County in Michigan, United States
County in Michigan
Calhoun County
is a
county
in the
U.S. state
of
Michigan
. As of the
2020 Census
, the population was 134,310.
[2]
The
county seat
is
Marshall
.
[3]
The county was established on October 19, 1829, and named after
John C. Calhoun
, who was at the time
Vice President
under
Andrew Jackson
, making it one of Michigan's
Cabinet counties
. County government was first organized on March 6, 1833.
[1]
[4]
Calhoun County comprises the
Battle Creek
Metropolitan Statistical Area
and is included in the
Kalamazoo
-Battle Creek-
Portage
Combined Statistical Area
.
Geography
[
edit
]
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
, the county has a total area of 718 square miles (1,860 km
2
), of which 706 square miles (1,830 km
2
) is land and 12 square miles (31 km
2
) (1.7%) is water.
[5]
Geographic features
[
edit
]
Adjacent counties
[
edit
]
History
[
edit
]
The
Kalamazoo River oil spill
occurred in July 2010 when a pipeline operated by
Enbridge
(Line 6B) burst and flowed into Talmadge Creek, a tributary of the Kalamazoo River. A six-foot break in the pipeline resulted in the largest inland oil spill, and one of the costliest spills in U.S. history. The pipeline carries diluted bitumen (
dilbit
), a
heavy crude oil
from Canada's
Athabasca oil sands
to the United States. Following the spill, the volatile hydrocarbon diluents evaporated, leaving the heavier bitumen to sink in the water column. Thirty-five miles of the Kalamazoo River were closed for clean-up until June 2012, when portions of the river were re-opened. On March 14, 2013, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ordered Enbridge to return to dredge portions of the river to remove submerged oil and oil-contaminated sediment.
Demographics
[
edit
]
Historical population
Census
| Pop.
| Note
| %±
|
1840
| 10,599
| | ?
|
---|
1850
| 19,162
| | 80.8%
|
---|
1860
| 29,564
| | 54.3%
|
---|
1870
| 36,569
| | 23.7%
|
---|
1880
| 38,452
| | 5.1%
|
---|
1890
| 43,501
| | 13.1%
|
---|
1900
| 49,315
| | 13.4%
|
---|
1910
| 56,638
| | 14.8%
|
---|
1920
| 72,918
| | 28.7%
|
---|
1930
| 87,043
| | 19.4%
|
---|
1940
| 94,206
| | 8.2%
|
---|
1950
| 120,813
| | 28.2%
|
---|
1960
| 138,858
| | 14.9%
|
---|
1970
| 141,963
| | 2.2%
|
---|
1980
| 141,557
| | ?0.3%
|
---|
1990
| 135,982
| | ?3.9%
|
---|
2000
| 137,985
| | 1.5%
|
---|
2010
| 136,146
| | ?1.3%
|
---|
2020
| 134,310
| | ?1.3%
|
---|
2023 (est.)
| 133,366
| [6]
| ?0.7%
|
---|
The
2010 United States Census
[11]
indicates Calhoun County had a 2010 population of 136,146. This is a decrease of -1,839 people from the
2000 United States Census
. Overall, the county had a -1.3% growth rate during this ten-year period. In 2010 there were 54,016 households and 35,220 families in the county. The
population density
was 192.8 per square mile (74.4 square kilometers). There were 61,042 housing units at an average density of 86.4 per square mile (33.4 square kilometers). The
racial and ethnic makeup
of the county was 79.8% White, 10.7% Black or African American, 0.5% Native American, 1.6% Asian, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 0.1% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races.
There were 54,016 households, out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.3% were
husband and wife families
, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.8% were non-families, and 28.8% were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.2% under age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 27.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 males.
The
2010 American Community Survey 1-year estimate
[11]
indicates the median income for a household in the county was $42,921 and the median income for a family was $49,964. Males had a median income of $25,712 versus $18,298 for females. The
per capita income
for the county was $20,661. About 11.7% of families and 16.2% of the population were below the
poverty line
, including 23.9% of those under the age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.
Government and politics
[
edit
]
United States presidential election results for Calhoun County, Michigan
[12]
Year
|
Republican
|
Democratic
|
Third party
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
2020
|
36,221
|
54.65%
|
28,877
|
43.57%
|
1,183
|
1.78%
|
2016
|
31,494
|
53.47%
|
24,157
|
41.01%
|
3,251
|
5.52%
|
2012
|
28,333
|
48.58%
|
29,267
|
50.18%
|
727
|
1.25%
|
2008
|
28,553
|
44.48%
|
34,561
|
53.84%
|
1,082
|
1.69%
|
2004
|
32,093
|
51.21%
|
29,891
|
47.70%
|
683
|
1.09%
|
2000
|
26,291
|
47.73%
|
27,312
|
49.59%
|
1,477
|
2.68%
|
1996
|
20,953
|
39.95%
|
26,287
|
50.12%
|
5,203
|
9.92%
|
1992
|
19,791
|
33.71%
|
25,542
|
43.51%
|
13,369
|
22.77%
|
1988
|
26,771
|
53.77%
|
22,717
|
45.63%
|
299
|
0.60%
|
1984
|
34,470
|
62.60%
|
20,313
|
36.89%
|
284
|
0.52%
|
1980
|
30,912
|
52.24%
|
23,022
|
38.90%
|
5,242
|
8.86%
|
1976
|
30,390
|
53.77%
|
25,229
|
44.64%
|
901
|
1.59%
|
1972
|
32,531
|
58.27%
|
22,154
|
39.68%
|
1,143
|
2.05%
|
1968
|
26,181
|
47.64%
|
22,633
|
41.18%
|
6,146
|
11.18%
|
1964
|
18,987
|
36.50%
|
32,939
|
63.31%
|
99
|
0.19%
|
1960
|
32,080
|
57.50%
|
23,511
|
42.14%
|
202
|
0.36%
|
1956
|
32,284
|
61.33%
|
20,184
|
38.34%
|
175
|
0.33%
|
1952
|
31,941
|
62.09%
|
19,171
|
37.26%
|
335
|
0.65%
|
1948
|
19,285
|
54.95%
|
15,077
|
42.96%
|
734
|
2.09%
|
1944
|
20,664
|
54.82%
|
16,611
|
44.07%
|
418
|
1.11%
|
1940
|
21,633
|
53.27%
|
18,682
|
46.00%
|
295
|
0.73%
|
1936
|
14,667
|
40.57%
|
20,231
|
55.96%
|
1,255
|
3.47%
|
1932
|
16,255
|
48.43%
|
16,281
|
48.51%
|
1,027
|
3.06%
|
1928
|
24,379
|
80.40%
|
5,769
|
19.03%
|
173
|
0.57%
|
1924
|
18,165
|
71.91%
|
4,020
|
15.91%
|
3,077
|
12.18%
|
1920
|
16,722
|
69.12%
|
6,291
|
26.00%
|
1,180
|
4.88%
|
1916
|
6,484
|
42.07%
|
8,037
|
52.15%
|
891
|
5.78%
|
1912
|
3,447
|
26.42%
|
3,781
|
28.98%
|
5,817
|
44.59%
|
1908
|
6,848
|
55.99%
|
4,240
|
34.67%
|
1,143
|
9.35%
|
1904
|
7,506
|
64.49%
|
3,102
|
26.65%
|
1,031
|
8.86%
|
1900
|
6,220
|
50.11%
|
5,560
|
44.79%
|
633
|
5.10%
|
1896
|
5,874
|
47.01%
|
6,202
|
49.64%
|
418
|
3.35%
|
1892
|
5,077
|
48.10%
|
4,150
|
39.31%
|
1,329
|
12.59%
|
1888
|
5,732
|
52.77%
|
4,358
|
40.12%
|
772
|
7.11%
|
1884
|
5,113
|
51.20%
|
4,309
|
43.15%
|
564
|
5.65%
|
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.
Calhoun County is a swing county in presidential elections. Since 1980, it has voted for the winner of the national election every time except in
2000
and
2020
.
Elected officials
[
edit
]
(information as of October 2020)
Communities
[
edit
]
Cities
[
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]
Villages
[
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]
Charter townships
[
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]
Census-designated places
[
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]
Other unincorporated communities
[
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]
Townships
[
edit
]
Historical markers
[
edit
]
There are 83 recognized Michigan historical markers in the county.
[13]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
"Bibliography on Calhoun County"
.
Clarke Historical Library
,
Central Michigan University
. Retrieved
January 19,
2013
.
- ^
a
b
"State & County QuickFacts"
. United States Census Bureau
. Retrieved
September 15,
2021
.
- ^
"Find a County"
. National Association of Counties. Archived from
the original
on May 31, 2011
. Retrieved
June 7,
2011
.
- ^
Peirce, Henry B. (2005) [1877].
"Chapter VII"
.
History of Calhoun county, Michigan
. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan Library. p. 18
. Retrieved
February 11,
2007
.
- ^
"2010 Census Gazetteer Files"
. United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from
the original
on November 13, 2013
. Retrieved
September 19,
2014
.
- ^
"Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023"
. United States Census Bureau
. Retrieved
April 4,
2024
.
- ^
"U.S. Decennial Census"
. United States Census Bureau
. Retrieved
September 19,
2014
.
- ^
"Historical Census Browser"
. University of Virginia Library
. Retrieved
September 19,
2014
.
- ^
"Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990"
. United States Census Bureau
. Retrieved
September 19,
2014
.
- ^
"Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000"
(PDF)
. United States Census Bureau.
Archived
(PDF)
from the original on March 27, 2010
. Retrieved
September 19,
2014
.
- ^
a
b
"U.S. Census website"
.
United States Census Bureau
. Retrieved
March 11,
2012
.
- ^
"Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections"
.
- ^
"Michigan Historical Markers"
.
michmarkers.com
. Archived from
the original
on March 15, 2010
. Retrieved
January 11,
2008
.
External links
[
edit
]
Places adjacent to Calhoun County, Michigan
|
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|
|
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Central cities
| |
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Counties
|
|
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Geography
| |
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Transportation
| |
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Economy
| |
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|
|
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International
| |
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National
| |
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Other
| |
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42°15′N
85°00′W
/
42.25°N 85.00°W
/
42.25; -85.00