total area is approximately 934,415 acres. One square mile equals 640 acres.
Why might another source show a different area?
Check whether it reports land or total area, its Census vintage, and its rounding. Our guide explains how to reconcile county area figures.
Can this establish a property boundary?
No. Statistical measurements and generalized maps do not establish property lines. Consult the relevant local surveying or land-records authority.