The recent release of U.S. Census data relative to the state of Michigan that showed drops in population for a number of Upper Peninsula counties should have come as a surprise to no one.

Figures released by the U.S. Census Bureau last week revealed some of Michigan’s largest percentage population losses were in the U.P., while three of the state’s four most populous counties downstate gained people, the Associated Press reported.

In the U.P., AP noted Luce County had a population loss of 19.5% from 2010 to 2020, while Ontonagon County dropped 14.2% over that time. Gogebic County saw its population decline by 12.5%.

While Houghton was the only county to add to its population, which rose by 2% from 2010 to 2020, Delta County saw the smallest decline of any county that lost residents, down 0.4%. Menominee County lost 2.2% and Schoolcraft County dropped 5.2% according to the Census Bureau data.

Marquette County’s population is down by 1.6%, as is Iron County’s. Dickinson County lost 0.8%.

The U.P. for years has struggled through job losses tied to downturns in the manufacturing and mining industries, AP reported.

We agree and would add to some degree, those chickens are now coming home to roost.

In a broader sense, though, many high school graduates are forced to leave the U.P. in search of decent employment that will allow them to pay their student loans, rent, their car plus eat regularly.

That, in all likelihood, is what’s driving the population dips in the U.P.

There are no easy answers here, especially given the fact that there is a sizable group of U.P. residents who prefer fewer people and less economic activity. Those folks are often retired and drawing pensions, have secure government-funded jobs or fancy themselves as rough-hewn environmentalists out to protect the land.

Under any circumstance, the way forward, in terms of political leadership, policy development or resource allocation, will be neither cheap nor easy.

— The Mining Gazette, Houghton