Baraga County, Michigan
Baraga County (/ˈbɛərəɡə/ BAIR-ə-gə) is a county in the Upper Peninsula in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,158, making it Michigan's fifth-least populous county.[1] The county seat is L'Anse.[2] The county is named after Bishop Frederic Baraga, a Catholic missionary who ministered to the Ojibwa Indians in the Michigan Territory.[3] The L'Anse Indian Reservation of the Ojibwa is within Baraga County.
Geography
[edit | edit source]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,069 square miles (2,770 km2), of which 898 square miles (2,330 km2) is land and 171 square miles (440 km2) (16%) is water.[4]
The county is located in the state's Upper Peninsula on the shore of Lake Superior, at the southeast base of the Keweenaw Peninsula. The villages of Baraga and L'Anse are located at the base of Lake Superior's Keweenaw Bay. Point Abbaye projects north into the lake, enclosing Huron Bay. The eastern two-thirds of the county includes much of the Huron Mountains, including Mount Arvon—the highest natural point in Michigan at 1,979 feet (603 m).
Major highways
[edit | edit source]- Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not found: runs north–south through the upper central part of county. The highway enters at the northeast corner of the county on the west shore of Keweenaw Bay and runs south along the shoreline to Baraga and L'Anse, then turns inland (south) past Alberta, then east through Nestoria and Three Lakes. It exits into Marquette County at Imperial Heights.
- Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA' not found: runs south from its intersection with US-41 south of Alberta into Iron County.
- Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not found: enters the west side of the county then runs east and east-northeast to the intersection with US-141 at Covington.
- Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not found: runs east–west through the northwest corner of county. It enters from Alston in Houghton County, then runs east to intersection with US-41 at Baraga.
Adjacent counties
[edit | edit source]- Marquette County (east)
- Iron County (south)
- Houghton County (west)
National protected areas
[edit | edit source]- Keweenaw National Historical Park (part)
- Ottawa National Forest (part)
Communities
[edit | edit source]
Villages
[edit | edit source]Civil townships
[edit | edit source]Census-designated places
[edit | edit source]Other unincorporated communities
[edit | edit source]Indian reservations
[edit | edit source]- The L'Anse Indian Reservation occupies two sections of Baraga County within portions of Baraga, L'Anse, and Arvon townships. The reservation also has very small portion in Chocolay Charter Township in neighboring Marquette County to the east.
Demographics
[edit | edit source]Racial and ethnic composition
[edit | edit source]| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[5] | Pop 1990[6] | Pop 2000[7] | Pop 2010[8] | Pop 2020[9] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 7,629 | 6,950 | 6,849 | 6,605 | 5,753 | 89.92% | 87.38% | 78.31% | 74.55% | 70.52% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 56 | 48 | 432 | 635 | 598 | 0.66% | 0.60% | 4.94% | 7.17% | 7.33% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 754 | 910 | 1,040 | 1,130 | 1,083 | 8.89% | 11.44% | 11.89% | 12.75% | 13.28% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 8 | 10 | 23 | 13 | 15 | 0.09% | 0.13% | 0.26% | 0.15% | 0.18% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | x [10] | x [11] | 1 | 0 | 3 | x | x | 0.01% | 0.00% | 0.04% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 22 | 0.00% | 0.03% | 0.03% | 0.07% | 0.27% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x [12] | x [13] | 317 | 385 | 582 | x | x | 3.62% | 4.35% | 7.13% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 37 | 34 | 81 | 86 | 102 | 0.44% | 0.43% | 0.93% | 0.97% | 1.25% |
| Total | 8,484 | 7,954 | 8,746 | 8,860 | 8,158 | 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 8,158. The median age was 46.3 years. 17.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 23.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 122.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 129.6 males age 18 and over.[14]
The racial makeup of the county was 70.8% White, 7.4% Black or African American, 13.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.4% from some other race, and 7.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.3% of the population.[15]
<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[16]
There were 3,328 households in the county, of which 23.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 43.3% were married-couple households, 23.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 25.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 34.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[14]
There were 5,052 housing units, of which 34.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 77.1% were owner-occupied and 22.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 13.2%.[14]
2010 census
[edit | edit source]The 2010 United States census indicated Baraga County had a population of 8,860.[17] This was an increase of 114 people from 2000. In 2010 there were 3,444 households and 2,209 families in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile (3.9 people/km2). There were 5,270 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (2.3/km2). Among the county, 75.0% of the population was White, 13.1% Native American, 7.2% Black or African American, 0.1% Asian, 0.2% of some other race and 4.4% of two or more races; 1.0% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). Additionally, 22.5% were of Finnish, 9.1% German, 8.8% French, French Canadian or Cajun, 5.6% English and 5.5% Irish ancestry.[18]
In 2010, there were 3,444 households, out of which 25.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. Of all households, 31.6% were made up of individuals, and 13% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.82. The age distribution of the county population was the following: 20.2% were under the age of 18, 7% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.9 years; 54.9% of the population was male, 45.1% was female.
As of 2010, the median income for a household in the county was $40,115, and the median income for a family was $50,996. The per capita income for the county was $19,076. About 9.5% of families and 13% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.2% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.
2021 estimates
[edit | edit source]By the 2021 census estimates, its median household income was $45,792.[1]
Government
[edit | edit source]Baraga County has tended to support Republican candidates. Since 1884 its voters have selected the Republican Party nominee in 67% (24 of 36) of the national elections through 2024, and in all presidential elections since 2000. Additionally, from 1896 to 1996, the county supported the statewide winner each time except for 1988, making Baraga County a 20th-century bellwether for Michigan.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1884 | 396 | 56.33% | 307 | 43.67% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1888 | 389 | 48.69% | 406 | 50.81% | 4 | 0.50% |
| 1892 | 375 | 36.76% | 630 | 61.76% | 15 | 1.47% |
| 1896 | 611 | 55.90% | 459 | 41.99% | 23 | 2.10% |
| 1900 | 606 | 63.92% | 333 | 35.13% | 9 | 0.95% |
| 1904 | 564 | 73.34% | 185 | 24.06% | 20 | 2.60% |
| 1908 | 765 | 73.98% | 232 | 22.44% | 37 | 3.58% |
| 1912 | 295 | 25.97% | 280 | 24.65% | 561 | 49.38% |
| 1916 | 748 | 57.19% | 462 | 35.32% | 98 | 7.49% |
| 1920 | 1,368 | 74.67% | 304 | 16.59% | 160 | 8.73% |
| 1924 | 1,714 | 71.84% | 208 | 8.72% | 464 | 19.45% |
| 1928 | 2,203 | 65.27% | 1,046 | 30.99% | 126 | 3.73% |
| 1932 | 1,917 | 46.92% | 2,016 | 49.34% | 153 | 3.74% |
| 1936 | 2,035 | 46.94% | 2,218 | 51.16% | 82 | 1.89% |
| 1940 | 2,512 | 53.48% | 2,152 | 45.82% | 33 | 0.70% |
| 1944 | 1,829 | 49.25% | 1,874 | 50.46% | 11 | 0.30% |
| 1948 | 1,878 | 50.11% | 1,656 | 44.18% | 214 | 5.71% |
| 1952 | 2,103 | 57.29% | 1,540 | 41.95% | 28 | 0.76% |
| 1956 | 1,968 | 55.51% | 1,574 | 44.40% | 3 | 0.08% |
| 1960 | 1,861 | 48.51% | 1,964 | 51.20% | 11 | 0.29% |
| 1964 | 1,160 | 31.05% | 2,568 | 68.74% | 8 | 0.21% |
| 1968 | 1,508 | 45.45% | 1,680 | 50.63% | 130 | 3.92% |
| 1972 | 1,905 | 54.93% | 1,517 | 43.74% | 46 | 1.33% |
| 1976 | 1,788 | 49.47% | 1,778 | 49.20% | 48 | 1.33% |
| 1980 | 2,046 | 52.18% | 1,609 | 41.04% | 266 | 6.78% |
| 1984 | 1,965 | 51.82% | 1,818 | 47.94% | 9 | 0.24% |
| 1988 | 1,630 | 47.88% | 1,753 | 51.50% | 21 | 0.62% |
| 1992 | 1,160 | 31.96% | 1,695 | 46.69% | 775 | 21.35% |
| 1996 | 1,209 | 36.70% | 1,601 | 48.60% | 484 | 14.69% |
| 2000 | 1,836 | 54.11% | 1,400 | 41.26% | 157 | 4.63% |
| 2004 | 1,977 | 53.66% | 1,660 | 45.06% | 47 | 1.28% |
| 2008 | 1,846 | 50.53% | 1,725 | 47.22% | 82 | 2.24% |
| 2012 | 1,866 | 53.47% | 1,574 | 45.10% | 50 | 1.43% |
| 2016 | 2,158 | 61.34% | 1,156 | 32.86% | 204 | 5.80% |
| 2020 | 2,512 | 62.07% | 1,478 | 36.52% | 57 | 1.41% |
| 2024 | 2,779 | 64.09% | 1,488 | 34.32% | 69 | 1.59% |
| 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 Baraga 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.
See also
[edit | edit source]- List of Michigan State Historic Sites in Baraga County, Michigan
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Baraga County, Michigan
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedclarke - ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
- ↑ "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 – Baraga County, Michigan". United States Census Bureau.
- ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Baraga County, Michigan". United States Census Bureau.
- ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Baraga 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
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 "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". Retrieved July 6, 2013.
- ↑ Data Access and Dissemination Systems (DADS). "U.S. Census website". census.gov.
- ↑ US Election Atlas
External links
[edit | edit source]- Baraga County Government website
- Baraga County Profile, Sam M Cohodas Regional Economist, Tawni Hunt Ferrarini, Ph.D.
- Western Upper Peninsula Planning & Development Region
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