The Upper Peninsula remains a predominantly rural region.
As of the 2010 census, the region had a population of 311,361—scarcely more than 3% of Michigan's total population.

According to the 2010 census, 103,211 people live in the 12 towns of at least 4,000 people, covering 96.5 square miles (250 km²).
A total of 116,548 people live in the 18 towns and villages of at least 2,000 people, which cover 108.5 square miles (281 km²)—less than 1% of the peninsula's land area.



 
 
 
Federal censuses indicate that the population of the Upper Peninsula grew throughout the 19th century as European settlers moved into the region, then boomed around the turn of the century, and experienced gradual decline overall during most of the 20th century.
The decline was uneven, however: the population in the largest cities – Marquette, Sault Ste Marie, and Escanaba – grew somewhat, while smaller cities and non-urban areas have generally declined in population.
The six westernmost counties experienced the largest decrease, from a 1920 population of 153,674 to a 2010 population of 82,668.
Many ghost towns exist in the region.

A "" indicates an increase in population from the previous census, and a "" indicates a decrease in population from the previous census.
The Upper Peninsula remains a predominantly rural region. As of the 2010 census, the region had a population of 311,361—scarcely more than 3% of Michigan's total population.
According to the 2010 census, 103,211 people live in the 12 towns of at least 4,000 people, covering 96.5 square miles (250 km²). A total of 116,548 people live in the 18 towns and villages of at least 2,000 people, which cover 108.5 square miles (281 km²)—less than 1% of the peninsula's land area.


 
 
 
Federal censuses indicate that the population of the Upper Peninsula grew throughout the 19th century as European settlers moved into the region, then boomed around the turn of the century, and experienced gradual decline overall during most of the 20th century. The decline was uneven, however: the population in the largest cities – Marquette, Sault Ste Marie, and Escanaba – grew somewhat, while smaller cities and non-urban areas have generally declined in population. The six westernmost counties experienced the largest decrease, from a 1920 population of 153,674 to a 2010 population of 82,668. Many ghost towns exist in the region.
A "" indicates an increase in population from the previous census, and a "" indicates a decrease in population from the previous census.
Upper Peninsula of Michigan