Gogebic County, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
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 17,370 people, 7,425 households, and 4,581 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 16 people per square mile (6/km²). There were 10,839 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.24% 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...
, 1.76% 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...
, 2.20% 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...
, 0.23% 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...
, 0.01% 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...
, 0.35% 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 1.22% from two or more races. 0.88% 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. 22.5% were of Finnish, 12.8% German, 12.8% 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...
, 8.6% Polish, 6.3% Swedish, 6.1% 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 5.4% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
ancestry according to Census 2000. 95.2% 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...
, 2.0% Finnish
Finnish language
Finnish is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland Primarily for use by restaurant menus and by ethnic Finns outside Finland. It is one of the two official languages of Finland and an official minority language in Sweden. In Sweden, both standard Finnish and Meänkieli, a...
and 1.2% Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
as their first language.
There were 7,425 households out of which 24.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.10% 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, 9.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.30% were non-families. 34.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.81.
In the county the population was spread out with 20.40% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 24.40% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 22.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 101.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $27,405, and the median income for a family was $35,738. Males had a median income of $29,102 versus $21,298 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 $16,169. About 10.60% of families and 14.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.90% of those under age 18 and 10.30% of those age 65 or over.
Government
The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates themajor local courts, 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.
Gogebic 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...
: Richard B. Adams - 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....
: Larry D. Sanders - County Clerk/Register of Deeds: Gerry R. Pelissero
- 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:...
: Sue Pertile
(information as of September 2005)
Cities
- BessemerBessemer, MichiganBessemer is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,914. It is the county seat of Gogebic County....
- IronwoodIronwood, MichiganIronwood is a city in Gogebic County in the U.S. state of Michigan, about south of Lake Superior. The population was 6,293 at the 2000 census. The city is on US 2 and is situated opposite the Montreal River from Hurley, Wisconsin. It is the westernmost city in Michigan, situated on the same line...
- WakefieldWakefield, MichiganWakefield is a city in Gogebic County in the US state of Michigan. It is located in the western Upper Peninsula. The population was 1,851 at the 2010 census....
Unincorporated communities
- Connorville
- Marenisco
- Ramsay
- ThomastonWakefield, MichiganWakefield is a city in Gogebic County in the US state of Michigan. It is located in the western Upper Peninsula. The population was 1,851 at the 2010 census....
- Watersmeet
Townships
- Bessemer TownshipBessemer Township, MichiganBessemer Township is a civil township of Gogebic County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 1,270.-Communities:...
- Erwin TownshipErwin Township, MichiganErwin Township is a civil township of Gogebic County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 357 at the 2000 census.The township is just south of Ironwood. The Montreal River is the western boundary, with Wisconsin on the other side and to the south...
- Ironwood TownshipIronwood Township, MichiganIronwood Township is a charter township of Gogebic County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,330 at the 2000 census. Ironwood Township is the home of Gogebic Community College, as well as the Gogebic/Iron County airport....
- Marenisco TownshipMarenisco Township, MichiganMarenisco Township is a civil township of Gogebic County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,051 at the 2000 census.The unincorporated community of Marenisco is within the township on the Presque Isle River near the junction of U.S. Highway 2 and M-64 at...
- Wakefield TownshipWakefield Township, MichiganWakefield Township is a civil township of Gogebic County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 364 at the 2000 census.-Communities:*The City of Wakefield is situated within the township, but is administratively autonomous....
- Watersmeet TownshipWatersmeet Township, MichiganWatersmeet Township is a civil township of Gogebic County in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,472 at the 2000 census....
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Gogebic County, Michigan