Demographics
As of the
censusA census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 63,351 people, 22,425 households, and 13,006 families residing in the county. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
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%
WhiteRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.93%
BlackRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or
African AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 2.75%
Native AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.40%
AsianRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.05%
Pacific IslanderRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.68% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.68% from two or more races. 2.24% of the population were
HispanicRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or
LatinoRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. 28.0% were of
GermanThe Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 10.1%
EnglishThe English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, 10.0%
IrishThe Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, 7.5%
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and 6.0%
Polishthumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
ancestry according to Census 2000. 95.9% spoke
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and 1.6%
SpanishSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
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 couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
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 incomePer capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
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 healthPublic health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of welfare and
other social services. The
county board of commissionersA county commission is a group of elected officials charged with administering the county government in local government in some states of the United States. County commissions are usually made up of three or more individuals...
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
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
: Larry Burdick
- Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
: Leo Mioduszewski
- County Clerk: Joyce A. Swan
- County Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
: Steven W. Pickens
- Register of Deeds: Sharon Brown
- Drain Commissioner
A drain commissioner is an elected official in counties of the U.S. state of Michigan with a population over 12,000. In counties with a population under 12,000, the statutory duties and responsibilities of the drain commissioner are performed by the county's board of road commissioners.The office...
: Rick Jakubiec
(information as of March 2010)
Cities, villages, and townships
Cities
- Clare
Clare is a city in Clare and Isabella counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located primarily in Clare County, the city had a population of 3,173 at the 2000 census....
(partially)
- Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Isabella County. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 25,946. The 2008 census estimate places the population at 26,675....
Villages
- Rosebush
Rosebush is a village in Isabella County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 379 at the 2000 census. The village is within Isabella Township.-History:...
- Shepherd
Shepherd is a village in Isabella County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,536 at the 2000 census. The village is within Coe Township.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land....
- Lake Isabella
Lake Isabella is a village in Isabella County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,243 at the 2000 census. The population grew to 1,681 people as of the 2010 Census, making the community one of the state's 10 fastest growing communities in terms of percentage. An increase of 35%...
Unincorporated
- Beal City
Beal City is an unincorporated community in Isabella County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a census-designated place for statistical purposes, but is not an incorporated municipality. The population was 345 at the 2000 census...
- Blanchard
- Sherman City
- Weidman
Weidman is an unincorporated community in Isabella County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a census-designated place for statistical purposes, but had no independent municipal authority. The population of the CDP was 879 at the 2000 census....
Townships
- Broomfield Township
Broomfield Township is a civil township of Isabella County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 1,620.- Communities :...
- Chippewa Township
Chippewa Township is a civil township of Isabella County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 4,617.- Communities :There are no incorporated municipalities within the township....
- Coe Township
Coe Township is a civil township of Isabella County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,993 at the 2000 census.- Communities :...
- Coldwater Township
Coldwater Township is a civil township of Isabella County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 737 at the 2000 census.- Communities :...
- Deerfield Township
Deerfield Township is a civil township of Isabella County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,081 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- Denver Township
Denver Township is a civil township of Isabella County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,147 at the 2000 census.- Communities :...
- Fremont Township
Fremont Township is a civil township of Isabella County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,358 at the 2000 census.-Communities:...
- Gilmore Township
Gilmore Township is a civil township of Isabella County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,376 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- Isabella Township
Isabella Township is a civil township of Isabella County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,145 at the 2000 census.- Communities :...
- Lincoln Township
Lincoln Township is a civil township of Isabella County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,936 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- Nottawa Township
Nottawa Township is a civil township of Isabella County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,278 at the 2000 census. The township is named for a local Chippewa chief who lived from 1781 to 1881.- Communities :...
- Rolland Township
Rolland Township is a civil township of Isabella County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,210 at the 2000 census.-Communities:...
- Sherman Township
Sherman Township is a civil township of Isabella County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,616 at the 2000 census.-Communities:There are no incorporated communities within the township. Mt...
- Union Charter Township
Union Charter Township is a charter township of Isabella County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 7,615 at the 2000 census. The City of Mount Pleasant is incorporated from land that was formerly part the township, but is administratively separate.-History:The first white settlers...
- Vernon Township
Vernon Township is a civil township of Isabella County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,342 at the 2000 census.- Communities :...
- Wise Township
Wise Township is a civil township of Isabella County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,301 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of...
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Isabella County, Michigan
Further reading