Arenac County, Michigan | |
|---|---|
 Michigan Central Railroad Standish Depot | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofMichigan | |
| Coordinates:44°03′N83°45′W / 44.05°N 83.75°W /44.05; -83.75 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Michigan |
| Founded | April 21, 1883; 142 years ago (1883-04-21)[1] |
| Seat | Standish |
| Largest city | Standish |
| Area | |
• Total | 681 sq mi (1,760 km2) |
| • Land | 363 sq mi (940 km2) |
| • Water | 317 sq mi (820 km2) 47% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 15,002 |
• Estimate (2024) | 15,087 |
| • Density | 41.3/sq mi (16.0/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | https://www.arenaccountymi.gov/ |
Arenac County (/ˈɛərənæk/AIR-ə-nak) is acounty located in theU.S. state ofMichigan. As of the2020 Census, the population was 15,002.[2] Thecounty seat isStandish.[3]
Arenac County was created by the Michigan Territory on 2 March 1831, then attached on 2 March 1836 toSaginaw County for administration. The creation and organization ofBay County overlaid Arenac and annexed portions of Saginaw and Midland Counties, causing the legal elimination of Arenac County on 20 April 1857. On 21 April 1883 Arenac County was re-created from the then existing northern townships of Bay County, with somewhat different boundaries than its previous creation.[4][5] The nameArenac, coined byHenry Rowe Schoolcraft, a US Indian Agent and ethnologist, is a derivation of the Latinarena and the Native Americanac. The combined words mean “A sandy place for a good footing.”[1][6]
The county includes some off-reservation trust lands held by the federal government for the federally recognizedSaginaw Chippewa Tribal Nation, which is based in Isabella County. In early 2007, plans were confirmed for acasino to be constructed outside of the city of Standish with a scheduled opening by the end of the year. It is owned and operated by the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe.[7] TheSaganing Eagles Landing Casino grand opening was held on January 24, 2008.[8]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 681 square miles (1,760 km2), of which 363 square miles (940 km2) is land and 317 square miles (820 km2) (47%) is water.[9] It is the third-smallest county in Michigan by land area. Arenac County can be considered a part of eitherNorthern Michigan orCentral Michigan.
By land
By water
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1890 | 5,683 | — | |
| 1900 | 9,821 | 72.8% | |
| 1910 | 9,640 | −1.8% | |
| 1920 | 9,460 | −1.9% | |
| 1930 | 8,007 | −15.4% | |
| 1940 | 9,233 | 15.3% | |
| 1950 | 9,644 | 4.5% | |
| 1960 | 9,860 | 2.2% | |
| 1970 | 11,149 | 13.1% | |
| 1980 | 14,706 | 31.9% | |
| 1990 | 14,931 | 1.5% | |
| 2000 | 17,269 | 15.7% | |
| 2010 | 15,899 | −7.9% | |
| 2020 | 15,002 | −5.6% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 15,087 | [10] | 0.6% |
| US Decennial Census[11] 1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13] 1990-2000[14] 2010-2018[2] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 15,002. The median age was 50.6 years. 17.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 26.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 102.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 100.7 males age 18 and over.[15]
The racial makeup of the county was 93.4%White, 0.2%Black or African American, 0.9%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Asian, <0.1%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 0.5% from some other race, and 4.7% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.8% of the population.[16]
12.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 87.5% lived in rural areas.[17]
There were 6,631 households in the county, of which 22.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 49.2% were married-couple households, 20.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 22.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[15]
There were 9,504 housing units, of which 30.2% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 83.6% were owner-occupied and 16.4% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.1%.[15]
As of the2000 United States census,[18] there were 17,269 people, 6,710 households, and 4,717 families in the county. Thepopulation density was 47 people per square mile (18 people/km2). There were 9,563 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile (10/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.38%White, 1.82%Black orAfrican American, 0.95%Native American, 0.29%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 0.21% fromother races, and 1.33% from two or more races. 1.38% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race. 24.0% were ofGerman, 14.1%Polish, 11.6%French, 10.6%American, 7.9%English, 6.8%Irish and 5.3%French Canadian ancestry. 96.9% spokeEnglish and 1.3%Spanish as their first language.
There were 6,710 households, out of which 29.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.00% weremarried couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.70% were non-families. 25.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.92.
The county population contained 23.30% under the age of 18, 7.80% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 25.50% from 45 to 64, and 16.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 105.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,805, and the median income for a family was $39,033. Males had a median income of $31,205 versus $20,363 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $16,300. About 11.30% of families and 13.90% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 20.70% of those under age 18 and 7.80% of those age 65 or over.
Arenac County could be described as slightly Republican-leaning. Since 1884, the Republican Party nominee has carried the county vote in 56% of the elections (20 of 36 elections). Due to 3 elections won by independent candidates during that period, the Democratic record is only 36% (12 of 36).
In 2024,Donald Trump won nearly 70% of the vote in Arenac County, the largest vote share any candidate has received in the county's history.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1884 | 323 | 31.95% | 607 | 60.04% | 81 | 8.01% |
| 1888 | 357 | 31.85% | 261 | 23.28% | 503 | 44.87% |
| 1892 | 322 | 27.81% | 373 | 32.21% | 463 | 39.98% |
| 1896 | 611 | 37.39% | 997 | 61.02% | 26 | 1.59% |
| 1900 | 972 | 51.02% | 861 | 45.20% | 72 | 3.78% |
| 1904 | 1,372 | 68.77% | 458 | 22.96% | 165 | 8.27% |
| 1908 | 1,081 | 56.19% | 714 | 37.11% | 129 | 6.70% |
| 1912 | 421 | 21.17% | 452 | 22.72% | 1,116 | 56.11% |
| 1916 | 911 | 46.86% | 938 | 48.25% | 95 | 4.89% |
| 1920 | 1,521 | 66.36% | 669 | 29.19% | 102 | 4.45% |
| 1924 | 1,767 | 67.57% | 575 | 21.99% | 273 | 10.44% |
| 1928 | 1,612 | 67.87% | 749 | 31.54% | 14 | 0.59% |
| 1932 | 1,471 | 40.13% | 2,086 | 56.90% | 109 | 2.97% |
| 1936 | 1,505 | 43.50% | 1,761 | 50.90% | 194 | 5.61% |
| 1940 | 2,293 | 60.23% | 1,499 | 39.37% | 15 | 0.39% |
| 1944 | 1,978 | 60.47% | 1,280 | 39.13% | 13 | 0.40% |
| 1948 | 1,790 | 58.86% | 1,203 | 39.56% | 48 | 1.58% |
| 1952 | 2,753 | 67.74% | 1,290 | 31.74% | 21 | 0.52% |
| 1956 | 2,631 | 63.32% | 1,520 | 36.58% | 4 | 0.10% |
| 1960 | 2,352 | 55.34% | 1,888 | 44.42% | 10 | 0.24% |
| 1964 | 1,413 | 36.68% | 2,436 | 63.24% | 3 | 0.08% |
| 1968 | 2,089 | 52.37% | 1,573 | 39.43% | 327 | 8.20% |
| 1972 | 2,588 | 57.43% | 1,829 | 40.59% | 89 | 1.98% |
| 1976 | 2,687 | 49.55% | 2,695 | 49.70% | 41 | 0.76% |
| 1980 | 3,436 | 53.43% | 2,547 | 39.61% | 448 | 6.97% |
| 1984 | 3,483 | 58.63% | 2,436 | 41.00% | 22 | 0.37% |
| 1988 | 3,064 | 48.63% | 3,211 | 50.97% | 25 | 0.40% |
| 1992 | 2,330 | 32.33% | 3,244 | 45.02% | 1,632 | 22.65% |
| 1996 | 2,247 | 34.09% | 3,472 | 52.68% | 872 | 13.23% |
| 2000 | 3,421 | 47.08% | 3,685 | 50.71% | 161 | 2.22% |
| 2004 | 4,071 | 49.55% | 4,076 | 49.61% | 69 | 0.84% |
| 2008 | 3,807 | 46.84% | 4,155 | 51.12% | 166 | 2.04% |
| 2012 | 4,057 | 51.74% | 3,669 | 46.79% | 115 | 1.47% |
| 2016 | 4,950 | 64.04% | 2,384 | 30.84% | 395 | 5.11% |
| 2020 | 5,928 | 67.07% | 2,774 | 31.38% | 137 | 1.55% |
| 2024 | 6,379 | 69.62% | 2,662 | 29.05% | 122 | 1.33% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 5,911 | 66.13% | 2,786 | 31.17% | 241 | 2.70% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2022 | 4,314 | 60.17% | 2,709 | 37.78% | 147 | 2.05% |
The county government operates thejail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, records deeds, mortgages, andvital records, administerspublic health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of social services. Thecounty board of commissioners controls the budget and has 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.
(information as of March 2009)
Places adjacent to Arenac County, Michigan | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofArenac County, Michigan,United States | ||
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| Civil townships | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Indian reservation | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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