Newaygo County, Michigan | |
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.jpg) Newaygo County Courthouse | |
 Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofMichigan | |
| Coordinates:43°33′N85°48′W / 43.55°N 85.8°W /43.55; -85.8 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Michigan |
| Founded | 1840 (established) 1851 (organized)[1] |
| Seat | White Cloud |
| Largest city | Fremont |
| Area | |
• Total | 862 sq mi (2,230 km2) |
| • Land | 813 sq mi (2,110 km2) |
| • Water | 48 sq mi (120 km2) 5.6% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 49,978 |
• Estimate (2024) | 51,504 |
| • Density | 57/sq mi (22/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 2nd |
| Website | newaygocountymi |
Newaygo County (/nəweɪɡoʊ/nə-WAY-goh) is acounty in theU.S. state ofMichigan. As of the2020 United States census, the population was 49,978.[2] Thecounty seat isWhite Cloud.[3] The county was created in 1840,[4] and was organized in 1851. It was either named for anOjibwe leader who signed theTreaty of Saginaw in 1819[1] or for anAlgonquian word meaning "much water".[5]
According to theUS Census Bureau, the county has an area of 862 square miles (2,230 km2), of which 813 square miles (2,110 km2) is land and 48 square miles (120 km2) (5.6%) is covered by water.[6] The county is considered to be part ofWest Michigan.
The county has more than 230 natural lakes. The combined total length of all the county's rivers and streams exceeds 350 miles (560 km). Three large dams—Croton,Hardy, and Newaygo—were built at the beginning of the 20th century. The Hardy Dam is the largest earthen dam east of theMississippi River.[7] Over half of the county is in theManistee National Forest.
M-20 runs east–west through center of county. Passes Hesperia, Aetna, and White Cloud.
M-37 runs north–south through center of county. Passes Bitely, Brohman, White Cloud, Newaygo, Grant, and Ashland.
M-82 runs east–west through southern part of county. Goes through Newaygo. Ends at county line tri-point ofMuskegon,Oceana, and Newaygo Counties.
M-120 runs the length of county's west line. Terminates in Hesperia.[8]| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 510 | — | |
| 1860 | 2,760 | 441.2% | |
| 1870 | 7,294 | 164.3% | |
| 1880 | 14,688 | 101.4% | |
| 1890 | 20,476 | 39.4% | |
| 1900 | 17,673 | −13.7% | |
| 1910 | 19,220 | 8.8% | |
| 1920 | 17,378 | −9.6% | |
| 1930 | 17,029 | −2.0% | |
| 1940 | 19,286 | 13.3% | |
| 1950 | 21,567 | 11.8% | |
| 1960 | 24,160 | 12.0% | |
| 1970 | 27,992 | 15.9% | |
| 1980 | 34,917 | 24.7% | |
| 1990 | 38,202 | 9.4% | |
| 2000 | 47,874 | 25.3% | |
| 2010 | 48,460 | 1.2% | |
| 2020 | 49,978 | 3.1% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 51,504 | [9] | 3.1% |
| US Decennial Census[10] 1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12] 1990-2000[13] 2010-2018[2] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 49,978. The median age was 43.0 years. 22.5% 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 101.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 102.1 males age 18 and over.[14][15]
The racial makeup of the county was 89.7%White, 0.9%Black or African American, 0.7%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Asian, <0.1%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 2.2% from some other race, and 6.1% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 5.9% of the population.[15]
10.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 89.7% lived in rural areas.[16]
There were 19,414 households in the county, of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 52.9% were married-couple households, 18.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 20.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[14]
There were 24,542 housing units, of which 20.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 83.3% were owner-occupied and 16.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.4%.[14]
According to the 2010American Community Survey, 21.5% of residents were ofEnglish ancestry, 20.5% were ofGerman ancestry, 14.4% were ofDutch ancestry, 8.1% were ofIrish ancestry, and 5.0% were ofPolish ancestry. 95.7% spoke English and 3.2% spokeSpanish as their first language.[17]
As of the2000 United States census,[18] there were 47,874 people, 17,599 households, and 12,935 families in the county. The population density was 57 inhabitants per square mile (22/km2). There were 23,202 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile (11/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.80%White, 1.12%Black orAfrican American, 0.65%Native American, 0.29%Asian, 0.03%Pacific Islander, 1.63% fromother races, and 1.48% from two or more races. 3.85% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 17,599 households, out of which 35.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.20% weremarried couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.50% were non-families. 22.20% 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 2.68 and the average family size was 3.13.
The county population contained 29.10% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 27.50% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 12.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $37,130, and the median income for a family was $42,498. Males had a median income of $35,549 versus $22,738 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $16,976. About 9.00% of families and 11.60% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 14.60% of those under age 18 and 8.50% of those age 65 or over.
Newaygo County is part of theRoman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids.[22]
Tourism is the most important economic activity in Newaygo County.[23] Secondly is a blend of agricultural and small manufacturing. International baby food manufacturerGerber Products Company is currently the county's largest employer with approximately 1,300 employees.[24]
Newaygo County also has a large number of summer cottage residents. Fishermen can find manysteelhead in the spring andsalmon in the fall within the county's rivers and streams. Camping, hunting, cross country skiing, bicycling, birding and ORVing is common in theManistee National Forest.[7]
Newaygo County has been strongly Republican since the Civil War era. Since 1884, the Republican Party nominee has carried the county vote in 92% of the national presidential elections (33 of 36). It has only supported a Democrat for president once in that time, in 1964. The Democrats have managed even 40 percent of the county's vote only five other times.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1884 | 1,971 | 46.65% | 2,051 | 48.54% | 203 | 4.80% |
| 1888 | 2,448 | 51.85% | 1,932 | 40.92% | 341 | 7.22% |
| 1892 | 2,106 | 51.02% | 1,531 | 37.09% | 491 | 11.89% |
| 1896 | 2,650 | 56.53% | 1,943 | 41.45% | 95 | 2.03% |
| 1900 | 2,607 | 62.68% | 1,424 | 34.24% | 128 | 3.08% |
| 1904 | 2,966 | 75.86% | 790 | 20.20% | 154 | 3.94% |
| 1908 | 2,677 | 69.37% | 956 | 24.77% | 226 | 5.86% |
| 1912 | 964 | 24.59% | 776 | 19.80% | 2,180 | 55.61% |
| 1916 | 2,417 | 58.27% | 1,625 | 39.18% | 106 | 2.56% |
| 1920 | 4,188 | 78.91% | 929 | 17.51% | 190 | 3.58% |
| 1924 | 4,243 | 79.22% | 720 | 13.44% | 393 | 7.34% |
| 1928 | 4,552 | 83.29% | 888 | 16.25% | 25 | 0.46% |
| 1932 | 3,458 | 49.73% | 3,275 | 47.10% | 220 | 3.16% |
| 1936 | 3,930 | 51.41% | 3,288 | 43.01% | 426 | 5.57% |
| 1940 | 5,418 | 66.52% | 2,693 | 33.06% | 34 | 0.42% |
| 1944 | 5,250 | 70.62% | 2,156 | 29.00% | 28 | 0.38% |
| 1948 | 4,394 | 66.92% | 2,027 | 30.87% | 145 | 2.21% |
| 1952 | 6,715 | 71.81% | 2,541 | 27.17% | 95 | 1.02% |
| 1956 | 7,088 | 71.48% | 2,808 | 28.32% | 20 | 0.20% |
| 1960 | 7,453 | 68.55% | 3,404 | 31.31% | 15 | 0.14% |
| 1964 | 4,931 | 47.42% | 5,457 | 52.48% | 11 | 0.11% |
| 1968 | 6,626 | 59.97% | 3,369 | 30.49% | 1,053 | 9.53% |
| 1972 | 8,245 | 65.62% | 3,978 | 31.66% | 342 | 2.72% |
| 1976 | 8,258 | 58.78% | 5,622 | 40.01% | 170 | 1.21% |
| 1980 | 8,918 | 58.58% | 5,236 | 34.40% | 1,069 | 7.02% |
| 1984 | 10,636 | 69.95% | 4,496 | 29.57% | 73 | 0.48% |
| 1988 | 9,896 | 64.32% | 5,389 | 35.03% | 100 | 0.65% |
| 1992 | 7,333 | 40.93% | 6,455 | 36.03% | 4,128 | 23.04% |
| 1996 | 7,868 | 44.58% | 7,614 | 43.14% | 2,169 | 12.29% |
| 2000 | 11,399 | 58.29% | 7,677 | 39.25% | 481 | 2.46% |
| 2004 | 13,608 | 59.49% | 9,057 | 39.60% | 208 | 0.91% |
| 2008 | 11,862 | 51.14% | 10,790 | 46.52% | 544 | 2.35% |
| 2012 | 12,457 | 58.00% | 8,728 | 40.64% | 293 | 1.36% |
| 2016 | 15,173 | 66.60% | 6,212 | 27.27% | 1,397 | 6.13% |
| 2020 | 18,857 | 69.33% | 7,873 | 28.95% | 467 | 1.72% |
| 2024 | 20,630 | 70.56% | 8,131 | 27.81% | 477 | 1.63% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 19,932 | 69.12% | 8,066 | 27.97% | 839 | 2.91% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2022 | 14,879 | 65.37% | 7,417 | 32.59% | 465 | 2.04% |
Newaygo County operates the County jail, 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. The county 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 May 2023)
In Newaygo County there are 16 locations that the State Historic Preservation Office has designated as historical. Two of the sixteen have been listed with theNational Register of Historic Places:[28]
TheNewaygo County Regional Educational Service Agency, based inFremont, services the districts in the county. Theintermediate school district offers regionalspecial education services andtechnical career programs for its students.[29]
Newaygo County is served by the following regularpublicschool districts:[30]
Newaygo County has the followingprivate schools:[31]
"Bibliography on Newaygo County".Clarke Historical Library,Central Michigan University.
Places adjacent to Newaygo County, Michigan | |
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Municipalities and communities ofNewaygo County, Michigan,United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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