This column originally appeared in The Alpena News. Although the data provided relates specifically to that region, note that our fact sheets cover communities all around the state, and the advocacy tips presented can be used wherever you live!
The Michigan League for Public Policy has recently published its latest annual Census Fact Sheets, based on the 2020 American Community Survey five-year estimates, which are available here.
There is a fact sheet for Michigan as a whole and one for each county, state legislative district, and congressional district within the state.
There are also fact sheets for selected Michigan cities.
The fact sheets include figures in the following general categories:
∫ Population, age and race;
∫ Housing;
∫ Income, earnings and poverty;
∫ Health insurance;
∫ Disability status by age;
∫ Educational attainment;
∫ Limited English proficiency;
∫ Transportation; and
∫ Computer and broadband access.
We encourage you to use those fact sheets to better understand the needs of your communities and help communicate them to your elected officials.
If you advocate for financial aid or other education items in the state budget, for example, it will help to have the educational attainment breakdown of your legislator’s district for reference. Likewise, if you advocate for affordable housing policy, you can cite your community’s median rent and mortgage costs and unaffordable housing statistics to your state legislator, your city commission, or your township board. You can use the health insurance coverage data to communicate about the importance of Medicaid.
If any readers are wondering what the data might indicate about the policy interests of this newspaper’s community, a couple figures stand out.
Montmorency, Alpena, and Alcona counties are in the bottom 10 counties (out of 83 in Michigan) for median household income, and Montmorency and Alcona counties have the fourth- and sixth-highest child poverty rates in the state. That data suggests that state legislators representing this area should work to ensure there is a robust and adequate safety net for those who fall upon difficult financial times.
Montmorency and Alcona counties also have among the highest percentage of persons with disabilities in the state, with nearly a quarter of residents disabled. That is useful to know when advocating with local leaders for greater accessibility in infrastructure and public buildings.
And, while Alpena and Alcona counties are among the counties with the lowest percentage of children without health insurance in the state (1.5% or less), Presque Isle County has among the highest, with nearly 10% of children in that county not having insurance coverage. Those statistics would be helpful when advocating for increasing the budget for greater public health outreach.
The Michigan League for Public Policy often says that our state budget is a statement of our values, and, right now, lawmakers in Lansing are working on budget bills that will help address the needs of Alpena-area residents.
The data for Alpena, Alcona, Montmorency, and Presque Isle counties reinforces many of the policies and investments that the League is advocating for in the 2023 state budget and beyond, including increasing the state Earned Income Tax Credit, directing more funding to Michigan Reconnect and other efforts to help workers go back to school or pursue a skilled trade, increasing access to safe, affordable housing, and continuing to invest in the food, health and other assistance programs that help workers and families get through tough times and have been so essential during the coronavirus pandemic.
While our legislators make decisions for the good of the whole state, they are still most focused on what their constituents and districts need.
We hope that you will find the fact sheets useful and that they can help inform your advocacy efforts — and, ultimately, drive sound policy decisions in the 2023 state budget and beyond.
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
