Dickinson County, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Demographics
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 27,472 people, 11,386 households, and 7,583 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 36 people per square mile (14/km²). There were 13,702 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile (7/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.95% 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...
, 0.12% 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...
, 0.52% 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...
, 0.40% 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...
, 0.03% 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...
, 0.14% 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 0.85% from two or more races. 0.68% 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. 16.8% were of Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
, 16.6% German, 11.3% Swedish, 8.4% French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
, 7.7% 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 5.1% Finnish ancestry. 97.2% 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...
as their first language.
There were 11,386 households out of which 31.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.90% 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, 8.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.40% were non-families. 29.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.10% under the age of 18, 6.30% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 23.30% from 45 to 64, and 18.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 96.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,825, and the median income for a family was $43,021. Males had a median income of $36,501 versus $22,952 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 $18,516. About 7.10% of families and 9.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.20% of those under age 18 and 8.80% of those age 65 or over.
Government
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. In the 2006 elections, it was also the most supportive county of proposal 2, a state constitutional amendment banning affirmative action programs. It received 74.2% support in the county.
Dickinson County elected officials
- Prosecuting AttorneyProsecutorThe prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
: Stephanie Brule - SheriffSheriffA 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....
: Scott Celello - County Clerk/Register of Deeds: Dolly L. Cook
- County TreasurerTreasurerA 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:...
: Margie Tarsi - Drain CommissionerDrain commissionerA drain commissioner is an elected official in counties of the U.S. state of Michigan with a population over 12,000. In counties with a population under 12,000, the statutory duties and responsibilities of the drain commissioner are performed by the county's board of road commissioners.The office...
: Richard Rahoi - Mine Inspector: Todd Jastremski
(information as of September 2005)
Cities
- Iron MountainIron Mountain, MichiganIron Mountain is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 8,154. It is the county seat of Dickinson County, in the state's Upper Peninsula....
- KingsfordKingsford, MichiganKingsford is a city in Dickinson County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,549 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Iron Mountain, MI–WI Micropolitan Statistical Area....
- NorwayNorway, MichiganNorway is a city in Dickinson County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,959 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Iron Mountain, MI–WI Micropolitan Statistical Area....
Unincorporated communities
- Alfred
- Antoine is a locale, now part of the City of Iron Mountain, that takes its name from the nearby Lake Antoine
- Channing
- East Kingsford
- Felch
- Felch Mountain
- Floodwood
- Foster City
- Granite Bluff
- Hardwood
- Hylas
- Loretto
- Merriman
- Metropolitan
- QuinnesecQuinnesec, MichiganQuinnesec is an unincorporated community in Dickinson County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a census-designated place for statistical purposes and has no legally recognized status as a municipality. The population was 1,187 at the 2000 census...
- Ralph
- Randville
- Sagola
- Skidmore
- Spruce was a stop on the Chicago and North Western RailwayChicago and North Western RailwayThe Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was a Class I railroad in the Midwest United States. It was also known as the North Western. The railroad operated more than of track as of the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states before retrenchment in the late 1970s...
, about three miles east of Metropolitan
- Theodore
- Turner was a stop on the Escanaba and Lake Superior RailwayEscanaba and Lake Superior RailwayEscanaba and Lake Superior Railway may refer to:*Escanaba and Lake Superior Railway , predecessor of the Escanaba and Lake Superior Railroad*Escanaba and Lake Superior Railway , predecessor of the Chicago and North Western Railway...
about six miles west of Ralph - Vulcan
- Waucedah
Townships
- Breen TownshipBreen Township, MichiganBreen Township is a civil township of Dickinson County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 479.-Communities:There are no incorporated municipalities in the township....
- Breitung TownshipBreitung Township, MichiganBreitung Township is a charter township of Dickinson County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 5,930.The township is named after Edward Breitung, a miner and U.S...
- Felch TownshipFelch Township, MichiganFelch Township is a civil township of Dickinson County in the U.S. state of Michigan, named in honor of Alpheus Felch. The population was 726 at the 2000 census.-Communities:There are no incorporated municipalities in the township....
- Norway TownshipNorway Township, MichiganNorway Township is a civil township of Dickinson County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,639 at the 2000 census.-Communities:*The City of Norway is at the southwest corner of the township, but is administratively autonomous....
- Sagola TownshipSagola Township, MichiganSagola Township is a civil township of Dickinson County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,169 at the 2000 census.-Communities:There are no incorporated municipalities in the township. There are a few small unincorporated communities....
- Waucedah TownshipWaucedah Township, MichiganWaucedah Township is a civil township of Dickinson County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 800 at the 2000 census.-Communities:*Waucedah is an unincorporated community in the township on U.S. Highway 2 at ....
- West Branch TownshipWest Branch Township, Dickinson County, MichiganWest Branch Township is a civil township of Dickinson County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 67.-Communities:There are no incorporated municipalities in the township....
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Dickinson County, Michigan