Delta County, Michigan
Delta County is a county in the Upper Peninsula in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the population was 36,903.[1] The county seat is Escanaba.[2] The county was surveyed in 1843 and organized in 1861. Its name originates from the Greek letter delta (Δ), which refers to the triangular shape of the original county[3][4] which included segments of Menominee, Dickinson, Iron, and Marquette counties.[5] Recreation and forest products are major industries, and crops include hay, corn, small grains, potatoes, and strawberries.[6] Delta County comprises the Escanaba, MI Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
[edit | edit source]According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,991 square miles (5,160 km2), of which 1,171 square miles (3,030 km2) is land and 820 square miles (2,100 km2) (41%) is water.[7] It is the fifth-largest county in Michigan by land area.
Adjacent counties
[edit | edit source]By land
- Menominee County (southwest, Central Time Zone border)
- Marquette County (northwest)
- Alger County (north)
- Schoolcraft County (east)
By water
- Leelanau County (southeast)
- Door County, Wisconsin (south, Central Time Zone border)
National protected area
[edit | edit source]- Hiawatha National Forest (part)
Communities
[edit | edit source]
Cities
[edit | edit source]Village
[edit | edit source]Civil townships
[edit | edit source]Census-designated places
[edit | edit source]Unincorporated communities
[edit | edit source]- Bark River
- Brampton
- Chaison
- Fairport
- Fayette
- Ford River[8]
- Garden Corners
- Harris
- Hyde[8]
- Isabella
- Island View[8]
- Kipling[8]
- Lake Bluff[8]
- Maplewood[8]
- Nahma
- Narenta
- Perkins
- Perronville
- Riverland[8]
- St. Nicholas[8]
- Schaffer
- Wells[8]
- West Gladstone
Indian reservations
[edit | edit source]- A small section of the Hannahville Indian Community, which has most of its territory in neighboring Menominee County to the west, extends into Bark River Township.
- The Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians occupies a very small portion in the southwest city limits of Escanaba.
Demographics
[edit | edit source]
Racial and ethnic composition
[edit | edit source]| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[10] | Pop 1990[11] | Pop 2000[12] | Pop 2010[13] | Pop 2020[14] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 38,208 | 36,729 | 36,791 | 34,920 | 33,441 | 98.10% | 97.22% | 95.51% | 94.20% | 90.62% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 12 | 15 | 35 | 71 | 93 | 0.03% | 0.04% | 0.09% | 0.19% | 0.25% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 439 | 799 | 841 | 858 | 818 | 1.13% | 2.11% | 2.18% | 2.31% | 2.22% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 53 | 98 | 120 | 145 | 153 | 0.14% | 0.26% | 0.31% | 0.39% | 0.41% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | x [15] | x [16] | 12 | 7 | 8 | x | x | 0.03% | 0.02% | 0.02% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 132 | 3 | 18 | 7 | 82 | 0.34% | 0.01% | 0.05% | 0.02% | 0.22% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x [17] | x [18] | 516 | 743 | 1,765 | x | x | 1.34% | 2.00% | 4.78% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 103 | 136 | 187 | 318 | 543 | 0.26% | 0.36% | 0.49% | 0.86% | 1.47% |
| Total | 38,947 | 37,780 | 38,520 | 37,069 | 36,903 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2020 census
[edit | edit source]As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 36,903, a median age of 47.8 years, with 19.5% of residents under the age of 18 and 24.9% of residents 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 99.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 98.0 males age 18 and over.[19]
As of the 2020 census, the racial makeup of the county was 91.3% White, 0.3% Black or African American, 2.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.4% from some other race, and 5.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.5% of the population.[20]
As of the 2020 census, 57.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 42.7% lived in rural areas.[21]
As of the 2020 census, there were 16,290 households in the county, of which 23.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 48.1% were married-couple households, 20.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 24.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[19]
As of the 2020 census, there were 19,786 housing units, of which 17.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 78.5% were owner-occupied and 21.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.7%.[19]
2010 census
[edit | edit source]The 2010 United States census[22] indicated Delta County had a population of 37,069.
Education
[edit | edit source]School districts include:[23]
- Bark River-Harris School District
- Big Bay de Noc School District
- Escanaba Area Public Schools
- Gladstone Area Schools
- Mid Peninsula School District
- Rapid River Public Schools
Government
[edit | edit source]| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1884 | 1,201 | 66.13% | 609 | 33.54% | 6 | 0.33% |
| 1888 | 1,587 | 54.16% | 1,332 | 45.46% | 11 | 0.38% |
| 1892 | 1,769 | 54.30% | 1,412 | 43.34% | 77 | 2.36% |
| 1896 | 2,774 | 67.81% | 1,237 | 30.24% | 80 | 1.96% |
| 1900 | 3,081 | 70.94% | 1,210 | 27.86% | 52 | 1.20% |
| 1904 | 3,332 | 79.88% | 658 | 15.78% | 181 | 4.34% |
| 1908 | 3,243 | 71.70% | 1,097 | 24.25% | 183 | 4.05% |
| 1912 | 1,111 | 25.38% | 1,066 | 24.35% | 2,201 | 50.27% |
| 1916 | 3,088 | 59.74% | 1,781 | 34.46% | 300 | 5.80% |
| 1920 | 4,938 | 65.40% | 1,985 | 26.29% | 627 | 8.30% |
| 1924 | 4,761 | 49.83% | 463 | 4.85% | 4,330 | 45.32% |
| 1928 | 5,420 | 49.59% | 5,419 | 49.58% | 91 | 0.83% |
| 1932 | 4,386 | 35.70% | 7,363 | 59.93% | 536 | 4.36% |
| 1936 | 4,527 | 32.83% | 8,954 | 64.93% | 310 | 2.25% |
| 1940 | 6,218 | 41.18% | 8,802 | 58.29% | 81 | 0.54% |
| 1944 | 5,213 | 41.23% | 7,375 | 58.33% | 56 | 0.44% |
| 1948 | 5,414 | 42.86% | 6,943 | 54.96% | 276 | 2.18% |
| 1952 | 7,488 | 51.79% | 6,921 | 47.87% | 49 | 0.34% |
| 1956 | 7,766 | 54.31% | 6,489 | 45.38% | 45 | 0.31% |
| 1960 | 6,460 | 44.82% | 7,924 | 54.98% | 29 | 0.20% |
| 1964 | 4,434 | 30.56% | 10,046 | 69.25% | 27 | 0.19% |
| 1968 | 5,829 | 40.58% | 7,821 | 54.45% | 714 | 4.97% |
| 1972 | 7,647 | 48.14% | 8,003 | 50.38% | 236 | 1.49% |
| 1976 | 7,809 | 45.85% | 9,027 | 53.00% | 197 | 1.16% |
| 1980 | 8,146 | 46.04% | 8,475 | 47.90% | 1,071 | 6.05% |
| 1984 | 8,952 | 52.84% | 7,934 | 46.83% | 56 | 0.33% |
| 1988 | 7,114 | 44.28% | 8,891 | 55.34% | 60 | 0.37% |
| 1992 | 6,027 | 33.55% | 8,387 | 46.69% | 3,548 | 19.75% |
| 1996 | 5,925 | 36.69% | 8,561 | 53.01% | 1,664 | 10.30% |
| 2000 | 8,871 | 51.23% | 7,970 | 46.03% | 475 | 2.74% |
| 2004 | 9,680 | 50.32% | 9,381 | 48.76% | 177 | 0.92% |
| 2008 | 8,763 | 45.97% | 9,974 | 52.32% | 327 | 1.72% |
| 2012 | 9,534 | 52.59% | 8,330 | 45.95% | 266 | 1.47% |
| 2016 | 11,121 | 59.81% | 6,436 | 34.61% | 1,037 | 5.58% |
| 2020 | 13,207 | 62.39% | 7,606 | 35.93% | 354 | 1.67% |
| 2024 | 14,109 | 64.43% | 7,462 | 34.08% | 326 | 1.49% |
| 2016 | 1 | 33.33% | 1 | 33.33% | 1 | 33.33% |
Template:U.S. SenHead Template:U.S. SenRow Template:U.S. SenFoot Template:M.I. GovHead Template:M.I. GovRow Template:M.I GovFoot Delta County operates the County jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, records deeds, mortgages, and vital records, administers public health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of social services. The county board of commissioners controls the budget and has limited authority to make laws or ordinances. In Michigan, most local government functions – police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street maintenance etc. – are the responsibility of individual cities and townships.
Elected officials
[edit | edit source]- Prosecuting Attorney: Lauren Wickman
- Sheriff: Edward Oswald
- County Clerk/Register of Deeds: Nancy Przewrocki
- County Treasurer: Sherry Godfrey
- Drain Commissioner: George Maciejewski
- County Surveyor: Mel Davis
- Circuit Court Judge: John B. Economopoulos
- District Court Judge: Steven C. Parks
- Probate Court Judge: Perry R. Lund
(information as of September 2018)[25]
Transportation
[edit | edit source]Major highways
[edit | edit source]- Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not found runs east–west through the lower part of the county, entering from Schoolcraft County east of Garden Corners and running westward to an intersection with US 41 at Rapid River.
- Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not found runs north–south through central part of the county, entering from Alger County at Trenary, running southerly to Rapid River then southwesterly along the Lake Michigan shore to the southwest corner of county.
- Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not found enters from Marquette County at the northwest corner of the county and runs southeasterly to intersection with US 41 at Gladstone.
- Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not found runs east–west across the southwestern tip of the county, entering from Menominee County at Schaffer and running southeasterly to an intersection with US 41 west of Narenta.
- Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not found runs from the southern tip of the Garden Peninsula at Fayette State Park to an intersection with US 2 at Garden Corners.[8]
Airport
[edit | edit source]The county is served by Delta County Airport (KESC), southwest of Escanaba. It provides scheduled airline service to Detroit and Minneapolis.
See also
[edit | edit source]- List of Michigan State Historic Sites in Delta County
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Delta County, Michigan
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ↑ "Bibliography on Delta County". Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University. Retrieved July 6, 2013.
- ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 103.
- ↑ Names of Michigan Counties (accessed July 28, 2009)
- ↑ Loren W. Berndt (1977). "Soil Survey of Delta County and Hiawatha National Forest of Alger and Schoolcraft Counties, Michigan" (PDF). United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service and Forest Service. p. 1). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 26, 2015. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
- ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
- ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 Template:Google maps
- ↑ "2025 TIGER/Line® Shapefiles". www.census.gov. Retrieved April 10, 2026.
- ↑ "1980 Census of Population - General Social and Economic Characteristics - Michigan - Tables 15 and 16 – Race by Sex: 1980 and Tables 16 and 17 – Persons by Spanish Origin, Race, and Sex: 1980" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 24-59. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 11, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
- ↑ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Michigan: Table 3-5 - Race and Hispanic Origin" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 37-179. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2026 – via Wayback Machine.
- ↑ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Delta County, Michigan". United States Census Bureau.
- ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Delta County, Michigan". United States Census Bureau.
- ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Delta County, Michigan". United States Census Bureau.
- ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
- ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
- ↑ not an option in the 1980 Census
- ↑ not an option in the 1990 Census
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
- ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
- ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
- ↑ "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 6, 2013.
- ↑ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Delta County, MI" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 2, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2022. - Text list
- ↑ US Election Atlas
- ↑ "Delta County Directory". Archived from the original on November 5, 2017. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
External links
[edit | edit source]- Delta County government website
- Delta County Profile, Sam M Cohodas Regional Economist, Tawni Hunt Ferrarini, Ph.D. Archived July 14, 2020, at the Wayback Machine
- "Bibliography on Delta County". Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University.
Template:Delta County, Michigan Template:Upper Peninsula of Michigan Template:Michigan Coordinates: 45°47′N 86°52′W / 45.78°N 86.87°W