Michigan

Houghton

37,361
2020 population
1850
first census record
18
census records

About Houghton

Houghton, Michigan, first appears in the United States federal census in 1850, when it recorded a population of 708. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 37,361.

Its recorded population peaked at 88,098 in 1910, and has since declined by roughly 58 percent.

On the ground today, 42 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
202037,361
201036,628
200036,016
199035,446
198037,872
197034,652
196035,654
195039,771
194047,631
193052,851
192071,930
191088,098
190066,063
189035,389
188022,473
187013,879
18609,234
1850708
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Historic places in Houghton

National Register of Historic Places listings in Houghton, Michigan.

Calumet Theatre
Calumet
East Hancock Neighborhood Historic District
Hancock
Hancock Central High School
Hancock
Bosch, Joseph, Building
Lake Linden
Quincy Mining Company Historic District
Hancock
Calumet and Hecla Industrial District
Calumet
Hoatson, Thomas H., House
Laurium
Smith-Dengler House
Wolverine
Old Main, Suomi College
Hancock
Saint Ignatius Loyola Church
Houghton
Shelden Avenue Historic District
Houghton
Quincy Street Historic District
Hancock
First Congregational Church
Lake Linden
Calumet Downtown Historic District
Calumet
Quincy Mine No. 2 Shaft Hoist House
Hancock
Redridge Steel and Log Dams
Redridge
Vivian, Jr., J., and Company Building
Laurium
Painesdale
Painesdale
County Road C11-Pike River Bridge
Chassell
Keweenaw National Historical Park
Calumet
Michels, John J., House
Houghton
Keweenaw Waterway Lower Entrance Light
Torch Lake Township
Calumet Historic District
Calumet
Quincy Mining Company Stamp Mills Historic District
Osceola
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Everything a full report reveals about Houghton County, Michigan

This page charts the census history of Houghton County, Michigan. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Houghton

When does Houghton first appear in the US census?
Houghton, Michigan first appears in the federal census in 1850, with a recorded population of 708.
What is the population of Houghton?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Houghton had a recorded population of 37,361.
When did Houghton's population peak?
Houghton's recorded population peaked at 88,098 in 1910.
How many historic places are in Houghton?
42 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Houghton, Michigan.
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