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 23,301 people, 8,995 households, and 6,539 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 45 people per square mile (17/km²). There were 13,375 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile (10/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.51% 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...

, 0.18% 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...

, 0.62% 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...

, 0.34% 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...

, 0.04% 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...

, 0.15% 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 1.16% from two or more races. 0.75% 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. 22.1% 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....

, 17.6% Polish

Poles

thumb|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...

, 10.5% 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...

, 9.9% 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 9.4% American

United States

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

 ancestry according to Census 2000. 96.8% 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 1.3% Polish

Polish language

Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...

 as their first language.

There were 8,995 households out of which 34.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.40% 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, 8.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.30% were non-families. 22.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.10% 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 3.00.

In the county the population was spread out with 26.80% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 28.50% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 13.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,876, and the median income for a family was $46,628. Males had a median income of $34,413 versus $21,204 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 $19,810. About 5.30% of families and 6.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.50% of those under age 18 and 7.10% 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

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.

Otsego 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...
  
  : Kyle T. Legel
• 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....
  
  : James McBride
• County Clerk/Register of Deeds: Susan I. DeFeyter
• 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:...
  
  : Diann M. Axford
• 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...
  
  : Carl I. Robinson

(information as of September 2005)

Cities, villages, and townships

City

• Gaylord
  Gaylord, Michigan
  Gaylord is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 3,681. It is the county seat of Otsego County. The city is also the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gaylord; it is by far the smallest settlement serving as the location of an active Roman...
  
  

Village

• Vanderbilt
  Vanderbilt, Michigan
  Vanderbilt is a village in Otsego County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 587 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land.-Demographics:...
  
  

Unincorporated

• Arbutus Beach
• Elmira
• Eyedylwild Beach
• Johannesburg

• Oak Grove
• Otsego Lake
• Sparr
• Waters

Townships

• Bagley Township
  Bagley Township, Michigan
  Bagley Township is a civil township of Otsego County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,838 at the 2000 census.- Communities :...
  
  
• Charlton Township
  Charlton Township, Michigan
  Charlton Township is a civil township of Otsego County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,330 at the 2000 census.- Communities :There are no incorporated municipalities in the township....
  
  
• Chester Township
  Chester Township, Otsego County, Michigan
  Chester Township is a civil township of Otsego County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,265 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
  
  

• Corwith Township
  Corwith Township, Michigan
  Corwith Township is a civil township of Otsego County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,719 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...
  
  
• Dover Township
  Dover Township, Otsego County, Michigan
  Dover Township is a civil township of Otsego County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 614 at the 2000 census.- Communities :...
  
  
• Elmira Township
  Elmira Township, Michigan
  Elmira Township is a civil township of Otsego County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,598 at the 2000 census.-Communities:*Elmira is an unincorporated community on M-32 at the western boundary of the township.-Geography:...
  
  

• Hayes Township
  Hayes Township, Otsego County, Michigan
  Hayes Township is a civil township of Otsego County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,385 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...
  
  
• Livingston Township
  Livingston Township, Michigan
  Livingston Township is a civil township of Otsego County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,339 at the 2000 census.-Communities:*The city of Gaylord is partially within the southern part of the township, but is administratively autonomous....
  
  
• Otsego Lake Township
  Otsego Lake Township, Michigan
  Otsego Lake Township is a civil township of Otsego County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,532 at the 2000 census. The township takes its name from Otsego Lake , the southern half of which is within the township...
  
  

Media for the county

• The Gaylord Herald Times is the newspaper for the county It is published twice weekly, and is the oldest surviving business. It was founded in 1875, the same year as the county.

See also

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

External links

• Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University, Bibliography on Otsego County
• Enchanted forest, Northern Michigan source for information, calendars, etc.
• Gaylord Herald Times home page
• Otsego Community Connection
• Otsego County Historical Society
• Otsego County home page
• Gaylord Regional Airport Information
• Soil Survey of Otsego County, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Michigan State University Agricultural Extension Service (lots more here, such as history, economy, etc.)