Newaygo County, Michigan

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Template:Infobox U.S. county

Newaygo County (/nəweɪɡoʊ/ nə-WAY-goh) is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 49,978.[1] The county seat is White Cloud.[2] The county was created in 1840,[3] and was organized in 1851. It was either named for an Ojibwe leader who signed the Treaty of Saginaw in 1819[4] or for an Algonquian word meaning "much water".[5]

Geography

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According to the US Census Bureau, the county has an area of 862 square miles (2,230 km2), of which 813 square miles (2,110 km2) is land and 48 square miles (120 km2) (5.6%) is covered by water.[6] The county is considered to be part of West Michigan.

The county has more than 230 natural lakes. The combined total length of all the county's rivers and streams exceeds 350 miles (560 km). Three large dams—Croton, Hardy, and Newaygo—were built at the beginning of the 20th century. The Hardy Dam is the largest earthen dam east of the Mississippi River.[7] Over half of the county is in the Manistee National Forest.

Rivers

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Major highways

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  • Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not foundModule:Jct error: Invalid route type runs east–west through center of county. Passes Hesperia, Aetna, and White Cloud.
  • Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not foundModule:Jct error: Invalid route type runs north–south through center of county. Passes Bitely, Brohman, White Cloud, Newaygo, Grant, and Ashland.
  • Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not foundModule:Jct error: Invalid route type runs east–west through southern part of county. Goes through Newaygo. Ends at county line tri-point of Muskegon, Oceana, and Newaygo Counties.
  • Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not foundModule:Jct error: Invalid route type runs the length of county's west line. Terminates in Hesperia.[8]

County designated highways

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  • Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not foundModule:Jct error: Invalid route type

Adjacent counties

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National protected area

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Demographics

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Template:US Census population

Error creating thumbnail:
2020 population density of Newaygo County MI by census block[9]

Racial and ethnic composition

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Newaygo County, Michigan – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
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) 33,469 36,433 44,508 44,119 43,915 95.85% 95.37% 92.97% 91.04% 87.87%
Black or African American alone (NH) 555 465 519 474 424 1.59% 1.22% 1.08% 0.98% 0.85%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 142 229 286 331 256 0.41% 0.60% 0.60% 0.68% 0.51%
Asian alone (NH) 59 91 138 184 189 0.17% 0.24% 0.29% 0.38% 0.38%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) x [15] x [16] 10 11 14 x x 0.02% 0.02% 0.03%
Other race alone (NH) 12 16 38 32 126 0.03% 0.04% 0.08% 0.07% 0.25%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) x [17] x [18] 530 646 2,085 x x 1.11% 1.33% 4.17%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 680 968 1,845 2,663 2,969 1.95% 2.53% 3.85% 5.50% 5.94%
Total 34,917 38,202 47,874 48,460 49,978 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

2020 census

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As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 49,978. The median age was 43.0 years. 22.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 20.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 101.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 102.1 males age 18 and over.[19][20]

The racial makeup of the county was 89.7% White, 0.9% Black or African American, 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.2% from some other race, and 6.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 5.9% of the population.[20]

10.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 89.7% lived in rural areas.[21]

There were 19,414 households in the county, of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 52.9% were married-couple households, 18.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 20.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[19]

There were 24,542 housing units, of which 20.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 83.3% were owner-occupied and 16.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.4%.[19]

2010 census

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According to the 2010 American Community Survey, 21.5% of residents were of English ancestry, 20.5% were of German ancestry, 14.4% were of Dutch ancestry, 8.1% were of Irish ancestry, and 5.0% were of Polish ancestry. 95.7% spoke English and 3.2% spoke Spanish as their first language.[22]

2000 census

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As of the 2000 United States census,[23] there were 47,874 people, 17,599 households, and 12,935 families in the county. The population density was 57 inhabitants per square mile (22/km2). There were 23,202 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile (11/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.80% White, 1.12% Black or African American, 0.65% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.63% from other races, and 1.48% from two or more races. 3.85% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 17,599 households, out of which 35.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.20% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.50% were non-families. 22.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.13.

The county population contained 29.10% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 27.50% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 12.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,130, and the median income for a family was $42,498. Males had a median income of $35,549 versus $22,738 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,976. About 9.00% of families and 11.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.60% of those under age 18 and 8.50% of those age 65 or over.

Religion

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Newaygo County is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids.[27]

Economy

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Tourism is the most important economic activity in Newaygo County.[28] Secondly is a blend of agricultural and small manufacturing. International baby food manufacturer Gerber Products Company is currently the county's largest employer with approximately 1,300 employees.[29]

Newaygo County also has a large number of summer cottage residents. Fishermen can find many steelhead in the spring and salmon in the fall within the county's rivers and streams. Camping, hunting, cross country skiing, bicycling, birding and ORVing is common in the Manistee National Forest.[7]

Notable companies

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Government

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Newaygo County has been strongly Republican since the Civil War era. Since 1884, the Republican Party nominee has carried the county vote in 92% of the national presidential elections (33 of 36). It has only supported a Democrat for president once in that time, in 1964. The Democrats have managed even 40 percent of the county's vote only five other times.

United States presidential election results for Newaygo County, Michigan[30]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
1884 1,971 46.65% 2,051 48.54% 203 4.80%
1888 2,448 51.85% 1,932 40.92% 341 7.22%
1892 2,106 51.02% 1,531 37.09% 491 11.89%
1896 2,650 56.53% 1,943 41.45% 95 2.03%
1900 2,607 62.68% 1,424 34.24% 128 3.08%
1904 2,966 75.86% 790 20.20% 154 3.94%
1908 2,677 69.37% 956 24.77% 226 5.86%
1912 964 24.59% 776 19.80% 2,180 55.61%
1916 2,417 58.27% 1,625 39.18% 106 2.56%
1920 4,188 78.91% 929 17.51% 190 3.58%
1924 4,243 79.22% 720 13.44% 393 7.34%
1928 4,552 83.29% 888 16.25% 25 0.46%
1932 3,458 49.73% 3,275 47.10% 220 3.16%
1936 3,930 51.41% 3,288 43.01% 426 5.57%
1940 5,418 66.52% 2,693 33.06% 34 0.42%
1944 5,250 70.62% 2,156 29.00% 28 0.38%
1948 4,394 66.92% 2,027 30.87% 145 2.21%
1952 6,715 71.81% 2,541 27.17% 95 1.02%
1956 7,088 71.48% 2,808 28.32% 20 0.20%
1960 7,453 68.55% 3,404 31.31% 15 0.14%
1964 4,931 47.42% 5,457 52.48% 11 0.11%
1968 6,626 59.97% 3,369 30.49% 1,053 9.53%
1972 8,245 65.62% 3,978 31.66% 342 2.72%
1976 8,258 58.78% 5,622 40.01% 170 1.21%
1980 8,918 58.58% 5,236 34.40% 1,069 7.02%
1984 10,636 69.95% 4,496 29.57% 73 0.48%
1988 9,896 64.32% 5,389 35.03% 100 0.65%
1992 7,333 40.93% 6,455 36.03% 4,128 23.04%
1996 7,868 44.58% 7,614 43.14% 2,169 12.29%
2000 11,399 58.29% 7,677 39.25% 481 2.46%
2004 13,608 59.49% 9,057 39.60% 208 0.91%
2008 11,862 51.14% 10,790 46.52% 544 2.35%
2012 12,457 58.00% 8,728 40.64% 293 1.36%
2016 15,173 66.60% 6,212 27.27% 1,397 6.13%
2020 18,857 69.33% 7,873 28.95% 467 1.72%
2024 20,630 70.56% 8,131 27.81% 477 1.63%
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 Newaygo 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

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(information as of May 2023)

Festivals and events

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  • Memorial Weekend Arts & Crafts Festival - Newaygo
  • River Country Home & Garden Show - Newaygo Middle School
  • Newaygo County Kids' Day - Downtown Newaygo
  • Trail Town Celebration - Celebrating White Clouds Trails & Waterways
  • City-Wide Yard Sales - Grant
  • Harvest Celebration - Grant
  • Harvest Festival - Fremont
  • Logging Festival - Mid-Michigan Lumberjack Competition in Newaygo
  • Bitely Homecoming - Bitely
  • National Baby Food Festival - Fremont
  • Pow Wow - White Cloud
  • Santa Parade - Fremont
  • West Michigan's Longest Yard Sale - Grant, Newaygo, White Cloud, Bitely
  • Winterfest - Newaygo
  • Christmas in Newaygo
  • Christmas in Grant
  • Christmas in White Cloud

Historic sites

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In Newaygo County there are 16 locations that the State Historic Preservation Office has designated as historical. Two of the sixteen have been listed with the National Register of Historic Places:[32]

  • Big Prairie Grange Hall No. 935 - Goodwell Twp
  • Birch Grove School - Lincoln Twp
  • Croton Congregational Church - Croton Twp
  • Croton Hydroelectric Plant - Croton Twp
  • Ensley Windmill Tower
  • First Christian Reformed Church (Demolished) - Fremont
  • Gerber, Cornelius, Cottage - Sheridan Charter Twp
  • Grant Depot and Water Tower - Grant
  • Hardy Hydroelectric Plant - Big Prairie - Twp
  • Lilley District No. 5 School - Lilley Twp
  • Oak Grove District No. 3 Schoolhouse - Croton Twp
  • Penoyer's Sawmill - Newaygo
  • Saint Mark's Episcopal Church - Newaygo
  • Weaver, Daniel, House - Denver Twp
  • White Cloud Village Hall (Demolished) - White Cloud
  • Woods, John F., Residence - Newaygo

Communities

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File:Croton dam Brian.H Flickr 102843790 9ae9b1a96d o.jpg
Croton Hydroelectric Plant

Cities

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Village

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Unincorporated communities

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Charter township

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Civil townships

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Education

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The Newaygo County Regional Educational Service Agency, based in Fremont, services the districts in the county. The intermediate school district offers regional special education services and technical career programs for its students.[33]

Newaygo County is served by the following regular public school districts:[34]

Newaygo County has the following private schools:[35]

  • Cornerstone Christian Academy
  • Fremont Christian School
  • Grant Christian School

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ George Dawson (1840). Acts of the Legislature of the State of Michigan Passed at the Annual Session of 1840. Detroit. pp. 196–200.
  4. ↑ "Bibliography on Newaygo County". Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved January 20, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Michigan government on county names". Archived from the original on July 28, 2009. Retrieved December 31, 2007.
  6. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Newaygo County government". Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2005.
  8. ↑ Template:Google maps
  9. ↑ "2025 TIGER/Line® Shapefiles". www.census.gov. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
  10. ↑ "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.
  11. ↑ "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.
  12. ↑ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Newaygo County, Michigan". United States Census Bureau.
  13. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Newaygo County, Michigan". United States Census Bureau.
  14. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Newaygo County, Michigan". United States Census Bureau.
  15. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
  16. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
  17. ↑ not an option in the 1980 Census
  18. ↑ not an option in the 1990 Census
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
  21. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
  22. ↑ "2010 Data Release – Data & Documentation – American Community Survey – US Census Bureau". Archived from the original on October 27, 2015. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  23. ↑ "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  24. ↑ "The Association of Religion Data Archives - Maps & Reports". thearda.com.
  25. ↑ LDS.org Find a Meetinghouse (accessed 15 September 2018)
  26. ↑ "Fremont SDA Church". fremontmi.adventistchurch.org. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  27. ↑ "Diocese of Grand Rapids MI". Archived from the original on March 3, 2008. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  28. ↑ Peavey, Sandra Vincent; Center, Terry Wantz Historical Research (June 2, 2014). Newaygo County: 1920-2000. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9781439645505.
  29. ↑ Michigan Works! West Central[permanent dead link]
  30. ↑ US Election Atlas
  31. ↑ "Newaygo County website". Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2005.
  32. ↑ "State Historical Site Listings". Archived from the original on April 27, 2009. Retrieved December 6, 2008.
  33. ↑ "What is a Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA)?". Newaygo County Regional Educational Service Agency. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  34. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics. "Search for Public School Data - Newaygo County, MI". Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  35. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics. "Search for Private Schools - Newaygo County, MI". Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
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Template:AmCyc Poster "Bibliography on Newaygo County". Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University.

Template:Geographic Location

Template:Newaygo County, Michigan Template:West Michigan Template:Michigan Coordinates: 43°33′N 85°48′W / 43.55°N 85.80°W / 43.55; -85.80

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