Chippewa County, Michigan
Chippewa County (/ˈtʃɪpəwɑː/ CHIH-pə-wah) is a county in the eastern Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the population was 36,785.[1] The county seat is Sault Ste. Marie.[2] The county is named for the Ojibwe (Chippewa) people, and was set off and organized in 1826.[3] Chippewa County comprises the Sault Ste. Marie, MI micropolitan statistical area. With shorelines on Lake Huron and Lake Superior, Chippewa County is one of two U.S. counties to contain shorelines on two Great Lakes, the other being neighboring Mackinac County. The county's irregular shape follows the Canadian border, itself following the St. Marys River. Drummond Island is part of Chippewa County.
History
[edit | edit source]Chippewa County was much larger when it was created in 1826. Its original bounds included "the Mesaba iron range of Minnesota, the sites of Duluth, Superior, Marquette, Houghton, and all the famous Copper Country." Those regions reorganized when "this tremendous and unwieldy empire of a county was reduced by the Act of March 9, 1843."[4]
Geography
[edit | edit source]According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,698 square miles (6,990 km2), of which 1,558 square miles (4,040 km2) is land and 1,140 square miles (3,000 km2) (42%) is water.[5] It is the second-largest county in Michigan by land area and fifth-largest by total area.
The Michigan Meridian runs through the eastern portion of the county. South of Nine Mile Road, M-129 (Meridian Road) overlays the meridian. In Sault Ste. Marie, Meridian Street north of 12th Avenue overlays the meridian.
Adjacent counties & districts
[edit | edit source]By land
- Mackinac County (south)
- Luce County (west)
By water
- Presque Isle County (south)
- Algoma District, Ontario, Canada (north)
- Manitoulin District, Ontario, Canada (east)
National protected areas
[edit | edit source]- Harbor Island National Wildlife Refuge
- Hiawatha National Forest (part)
- Whitefish Point Unit of the Seney National Wildlife Refuge
Game areas
[edit | edit source]The Munuscong Bay is open for hunting, boating and bird watching. The area is known for its duck hunting, including mallards, divers and green-winged teal ducks. The Bay is most known for its icefishing and duck hunting. During opening weekend of duck season (late September), hundreds of hunters come from all over the state to begin their season on the Bay.[citation needed] This area has many types of waterfowl pass through it on their annual migrations.
Communities
[edit | edit source]
City
[edit | edit source]- Sault Ste. Marie (county seat)
Village
[edit | edit source]Charter township
[edit | edit source]Civil townships
[edit | edit source]Census-designated places
[edit | edit source]Unincorporated communities
[edit | edit source]- Barbeau
- Bay Mills
- Bay Mills Indian Community (Indian Reservation)
- Cartonville (ghost town)
- Dafter (named Stevensburg until 1893)
- Drummond
- Eckerman
- Emerson
- Goetzville (named Gatesville until 1917)
- Homestead
- Johnswood
- Hulbert
- Kelden (also spelled Keldon)
- Kinross
- Mission
- Neebish Island
- Paradise
- Pickford
- Raber
- Raco
- Rudyard (named Pine River until 1890)
- Shelldrake (Ghost town)
- Stalwart
- Stirlingville (named Jolly's Landing until 1888)
- Strongs
- Trout Lake
- Whitefish Point
- Vermilion
Indian reservations
[edit | edit source]- The Bay Mills Indian Community occupies a portion of land within Bay Mills Township and Superior Township, within another smaller portion within Sugar Island Township.
- The Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians occupies scattered pieces of land within Kinross Charter Township, Sugar Island Township, and in the city limits of Sault Ste. Marie.
Demographics
[edit | edit source]Racial and ethnic composition
[edit | edit source]| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[6] | Pop 1990[7] | Pop 2000[8] | Pop 2010[9] | Pop 2020[10] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 26,056 | 28,206 | 28,987 | 27,542 | 24,544 | 89.76% | 81.51% | 75.21% | 71.50% | 66.72% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 369 | 2,157 | 2,088 | 2,503 | 2,611 | 1.27% | 6.23% | 5.42% | 6.50% | 7.10% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 2,395 | 3,806 | 5,041 | 6,007 | 5,601 | 8.25% | 11.00% | 13.08% | 15.59% | 15.23% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 52 | 146 | 174 | 228 | 193 | 0.18% | 0.42% | 0.45% | 0.59% | 0.52% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | x [11] | x [12] | 10 | 21 | 12 | x | x | 0.03% | 0.05% | 0.03% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 66 | 11 | 25 | 10 | 87 | 0.23% | 0.03% | 0.06% | 0.03% | 0.24% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x [13] | x [14] | 1,619 | 1,729 | 2,980 | x | x | 4.20% | 4.49% | 8.10% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 91 | 278 | 599 | 480 | 757 | 0.31% | 0.80% | 1.55% | 1.25% | 2.06% |
| Total | 29,029 | 34,604 | 38,543 | 38,520 | 36,785 | 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 36,785, the median age was 41.4 years, 18.6% of residents were under the age of 18, and 19.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 123.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 128.3 males age 18 and over.[15]
The racial makeup of the county was 67.4% White, 7.1% Black or African American, 15.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.5% from some other race, and 8.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.1% of the population.[16]
48.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 51.1% lived in rural areas.[17]
There were 13,837 households in the county, of which 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 44.7% were married-couple households, 22.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 24.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[15]
There were 20,268 housing units, of which 31.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 72.5% were owner-occupied and 27.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.9%.[15]
2010 American Community Survey
[edit | edit source]The 2010 American Community Survey 3-year estimate indicated the median income for a household in the county was $39,351 and the median income for a family was $54,625.[18] Males had a median income of $25,760 versus $16,782 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,334. About 2.3% of families and 18.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.0% of those under the age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.
Government
[edit | edit source]Chippewa County voters have been reliably Republican from the start. Since 1876, they have selected the Republican Party nominee in 86% of national elections (31 of 36).
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1876 | 172 | 37.80% | 283 | 62.20% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1880 | 396 | 53.15% | 347 | 46.58% | 2 | 0.27% |
| 1884 | 686 | 51.12% | 635 | 47.32% | 21 | 1.56% |
| 1888 | 1,055 | 51.56% | 909 | 44.43% | 82 | 4.01% |
| 1892 | 1,247 | 52.33% | 1,083 | 45.45% | 53 | 2.22% |
| 1896 | 2,105 | 65.52% | 1,001 | 31.15% | 107 | 3.33% |
| 1900 | 2,477 | 71.59% | 893 | 25.81% | 90 | 2.60% |
| 1904 | 2,920 | 77.78% | 662 | 17.63% | 172 | 4.58% |
| 1908 | 2,418 | 64.19% | 1,175 | 31.19% | 174 | 4.62% |
| 1912 | 889 | 23.31% | 879 | 23.05% | 2,046 | 53.64% |
| 1916 | 2,365 | 54.64% | 1,768 | 40.85% | 195 | 4.51% |
| 1920 | 4,732 | 74.36% | 1,266 | 19.89% | 366 | 5.75% |
| 1924 | 5,443 | 77.44% | 516 | 7.34% | 1,070 | 15.22% |
| 1928 | 5,326 | 68.68% | 2,355 | 30.37% | 74 | 0.95% |
| 1932 | 5,252 | 54.34% | 4,221 | 43.67% | 192 | 1.99% |
| 1936 | 4,901 | 47.13% | 5,259 | 50.58% | 238 | 2.29% |
| 1940 | 5,851 | 51.54% | 5,473 | 48.21% | 29 | 0.26% |
| 1944 | 5,335 | 54.86% | 4,344 | 44.67% | 46 | 0.47% |
| 1948 | 4,977 | 53.34% | 3,860 | 41.37% | 494 | 5.29% |
| 1952 | 7,075 | 62.12% | 4,257 | 37.38% | 57 | 0.50% |
| 1956 | 6,957 | 62.81% | 4,106 | 37.07% | 14 | 0.13% |
| 1960 | 6,490 | 55.23% | 5,239 | 44.58% | 22 | 0.19% |
| 1964 | 4,098 | 38.45% | 6,537 | 61.33% | 23 | 0.22% |
| 1968 | 5,359 | 52.04% | 4,132 | 40.13% | 806 | 7.83% |
| 1972 | 7,028 | 59.03% | 4,744 | 39.85% | 134 | 1.13% |
| 1976 | 7,025 | 53.32% | 6,022 | 45.71% | 128 | 0.97% |
| 1980 | 7,059 | 52.31% | 5,268 | 39.04% | 1,167 | 8.65% |
| 1984 | 8,135 | 63.77% | 4,575 | 35.86% | 47 | 0.37% |
| 1988 | 6,786 | 56.23% | 5,222 | 43.27% | 60 | 0.50% |
| 1992 | 5,462 | 40.02% | 5,434 | 39.82% | 2,751 | 20.16% |
| 1996 | 5,137 | 38.74% | 6,532 | 49.26% | 1,590 | 11.99% |
| 2000 | 7,526 | 52.43% | 6,370 | 44.38% | 458 | 3.19% |
| 2004 | 9,122 | 55.33% | 7,203 | 43.69% | 163 | 0.99% |
| 2008 | 8,267 | 49.48% | 8,184 | 48.98% | 257 | 1.54% |
| 2012 | 8,278 | 52.86% | 7,100 | 45.34% | 282 | 1.80% |
| 2016 | 9,122 | 58.65% | 5,379 | 34.59% | 1,051 | 6.76% |
| 2020 | 10,681 | 60.44% | 6,648 | 37.62% | 342 | 1.94% |
| 2024 | 11,249 | 61.18% | 6,796 | 36.96% | 342 | 1.86% |
| 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 The county government operates the 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: Robert L. Stratton III (AKA Rob Stratton)
- Sheriff: Michael Bitnar
- County Clerk: Steve Woodgate
- County Treasurer: Carmen Fazzari
- Register of Deeds: Gigi Ferro
- Drain Commissioner: Anthony Stackpoole
- County Surveyor: Robert Laitinen [20]
(Current as of July 30, 2024)[21]
Transportation
[edit | edit source]Major highways
[edit | edit source]All Interstate and US Highways in Michigan are all state-maintained highways and part of the Michigan State Trunkline Highway System.
- Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not found is Michigan's longest state highway overall; it ends on the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge at the Canada border.
- Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not found travels from I-75 into downtown Sault Ste. Marie, and ends at the ferry to Sugar Island.
- Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not found is Michigan's longest state highway; it ends at M-129 eight miles (13 km) south of Sault Ste. Marie.
- Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not found is a highway that goes through Pickford and Rudyard, and ends at exit 373 on I-75.
- Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not found is a highway that begins at exit 378 on I-75, goes through the former base in Kincheloe, and terminates at M-129.
- Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not found is a highway that is the main connector from Tahquamenon Falls to M-28.
- Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not found (also known as Meridian Road) runs through the eastern part of the county, and ends at BS I-75 just south of Sault Ste. Marie.
- Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not found is a highway that goes to and terminates on Drummond Island.
- Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not found is the shortest highway in Chippewa County, just going through Brimley and ending at M-28.
County-designated highways
[edit | edit source]The following highways are maintained by the Chippewa County Road Commission as part of the county road system. They are assigned numbers by the Michigan Department of Transportation as part of the County-Designated Highway System.
- Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not found
- Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not found runs via Mackinac Trail, the former route of US 2 before it was replaced by I-75 in 1962.
- Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not found(Whitefish Bay National Forest Scenic Byway), is a National Forest Scenic Byway with the US Forest Service the Chippewa County Road Commission jointly maintains.
Airports
[edit | edit source]- Chippewa County International Airport (CIU) serves Chippewa county and the surrounding communities, providing commercial connection to hub airports.
- Drummond Island Airport (DRM) is a public-owned, public-use general-aviation airport with 2 runways (1 hard-surfaced).
The Michigan Aerospace Manufacturers Association announced that Chippewa County will house its new command and control center. In last year, this is the third major announcement from the organization — guiding Michigan's aerospace and defense manufacturing community within the global industry. Previously, MAMA announced plans for a Oscoda, Michigan Wurtsmith Airport horizontal launch site at and a Marquette, Michigan vertical launch site.[22][23]
See also
[edit | edit source]- Delirium Wilderness
- List of Michigan State Historic Sites in Chippewa County
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Chippewa 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 Chippewa County". Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
- ↑ Newton, Stanely (1923). The story of Sault Ste. Marie and Chippewa County. Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan: The Sault News Printing Company. p. 139. Retrieved January 22, 2025.
- ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. 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 – Chippewa County, Michigan". United States Census Bureau.
- ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Chippewa County, Michigan". United States Census Bureau.
- ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Chippewa 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
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 "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 March 11, 2012.
- ↑ US Election Atlas
- ↑ "Press Release: NCEES honors Michigan surveyor William Karr for service" (PDF). National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 4, 2015. Retrieved February 25, 2013.
- ↑ Chippewa County website
- ↑ "News: U.P. airport selected as command center for Michigan's rocket launch sites". MLive. January 28, 2021.
- ↑ Lawrence, Eric D. (January 29, 2021). "Upper Peninsula's Chippewa County to host Michigan rocket launch command center". Detroit Free Press. p. 12.(subscription required)
External links
[edit | edit source]- Chippewa County Government
- Chippewa County Profile, Sam M Cohodas Regional Economist, Tawni Hunt Ferrarini, Ph.D.
- "Bibliography on Chippewa County". Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University.
Template:Chippewa County, Michigan Template:Upper Peninsula of Michigan Template:Michigan Coordinates: 46°19′N 84°31′W / 46.32°N 84.52°W
- Use American English from June 2025
- Use mdy dates from April 2024
- Articles with unsourced statements from April 2012
- Jct template errors
- Coordinates not on Wikidata
- Chippewa County, Michigan
- Michigan counties
- Michigan placenames of Native American origin
- 1826 establishments in Michigan Territory
- Populated places in the United States established in 1826