Demographics

As of the census

Census

A 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 46,527 people, 17,335 households, and 12,550 families residing in the county. The population density

Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 was 78 people per square mile (30/km²). There were 20,189 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile (13/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.56% White

Race (United States Census)

Race 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...

, 0.43% Black

Race (United States Census)

Race 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 American

Race (United States Census)

Race 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...

, 0.35% Native American

Race (United States Census)

Race 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...

, 0.33% Asian

Race (United States Census)

Race 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...

, 0.01% Pacific Islander

Race (United States Census)

Race 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...

, 0.34% from other races

Race (United States Census)

Race 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 0.98% from two or more races. 1.20% of the population were Hispanic

Race (United States Census)

Race 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 Latino

Race (United States Census)

Race 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. 28.4% were of German

Germans

The 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....

, 15.0% American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, 13.2% English

English people

The 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...

 and 9.3% Irish

Irish people

The 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...

 ancestry according to Census 2000. 97.0% spoke English

English language

English 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...

, 1.2% Spanish

Spanish language

Spanish , 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...

 and 1.2% German

German language

German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....

 as their first language.

There were 17,335 households out of which 32.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.90% were married couples

Marriage

Marriage 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, 8.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.60% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the county the population was spread out with 26.30% under the age of 18, 10.00% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 13.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 99.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,396, and the median income for a family was $45,895. Males had a median income of $35,349 versus $23,718 for females. The per capita income

Per capita income

Per 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 $18,255. About 5.20% of families and 8.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.80% of those under age 18 and 8.60% of those age 65 or over.

US Highways

• US 12
  U.S. Route 12
  U.S. Route 12 or US 12 is an east–west United States highway, running from Grays Harbor on the Pacific Ocean, in the state of Washington, to downtown Detroit, for almost . As a thoroughfare, it has mostly been supplanted by I-90 and I-94, but remains an important road for local travel.The...
  
  
• US 127
  U.S. Route 127
  U.S. Route 127 is a long north–south United States highway in the eastern half of the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 27 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The northern terminus is at Interstate 75 near Grayling, Michigan...
  
  

Michigan State Trunklines

• M-34
  M-34 (Michigan highway)
  M-34 is an east–west state trunkline highway in the southeastern region of the US state of Michigan. It has a western terminus near Osseo on M-99 and runs through forest and farm lands to its eastern terminus at Business US Highway 223 and M-52 in Adrian...
  
  
• M-49
  M-49 (Michigan highway)
  M-49 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the south-central portion of the US state of Michigan. It runs from the Ohio state line north to Litchfield through rural Hillsdale County. M-49 is the only Michigan highway in which the road crossing into another state has the same state highway...
  
  
• M-99
  M-99 (Michigan highway)
  M-99 is a state highway in the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. It runs from the Ohio state border, where it connects to SR 15, north to Lansing where it terminates at a junction with I-496...
  
  

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

Public health

Public 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 commissioners

County commission

A 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, villages and townships.

Hillsdale County Elected Officials

• Prosecuting Attorney
  Prosecutor
  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...
  
  : Neal A. Brady
• Probate Judge: Michael Nye
• Sheriff
  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....
  
  : Stanley W. Burchardt
• County Clerk: Marney Kast
• County Treasurer
  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:...
  
  : Gary A. Leninger
• Register of Deeds: Bambi L. Somerlott
• Drain Commissioner
  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...
  
  : Bill Word
• County Surveyor
  County surveyor
  1. A county surveyor is a public official in many counties of the USA. At the bottom of this page are working "External Links" as at 4 November 2011 to websites of a selection of such County Surveyor's departments. Most of these officials are elected on the partisan ballot to four-year terms...
  
  : Michael Lodzinski

• Board of Commissioners:
  • District One: Parke D. Hayes
  • District Two: Alan E. Ringenberg, Chairman of the Board
  • District Three: Gearldine Spieth
  • District Four: Brad Benzing
  • District Five: Brad Densmore
  • District Six: John Burtka
  • District Seven: Andy Welden

Cities, villages, and townships

Cities

• Hillsdale
  Hillsdale, Michigan
  Hillsdale is a city in the state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,305. It is the county seat of Hillsdale County, and is run as a council-manager government....
  
  
• Litchfield
  Litchfield, Michigan
  Litchfield is a city in Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,458 at the 2000 census.Litchfield Township surrounds the city, but the two are autonomous municipalities.-Geography:...
  
  
• Reading
  Reading, Michigan
  Reading is a city in Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,134 at the 2000 census.The city is situated within Reading Township on M-49, but is politically independent.-Geography:...
  
  

Villages

• Allen
  Allen, Michigan
  Allen is a village in Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 225.The village is within Allen Township at the junction of US 12 and M-49.- History :...
  
  
• Camden
  Camden, Michigan
  Camden is a village in Camden Township, Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 550 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land.-Demographics:...
  
  
• Jonesville
  Jonesville, Michigan
  Jonesville is a village in Fayette Township, Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,337 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
  
  
• Montgomery
  Montgomery, Michigan
  Montgomery is a village in Camden Township, Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 386 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land.-Demographics:...
  
  
• North Adams
  North Adams, Michigan
  North Adams is a village in Adams Township of Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 514 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land.-Demographics:...
  
  
• Waldron
  Waldron, Michigan
  Waldron is a village in Wright Township, Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 590 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land.-Demographics:...
  
  

Unincorporated

• Amboy Center
• Austin
• Bankers
• Betzer
• Buckeye
• Cambria
• Church's Corners
• Fields Corners
• Fowlers Mill

• Frontier
• Jerome
• Lickley Corners
• Locust Corners
• Moscow
• Mosherville
• Osseo
• Pittsford
• Ransom
• Somerset
• Somerset Center
• Squawfield Corners

Townships

• Adams Township
  Adams Township, Hillsdale County, Michigan
  Adams Township is a civil township of Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 2,498.Adams township was separated from Moscow Township, Michigan in 1836.- Communities :...
  
  
• Allen Township
  Allen Township, Michigan
  Allen Township is a civil township of Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 1,631.- Communities :...
  
  
• Amboy Township
  Amboy Township, Michigan
  Amboy Township is a civil township of Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 1,224....
  
  
• Cambria Township
  Cambria Township, Michigan
  Cambria Township is a civil township of Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,546 at the 2000 census.- Communities :...
  
  
• Camden Township
  Camden Township, Michigan
  Camden Township is a civil township of Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,088 at the 2000 census.The villages of Camden and Montgomery are within the township.- History :...
  
  

• Fayette Township
  Fayette Township, Michigan
  Fayette Township is a civil township of Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,350 at the 2000 census.The village of Jonesville is within the township...
  
  
• Hillsdale Township
  Hillsdale Township, Michigan
  Hillsdale Township is a civil township of Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,965 at the 2000 census.The City of Hillsdale is situated mostly within the area of the township, but is administratively autonomous.-Geography:...
  
  
• Jefferson Township
  Jefferson Township, Hillsdale County, Michigan
  Jefferson Township is a civil township of Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,141 at the 2000 census.-Communities:...
  
  
• Litchfield Township
  Litchfield Township, Michigan
  Litchfield Township is a civil township of Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 969 at the 2000 census.The City of Litchfield is surrounded by the township, but is administratively autonomous.-Geography:...
  
  
• Moscow Township
  Moscow Township, Michigan
  Moscow Township is a civil township of Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,445 at the 2000 census. The headwaters for the south branch of the Kalamazoo River arise in the south of the township. There is a Headwaters Park located on U.S. Highway 12 near the Township...
  
  

• Pittsford Township
  Pittsford Township, Michigan
  Pittsford Township is a civil township of Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,600 at the 2000 census.-Communities:...
  
  
• Ransom Township
  Ransom Township, Michigan
  Ransom Township is a civil township of Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 982 at the 2000 census.-Communities:*Ransom is an unincorporated community within the township at .-Geography:...
  
  
• Reading Township
  Reading Township, Michigan
  Reading Township is a civil township of Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,781 at the 2000 census.The City of Reading is situated within the township on M-49, but is administratively autonomous.-Geography:...
  
  
• Scipio Township
  Scipio Township, Michigan
  Scipio Township is a civil township of Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,822 at the 2000 census.-Communities:...
  
  

• Somerset Township
  Somerset Township, Michigan
  Somerset Township is a civil township of Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,277 at the 2000 census. The Grand River, Michigan's longest river, begins at natural springs within the township.-Communities:...
  
  
• Wheatland Township
  Wheatland Township, Hillsdale County, Michigan
  Wheatland Township is a civil township of Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,258 at the 2000 census.-Communities:*Church's Corners is an unincorporated community within the township....
  
  
• Woodbridge Township
  Woodbridge Township, Michigan
  Woodbridge Township is a civil township of Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,337 at the 2000 census.-Communities:*Frontier is an unincorporated community within the township at...
  
  
• Wright Township
  Wright Township, Hillsdale County, Michigan
  Wright Township is a civil township of Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,788 at the 2000 census.-Communities:*The village of Waldron is within the township....
  
  

Climate

Hillsdale County experiences four distinct seasons. July is the hottest month with an average high of 82 degrees (f) & January the coldest month with an average high of 29 degrees (f). June is the wettest month with 4.29 inches (109 mm) of rain on average.

See also

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

External links

• Hillsdale County government