St. Joseph County, Michigan | |
|---|---|
 St. Joseph County Courthouse in Centreville | |
 Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofMichigan | |
 Michigan's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:41°55′N85°32′W / 41.92°N 85.53°W /41.92; -85.53 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Michigan |
| Founded | 1829[1] |
| Named after | Fort St. Joseph |
| Seat | Centreville |
| Largest city | Sturgis |
| Area | |
• Total | 521 sq mi (1,350 km2) |
| • Land | 501 sq mi (1,300 km2) |
| • Water | 20 sq mi (52 km2) 3.9% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 60,939 |
• Estimate (2024)[2] | 61,171 |
| • Density | 122/sq mi (47/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 6th |
| Website | stjosephcountymi |
Saint Joseph County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofMichigan, on the central southern border withIndiana. As of the2020 United States census, the population was 60,939.[2] Thecounty seat isCentreville.[3]
French colonists in the late 17th century were the first Europeans to explore this territory, and they named theSt. Joseph River for thepatron saint ofNew France.[1] This area was not part of the United States until after theAmerican Revolutionary War. After the1821 Treaty of Chicago was signed, regional tribes of the indigenous peoples ceded much land to the United States, opening the area for American settlement. The county was set off and organized by theMichigan Territory legislature in 1829; it was named for the river.[1]
The area is home to the oldest and largest Amish community in Michigan.[4]
St. Joseph County comprises the Sturgis, MIMicropolitan Statistical Area and is included in theKalamazoo-Battle Creek-Portage, MICombined Statistical Area.
This area was settled by members of the three Algonquian-speaking tribes of the Council of Three Fires: thePotawatomi,Odawa, andChippewa (known asOjibwa in Canada). French explorers in a party led by Father Hennepin came upriver fromLake Michigan in 1679. A Jesuit mission was established near where the French later builtFort St. Joseph, and they named the waterway as theSt. Joseph River.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 521 square miles (1,350 km2), of which 501 square miles (1,300 km2) is land and 20 square miles (52 km2) (3.9%) is water.[5] It is the fourth-smallest county in Michigan by total area. The entire county lies in theSaint Joseph River watershed.
US 12 runs east–west across the lower portion of the county and passes White Pigeon and Sturgis.
US 131 runs north–south through the western portion of the county and passes Three Rivers, Constantine, and White Pigeon.
Bus. US 131 runs north–south through eastern Three Rivers.
M-60 runs east-northeast through the upper portion of the county and passes Three Rivers, Parkville, Mendon, Leonidas.
M-66 enters the southeastern portion of the county fromStar Mill, Indiana, and runs north to an intersection with M-60, two miles (3.2 km) east of Mendon.
M-86 runs east–west through the center of the county, entering at Colon, passing Nella and Centreville to an intersection with M-60 at Three Rivers.
M-103 enters the southwestern tip of the county and runs north two miles (3.2 km) to intersection with US 12 near the western county line.
M-216 enters the northwestern portion of the county fromMarcellus and runs east to an intersection with US 131 four miles (6.4 km) north of Three Rivers.Strictly speaking, theIndiana Toll Road does not enter St. Joseph County, but it has an interchanges with US 131 barely within Indiana. Although M-66 does not quite reach the Toll Road, the toll road interchange is in clear sight from M-66 before it becomesIndiana State Road 9.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1830 | 1,313 | — | |
| 1840 | 7,068 | 438.3% | |
| 1850 | 12,725 | 80.0% | |
| 1860 | 21,262 | 67.1% | |
| 1870 | 26,275 | 23.6% | |
| 1880 | 26,626 | 1.3% | |
| 1890 | 23,356 | −12.3% | |
| 1900 | 23,889 | 2.3% | |
| 1910 | 25,499 | 6.7% | |
| 1920 | 26,818 | 5.2% | |
| 1930 | 30,618 | 14.2% | |
| 1940 | 31,749 | 3.7% | |
| 1950 | 35,071 | 10.5% | |
| 1960 | 42,332 | 20.7% | |
| 1970 | 47,392 | 12.0% | |
| 1980 | 56,083 | 18.3% | |
| 1990 | 58,913 | 5.0% | |
| 2000 | 62,422 | 6.0% | |
| 2010 | 61,295 | −1.8% | |
| 2020 | 60,939 | −0.6% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 61,171 | 0.4% | |
| US Decennial Census[6] 1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8] 1990-2000[9][10][2] | |||
The2010 census indicates St. Joseph County had a 2010 population of 61,295. This decrease of -1,127 people from the2000 United States census represents a -1.8% population change (decrease) in that decade. In 2010 there were 23,244 households and 16,275 families in the county. Thepopulation density was 122.4 per square mile (47.3 per square kilometer). There were 27,778 housing units at an average density of 55.5 per square mile (21.4/km2). Theracial and ethnic makeup of the county was 88.0% White, 2.5% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 6.6% Hispanic or Latino, 0.1% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races.
There were 23,244 households, out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% werehusband and wife families, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.0% were non-families, and 24.8% were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.08.
The county population contained 25.9% under age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 27.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 97.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.9 males.
The 2010American Community Survey 3-year estimate indicates the median income for a household in the county was $43,964 and the median income for a family was $52,600. Males had a median income of $30,517 versus $16,388 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $19,737. About 1.8% of families and 16.3% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 22.3% of those under the age 18 and 12.3% of those age 65 or over.[11]
St. Joseph County has long been reliably Republican. Since 1884, the Republican Party nominee has carried 81% of the elections (29 of 36).
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1884 | 3,261 | 46.89% | 3,554 | 51.11% | 139 | 2.00% |
| 1888 | 3,372 | 48.36% | 3,217 | 46.14% | 383 | 5.49% |
| 1892 | 2,824 | 43.93% | 2,441 | 37.97% | 1,163 | 18.09% |
| 1896 | 3,184 | 43.76% | 3,968 | 54.54% | 124 | 1.70% |
| 1900 | 3,178 | 48.19% | 3,283 | 49.78% | 134 | 2.03% |
| 1904 | 3,649 | 59.80% | 2,176 | 35.66% | 277 | 4.54% |
| 1908 | 3,466 | 52.93% | 2,770 | 42.30% | 312 | 4.76% |
| 1912 | 1,224 | 19.03% | 2,388 | 37.13% | 2,820 | 43.84% |
| 1916 | 3,132 | 45.01% | 3,567 | 51.26% | 260 | 3.74% |
| 1920 | 6,035 | 66.59% | 2,725 | 30.07% | 303 | 3.34% |
| 1924 | 6,633 | 65.43% | 2,649 | 26.13% | 855 | 8.43% |
| 1928 | 8,781 | 76.05% | 2,698 | 23.37% | 67 | 0.58% |
| 1932 | 5,626 | 43.78% | 6,917 | 53.82% | 309 | 2.40% |
| 1936 | 7,160 | 51.85% | 6,048 | 43.80% | 601 | 4.35% |
| 1940 | 10,025 | 66.32% | 5,045 | 33.38% | 45 | 0.30% |
| 1944 | 9,785 | 69.45% | 4,235 | 30.06% | 69 | 0.49% |
| 1948 | 8,166 | 65.66% | 3,928 | 31.59% | 342 | 2.75% |
| 1952 | 12,191 | 72.19% | 4,509 | 26.70% | 187 | 1.11% |
| 1956 | 12,328 | 74.11% | 4,242 | 25.50% | 64 | 0.38% |
| 1960 | 12,337 | 69.13% | 5,445 | 30.51% | 65 | 0.36% |
| 1964 | 7,307 | 43.96% | 9,284 | 55.85% | 32 | 0.19% |
| 1968 | 10,445 | 59.20% | 5,413 | 30.68% | 1,787 | 10.13% |
| 1972 | 12,438 | 69.15% | 5,119 | 28.46% | 431 | 2.40% |
| 1976 | 11,784 | 61.07% | 7,306 | 37.86% | 205 | 1.06% |
| 1980 | 13,631 | 63.19% | 6,318 | 29.29% | 1,621 | 7.52% |
| 1984 | 15,405 | 72.34% | 5,795 | 27.21% | 96 | 0.45% |
| 1988 | 13,084 | 64.79% | 7,017 | 34.74% | 95 | 0.47% |
| 1992 | 9,836 | 41.03% | 7,817 | 32.61% | 6,318 | 26.36% |
| 1996 | 9,764 | 46.96% | 8,529 | 41.02% | 2,501 | 12.03% |
| 2000 | 12,906 | 58.60% | 8,574 | 38.93% | 544 | 2.47% |
| 2004 | 15,340 | 60.78% | 9,648 | 38.23% | 251 | 0.99% |
| 2008 | 12,886 | 50.00% | 12,322 | 47.81% | 563 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | 12,978 | 55.36% | 10,112 | 43.13% | 355 | 1.51% |
| 2016 | 14,884 | 62.10% | 7,526 | 31.40% | 1,557 | 6.50% |
| 2020 | 18,127 | 64.78% | 9,262 | 33.10% | 592 | 2.12% |
| 2024 | 19,403 | 66.11% | 9,452 | 32.20% | 495 | 1.69% |
The county government operates thejail, 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 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 verified with county website[13] as of February 2025)
Places adjacent to St. Joseph County, Michigan | |
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Municipalities and communities ofSt. Joseph County, Michigan,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Villages | ||
| Townships | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
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