Saginaw County, Michigan | |
|---|---|
 Saginaw County Governmental Center in Saginaw | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofMichigan | |
| Coordinates:43°20′N84°03′W / 43.33°N 84.05°W /43.33; -84.05 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Michigan |
| Founded | February 9, 1835[1][2] |
| Seat | Saginaw |
| Largest city | Saginaw |
| Area | |
• Total | 816 sq mi (2,110 km2) |
| • Land | 800 sq mi (2,100 km2) |
| • Water | 16 sq mi (41 km2) 1.9% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 190,124 |
• Estimate (2024) | 187,714 |
| • Density | 250/sq mi (97/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 8th |
| Website | www |
Saginaw County (SAG-ə-naw) is acounty located in theU.S. state ofMichigan. As of the2020 Census, the population was 190,124.[3] Thecounty seat isSaginaw.[1][4] The county was created by September 10, 1822, and was fully organized on February 9, 1835.[1] The etymology of the county's name is uncertain. It may be derived fromSace-nong orSak-e-nong (English:Sauk land), as theSauk (French:Sac) tribe is believed by some to have once lived there. A more likely possibility is that it comes fromOjibwe words meaning "place of the outlet" –sag (English:an opening) andong (English:place of).[5]SeeList of Michigan county name etymologies.
Saginaw County comprises the Saginaw, MIMetropolitan Statistical Area and is included in theSaginaw-Midland-Bay CityCombined Statistical Area, the 5th largest metropolitan area in Michigan.
The name Saginaw is widely believed to mean "where theSauk were" inOjibwe, fromSace-nong orSak-e-nong (Sauk Town), due to the belief that the Sauk once lived there. But it is more likely that the name means "place of the outlet", from the Ojibwesag (opening) andong (place of).[6][7]
When indigenous people he met toldSamuel de Champlain that the Sauk nation was on the western shore ofLake Michigan, Champlain mistakenly placed them on the western shore ofLake Huron. This mistake was copied on subsequent maps, and future references identified this as the place of the Sauks. Champlain himself never visited what is now Michigan.[8]
The area was inhabited from about 1000 B.C. to 1000 A.D. by the Native AmericanHopewell culture, followed by theAnishnabeg. Some historians believe that the Sauk at one time lived in the area and were driven out by Ojibwe (Chippewa), before the area was first visited by Europeans.
The Saginaw region includes an extensive network of many rivers and streams which converge into the Saginaw River and provided a means for easy travel for the Native American population among numerous settlements and hunting areas, as well as access to Lake Huron. Saginaw was also a frequent meeting location for councils of the Ojibwe, Pottawatomi, and Ottawa—the Three Fires of the Anishnabeg.[9]
What is today Saginaw County was inhabited by theOjibwe at the time of the arrival of Euro-Americans. The Ojibwe were still the dominant force in the area in the 1820s, and in 1827 they were attacked by a two groups ofWinnebago people coming from Wisconsin. The Ojibwe prevailed in this fight with the aid of local Euro-American settlers.[10]
In 1853 the Ojibwe and Ottawa both established large hunting camps along the Saginaw River, although Euro-American settlers were beginning to establish saw mills and farms in the area by that point.[11]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 816 square miles (2,110 km2), of which 800 square miles (2,100 km2) is land and 16 square miles (41 km2) (1.9%) is water.[12] It is part of theFlint/Tri-Cities region ofMid-Michigan. Themedian elevation in Saginaw County, Michigan is 620 feet (190 m) above sea level.[13]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1840 | 892 | — | |
| 1850 | 2,609 | 192.5% | |
| 1860 | 12,693 | 386.5% | |
| 1870 | 39,097 | 208.0% | |
| 1880 | 59,095 | 51.1% | |
| 1890 | 82,273 | 39.2% | |
| 1900 | 81,222 | −1.3% | |
| 1910 | 89,290 | 9.9% | |
| 1920 | 100,286 | 12.3% | |
| 1930 | 120,717 | 20.4% | |
| 1940 | 130,468 | 8.1% | |
| 1950 | 153,515 | 17.7% | |
| 1960 | 190,752 | 24.3% | |
| 1970 | 219,743 | 15.2% | |
| 1980 | 228,059 | 3.8% | |
| 1990 | 211,946 | −7.1% | |
| 2000 | 210,039 | −0.9% | |
| 2010 | 200,169 | −4.7% | |
| 2020 | 190,124 | −5.0% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 187,714 | [14] | −1.3% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[15] 1790–1960[16] 1900–1990[17] 1990–2000[18] 2010–2019[3] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 190,124. The median age was 41.3 years. 21.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 20.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 91.1 males age 18 and over.[19]
There were 78,442 households in the county, of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 41.4% were married-couple households, 19.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 32.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[19]
There were 85,953 housing units, of which 8.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 70.5% were owner-occupied and 29.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.5%.[19]
The racial makeup of the county was 70.4%White, 18.2%Black or African American, 0.4%American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%Asian, <0.1%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 2.9% from some other race, and 6.7% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 8.9% of the population.[20]
67.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 32.6% lived in rural areas.[21]
As of the2010 United States census, Saginaw County had a population of 200,169, a decrease of 9,870 people from the2000 United States census. Overall, the county had a -4.7% growth rate during this ten-year period. In 2010 there were 79,011 households and 52,287 families in the county. Thepopulation density was 250.2 per square mile (96.6 per square kilometer). There were 86,844 housing units at an average density of 108.5 per square mile (41.9 per square kilometer).[22]
Theracial and ethnic makeup of the county was 70.5% White, 18.6% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 7.8% Hispanic or Latino, 0.1% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races.[22]
There were 79,011 households, out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.4% werehusband and wife families, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.8% were non-families, and 28.2% were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.99.[22]
In the county, 23.4% of the population was under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 22.9% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.[22]
The2010 American Community Survey 1-year estimate indicates the median income for a household in the county was $41,938 and the median income for a family was $52,243. Males had a median income of $27,691 versus $16,488 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $21,025. About 12.4% of families and 16.9% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 24.1% of those under the age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.[22]
TheRoman Catholic Diocese of Saginaw is the controlling regional body for theCatholic Church.[23]
The county government operates thejail, maintains rural roads, operates themajor local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintainsvital records, administerspublic health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of welfare andother social services. Thecounty board of commissioners controls thebudget but has only limited authority to make laws or ordinances. In Michigan, most localgovernment functions — police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, streetmaintenance, etc. — are the responsibility of individual cities and townships.
From 1988 to 2012, Saginaw County was a consistentlyDemocratic county at the Presidential level. However, in recent elections it has become increasingly competitive, withDonald Trump narrowly winning the county in2016 by slightly over 1,000 votes while narrowly losing it in2020 by about 300 votes. Trump won it back in2024, this time by a margin of about 3,400 votes and taking an outright majority in the county too.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1880 | 5,207 | 46.78% | 5,304 | 47.65% | 621 | 5.58% |
| 1884 | 5,939 | 44.68% | 7,047 | 53.02% | 305 | 2.29% |
| 1888 | 6,723 | 41.95% | 8,923 | 55.68% | 379 | 2.37% |
| 1892 | 6,737 | 44.37% | 7,601 | 50.07% | 844 | 5.56% |
| 1896 | 8,361 | 47.92% | 8,792 | 50.39% | 294 | 1.69% |
| 1900 | 8,413 | 50.17% | 7,610 | 45.38% | 746 | 4.45% |
| 1904 | 10,146 | 60.66% | 5,330 | 31.86% | 1,251 | 7.48% |
| 1908 | 9,447 | 54.41% | 7,019 | 40.42% | 898 | 5.17% |
| 1912 | 5,032 | 27.94% | 5,845 | 32.46% | 7,130 | 39.60% |
| 1916 | 9,544 | 51.70% | 8,434 | 45.69% | 483 | 2.62% |
| 1920 | 20,425 | 68.24% | 8,494 | 28.38% | 1,013 | 3.38% |
| 1924 | 23,618 | 67.99% | 6,206 | 17.87% | 4,914 | 14.15% |
| 1928 | 22,467 | 65.61% | 11,555 | 33.75% | 220 | 0.64% |
| 1932 | 17,794 | 42.97% | 22,643 | 54.67% | 977 | 2.36% |
| 1936 | 15,527 | 37.50% | 22,592 | 54.56% | 3,291 | 7.95% |
| 1940 | 27,042 | 54.35% | 22,490 | 45.20% | 221 | 0.44% |
| 1944 | 27,289 | 56.38% | 20,383 | 42.11% | 730 | 1.51% |
| 1948 | 22,923 | 56.28% | 16,995 | 41.72% | 815 | 2.00% |
| 1952 | 38,604 | 64.23% | 20,983 | 34.91% | 513 | 0.85% |
| 1956 | 43,470 | 62.67% | 25,681 | 37.03% | 210 | 0.30% |
| 1960 | 41,351 | 55.68% | 32,715 | 44.05% | 206 | 0.28% |
| 1964 | 28,146 | 38.25% | 45,309 | 61.58% | 127 | 0.17% |
| 1968 | 38,070 | 49.17% | 32,266 | 41.67% | 7,087 | 9.15% |
| 1972 | 47,920 | 61.03% | 29,424 | 37.47% | 1,177 | 1.50% |
| 1976 | 46,765 | 55.63% | 36,280 | 43.15% | 1,026 | 1.22% |
| 1980 | 45,233 | 48.22% | 41,650 | 44.40% | 6,916 | 7.37% |
| 1984 | 51,495 | 56.95% | 38,420 | 42.49% | 501 | 0.55% |
| 1988 | 42,401 | 47.88% | 45,616 | 51.51% | 549 | 0.62% |
| 1992 | 32,103 | 33.13% | 43,819 | 45.22% | 20,983 | 21.65% |
| 1996 | 31,577 | 35.97% | 47,579 | 54.19% | 8,638 | 9.84% |
| 2000 | 41,152 | 43.89% | 50,825 | 54.21% | 1,779 | 1.90% |
| 2004 | 47,165 | 45.86% | 54,887 | 53.37% | 800 | 0.78% |
| 2008 | 42,225 | 40.49% | 60,276 | 57.80% | 1,782 | 1.71% |
| 2012 | 42,720 | 43.46% | 54,381 | 55.33% | 1,191 | 1.21% |
| 2016 | 45,469 | 47.97% | 44,396 | 46.84% | 4,915 | 5.19% |
| 2020 | 50,785 | 49.08% | 51,088 | 49.37% | 1,610 | 1.56% |
| 2024 | 52,912 | 50.88% | 49,515 | 47.61% | 1,573 | 1.51% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 49,659 | 48.72% | 49,668 | 48.72% | 2,609 | 2.56% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2022 | 37,002 | 45.37% | 43,219 | 53.00% | 1,329 | 1.63% |
All countywide officers are elected for four-year terms. The next scheduled election for these offices is November 2024.
(information as of April 2021)
Saginaw County Parks and Recreation Commission is a county-wide government organization founded byWilliam H. Haithco Sr. in 1969. Haithco then served as chairman from 1972 to 1999.[27] The organization operates six parks throughout the county - Imerman Memorial Park, Veterans Memorial Park, Ringwood Forest, Price Nature Center,William H. Haithco Recreation Area, and The Saginaw Valley Rail Trail. These parks comprise over 550 acres, including 18 miles of hiking trails, two boat launches, four fishing access sites, a swimming beach, picnic shelters, and recreation programs.[28][29]
The largest employers in Saginaw County are:[30]
| # | Employer | # of employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nexteer Automotive | 5200 |
| 2 | Covenant HealthCare | 4512 |
| 3 | St. Mary's of Michigan | 1800 |
| 4 | Morley Companies | 1750 |
| 5 | Meijer | 1425 |
| 6 | Saginaw Valley State University | 1071 |
| 7 | Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation | 1000 |
| 8 | Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn | 940 |
| 9 | Aleda E. LutzVeteran Affairs Medical Center | 904 |
| 10 | County of Saginaw | 676 |
| 11 | Saginaw Public Schools | 657 |
| 12 | Fashion Square Mall | 650 |
| 13 | Saginaw Township Community Schools | 621 |
| 14 | Saginaw Intermediate School District | 613 |
| 15 | Frankenmuth Insurance | 694 |
Saginaw County was the destination of aSauk footpath that became one of the first roads in what is now Michigan, theSaginaw Trail. The trail, first authorized in 1819, was completed to Saginaw in 1841. Since then, Saginaw's access to the outside world has expanded with the development of maritime, rail, air, and freeway links to the major cities of Michigan and neighboring states and nations.
Scheduled airline service is available fromMBS International Airport[31] nearFreeland, Michigan andBishop International Airport inFlint, Michigan.[32]Harry Browne Airport[33] inBuena Vista Charter Township also serves the region.
I-75, a major north–south freeway running fromSault Ste. Marie, Michigan toMiami-Dade County, Florida
I-675, a business route freeway from Interstate 75 passing through downtown Saginaw
US 23
M-13 runs fromI-69 through downtownSaginaw and north toStandish.
M-15
M-30
M-46 is a cross peninsular road, running across the mitten and the thumb—fromPort Sanilac on theLake Huron shore; throughSaginaw nearSaginaw Bay; and then on toMuskegon on theLake Michigan shore.[34] This east-west surface route nearly bisects the Lower Peninsula of Michigan latitudinally.
M-47 passes through the western suburbs and provides a direct connection toMBS International Airport inFreeland before ending atUS 10 in nearbyBay County.
M-52 runs from theOhio border throughAdrian andOwosso before ending atM-46, in the western suburbs of Saginaw. M-52 also provides an alternate connection toLansing, Michigan's state capitol.
M-54
M-57
M-58 runs from M-47 to I-675.
M-81 runs east from M-13 toCaro andCass City and ends at M-53 inSanilac County.
M-83
M-84 runs from M-25 in downtownBay City to M-58 in Saginaw.TheSaginaw River is maintained by theCorps of Engineers, and from time to time, dredged to maintain a shipping channel down the river toBay City, and from there, to theGreat Lakes.
Most of Saginaw County is served by theSaginaw Intermediate School District (SISD), which coordinates the efforts of local boards of education, but has no operating authority over schools. Local school boards in Michigan retain great autonomy over day-to-day operations. A number of charter schools also operate in the county.
School districts in the county (including any with any territory, no matter how slight, even if the schools and/or administration are in other counties) include:[35]
Former school districts include:[36]
There are twenty eight recognized historical markers in the county:[38] They are:
Places adjacent to Saginaw County, Michigan | |
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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