Montcalm County, Michigan

Montcalm County, Michigan
Location in the state of Michigan
Michigan's location in the U.S.
Founded	1831
Seat	Stanton
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	720.98 sq mi (1,867 km²) 708.04 sq mi (1,834 km²) 12.94 sq mi (34 km²), 1.79%
Population  - (2000)  - Density	61,266 85/sq mi (33/km²)
Website	www.montcalm.org

Montcalm County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, its population was 61,266. The county seat is Stanton^[1]. The county is named for Louis-Joseph de Montcalm, French military commander in the French and Indian War.

Geography

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 720.98 square miles (1,867.3 km²), of which 708.04 square miles (1,833.8 km²) (or 98.21%) is land and 12.94 square miles (33.5 km²) (or 1.79%) is water.^[2]

Adjacent counties

• Isabella County (northeast)
• Mecosta County (north)
• Gratiot County (east)
• Newaygo County (west)
• Ionia County (south)
• Kent County (southwest)
• Clinton County (southeast)

National protected area

• Manistee National Forest (part)

Transportation

US Highways

• US-131

Michigan State Highways

• M-46
• M-57
• M-66
• M-82
• M-91

Demographics

As of the census^[3] of 2000, there were 61,266 people, 22,079 households, and 16,183 families residing in the county. The population density was 86 people per square mile (33/km²). There were 25,900 housing units at an average density of 37 per square mile (14/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.83% White, 2.17% Black or African American, 0.60% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.64% from other races, and 1.46% from two or more races. 2.28% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 22.5% were of German, 13.4% English, 12.1% American, 9.5% Irish, 6.0% Dutch and 5.7% Danish ancestry according to Census 2000. 96.4% spoke English and 2.1% Spanish as their first language.

There were 22,079 households out of which 35.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.80% were married couples living together, 9.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.70% were non-families. 21.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the county the population was spread out with 27.10% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 30.20% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 12.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 105.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,218, and the median income for a family was $42,823. Males had a median income of $32,635 versus $23,645 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,183. About 7.40% of families and 10.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.00% of those under age 18 and 8.70% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintains vital records, administers public health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of welfare and other social services. The county board of commissioners controls the budget but has only 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.

Montcalm County elected officials

• Prosecuting Attorney: Andrea Krause
• Sheriff: Bill Barnwell
• County Clerk: Kristen Millard
• County Treasurer: Marcia Sawdy
• Register of Deeds: Lori A. Wilson
• Drain Commissioner: Donald Cooper
• Road Commissioners: Dale J. Linton; Bob Brundage; Don McCracken

(information as of September 2005)

Cities, villages, and townships

Cities

• Carson City, city
• Greenville, city
• Stanton, city

Villages

• Edmore, village
• Howard City, village
• Lakeview, village
• McBride, village
• Pierson, village
• Sheridan, village

Unincorporated communities

• Coral, unincorporated community
• Trufant, unincorporated community
• Vestaburg, unincorporated community

Townships

Belvidere Township Bloomer Township Bushnell Township Cato Township Crystal Township

Day Township Douglass Township Eureka Township Evergreen Township Fairplain Township

Ferris Township Home Township Maple Valley Township Montcalm Township Pierson Township

Pine Township Reynolds Township Richland Township Sidney Township Winfield Township

See also

• Cowden Lake
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Montcalm County, Michigan

References

1. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
2. ^ "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Counties". United States Census. http://www.census.gov/tiger/tms/gazetteer/county2k.txt. Retrieved 2011-02-13. 
3. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 

External links

• Montcalm County government
• Ionia Montcalm Magazine website
• Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University, Bibliography on Montcalm County

Coordinates: 43°19′N 85°09′W / 43.31°N 85.15°W / 43.31; -85.15