Isabella County, Michigan

Isabella County, Michigan
Seal
Location in the state of Michigan
Michigan's location in the U.S.
Founded	1831
Seat	Mt. Pleasant
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	577.75 sq mi (1,496 km²) 574.27 sq mi (1,487 km²) 3.48 sq mi (9 km²), 0.60%
Population  - (2000)  - Density	63,351 111/sq mi (43/km²)
Website	www.isabellacounty.org

Isabella County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the population was 63,351. Its county seat is Mt. Pleasant^[1]. The area was known as Ojibiway Besse, meaning "the place of the Chippewa".^[2] It was set off as a county in 1831, and county government organized in 1859. It was named after Queen Isabella I of Castile, based on a suggestion by Henry Schoolcraft.^[3]

Geography

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 577.75 square miles (1,496.4 km²), of which 574.27 square miles (1,487.4 km²) (or 99.40%) is land and 3.48 square miles (9.0 km²) (or 0.60%) is water.^[4]

Highways

US highways

• US 10
• 
  US-10 Business is a loop route through downtown Clare.
• US 127
•  
  US-127 Business is a loop route through Mount Pleasant.
•  
  US-127 Business is a loop route through downtown Clare.

Michigan State Trunklines

• M-20
• M-115

Adjacent counties

Demographics

As of the census^[5] of 2000, there were 63,351 people, 22,425 households, and 13,006 families residing in the county. The population density was 110 people per square mile (43/km²). There were 24,528 housing units at an average density of 43 per square mile (16/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.51% White, 1.93% Black or African American, 2.75% Native American, 1.40% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.68% from other races, and 1.68% from two or more races. 2.24% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 28.0% were of German, 10.1% English, 10.0% Irish, 7.5% American and 6.0% Polish ancestry according to Census 2000. 95.9% spoke English and 1.6% Spanish as their first language.

There were 22,425 households out of which 28.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.40% were married couples living together, 8.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.00% were non-families. 23.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the county the population was spread out with 20.30% under the age of 18, 29.40% from 18 to 24, 23.80% from 25 to 44, 17.40% from 45 to 64, and 9.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females there were 91.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,262, and the median income for a family was $45,953. Males had a median income of $32,270 versus $24,180 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,242. About 7.40% of families and 20.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.30% of those under age 18 and 7.80% 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.

Isabella County elected officials

• Prosecuting Attorney: Larry Burdick
• Sheriff: Leo Mioduszewski
• County Clerk: Joyce A. Swan
• County Treasurer: Steven W. Pickens
• Register of Deeds: Sharon Brown
• Drain Commissioner: Rick Jakubiec

(information as of March 2010)

Cities, villages, and townships

Cities Clare (partially) Mount Pleasant

Villages Rosebush Shepherd Lake Isabella

Unincorporated Beal City Blanchard Sherman City Weidman

Townships

Broomfield Township Chippewa Township Coe Township Coldwater Township

Deerfield Township Denver Township Fremont Township Gilmore Township

Isabella Township Lincoln Township Nottawa Township Rolland Township

Sherman Township Union Charter Township Vernon Township Wise Township

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Isabella County, Michigan

Notes

1. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
2. ^ History of Isabella County Isabella County, Michigan website, accessed 2007-04-21
3. ^ Isabella County History and Information, Genealogy Inc., accessed 2007-04-21
4. ^ "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Counties". United States Census. http://www.census.gov/tiger/tms/gazetteer/county2k.txt. Retrieved 2011-02-13. 
5. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 

Further reading

• Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University, Bibliography on Isabella County

Coordinates: 43°39′N 84°50′W / 43.65°N 84.84°W / 43.65; -84.84