Midland County, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
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 82,874 people, 31,769 households, and 22,683 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 159 people per square mile (61/km²). There were 33,796 housing units at an average density of 65 per square mile (25/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.50% 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...
, 1.05% 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...
, 0.40% 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...
, 1.49% 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...
, 0.03% 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...
, 0.44% 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 1.09% from two or more races. 1.55% 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. 28.6% were of German, 11.5% 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...
, 10.2% United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
or American, 8.9% 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...
and 6.1% Polish ancestry according to Census 2000. 96.7% 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...
and 1.6% 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...
as their first language.
There were 31,769 households out of which 34.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.10% 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, 8.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.60% were non-families. 23.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the county the population was spread out with 26.90% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 29.20% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 12.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 96.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $45,674, and the median income for a family was $55,483. Males had a median income of $45,656 versus $27,470 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 $23,383. About 5.70% of families and 8.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.50% of those under age 18 and 7.50% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
Midland County predominantly supports the Republican Party, in contrast to the neighboring counties of SaginawSaginaw County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 210,039 people, 80,430 households, and 55,818 families residing in the county. The population density was 260 people per square mile . There were 85,505 housing units at an average density of 106 per square mile...
and Bay
Bay County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 110,157 people, 43,930 households, and 30,048 families residing in the county. The population density was 248 people per square mile . There were 46,423 housing units at an average density of 104 per square mile...
, who mainly support the Democratic Party.
In the 2008 presidential election, Republican candidate John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
received 22,263 votes (50.83% of the county's share) to Democrat Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's 20,701 (47.26%), even as Obama carried the state by a double-digit margin.
In 2004, Republican president George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
received 24,369 (56.31%) votes to Democrat John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
's 18,355 (42.41%).
In 2000, Bush received 21,887 votes (56.28%) to Democrat Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
's 15,959 (41.04%).
Government
The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates themajor 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 and townships.
Midland County elected officials
- Prosecuting AttorneyProsecutorThe prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
: Michael D. Carpenter - SheriffSheriffA 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....
: Jerry A. Nielsen - County Clerk: Ann Manary
- County TreasurerTreasurerA 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:...
: Richard A. Enszer - Register of Deeds: Julie Atkinson
- Drain CommissionerDrain commissionerA 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...
: Douglas D. Enos
(information as of October 2010)
County Board of Commissioners
7 members, elected from districts (2 Democrats, 5 Republican)| District | Commissioner | Party | Positions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Howard Schoenherr | Democrat Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
Chair of Administrations & Operations Committee |
| 2 | Mark Bone | Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
Chair of Executive Committee |
| 3 | James Leigeb | Republican | Chair of Law Enforcement and Judiciary Committee |
| 4 | Richard Keenan | Republican | |
| 5 | Otis Wilson | Republican | Chair of Finance Committee |
| 6 | James Bradley | Republican | Chairman of the Board |
| 7 | Rose Marie McQuaid | Democrat | Chair of Human Services Committee |
Townships
- Edenville TownshipEdenville Township, MichiganEdenville Township is a civil township of Midland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 2,528.The unincorporated community of Edenville is located within the township at .-Geography:...
- Geneva TownshipGeneva Township, Midland County, MichiganGeneva Township is a civil township of Midland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,137 at the 2000 census.- Communities :...
- Greendale TownshipGreendale Township, MichiganGreendale Township is a civil township of Midland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 1,788.-Communities:...
- Homer TownshipHomer Township, Midland County, MichiganHomer Township is a civil township of Midland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 3,924.-Geography:...
- Hope TownshipHope Township, Midland County, MichiganHope Township is a civil township of Midland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,286 at the 2000 census.- Communities :...
- Ingersoll TownshipIngersoll Township, MichiganIngersoll Township is a civil township of Midland County in th U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,018 at the 2000 census.-Communities:...
- Jasper TownshipJasper Township, MichiganJasper Township is a civil township of Midland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,145 at the 2000 census.- Communities :* Pleasant Valley is an unincorporated community in the township at...
- Jerome TownshipJerome Township, MichiganJerome Township is a civil township of Midland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,888 at the 2000 census. Jerome township is the most populated township in Midland County.The village of Sanford is within the township.-Geography:...
- Larkin Charter TownshipLarkin Charter Township, MichiganLarkin Charter Township is a charter township of Midland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,514 at the 2000 census. Larkin Charter Township is second in population of Midland County, following Jerome Township.-Geography:...
- Lee TownshipLee Township, Midland County, MichiganLee Township is a civil township of Midland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,411 at the 2000 census. Lee Township is third in population of the county, after Jerome and Larkin townships.-Geography:...
- Lincoln TownshipLincoln Township, Midland County, MichiganLincoln Township is a civil township of Midland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,277 at the 2000 census.- Communities :...
- Midland Charter TownshipMidland Township, MichiganMidland Charter Township is a charter township of Midland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,297 at the 2000 census. The largest portion of the City of Midland is located within the boundaries of the survey township, but is administratively autonomous of the civil township...
- Mills TownshipMills Township, Midland County, MichiganMills Township is a civil township of Midland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,871 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- Mount Haley TownshipMount Haley Township, MichiganMount Haley Township is a civil township of Midland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,654 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- Porter TownshipPorter Township, Midland County, MichiganPorter Township is a civil township of Midland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,270 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- Warren TownshipWarren Township, MichiganWarren Township is a civil township of Midland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,107 at the 2000 census. The city of Coleman is located within the boundaries of the survey township, but is administratively autonomous of the civil township.-Geography:According to the United...