A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
Hillsdale County | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Michigan | |
 Michigan's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 41°53′N 84°35′W / 41.89°N 84.59°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Michigan |
| Founded | 1835[1] |
| Seat | Hillsdale |
| Largest city | Hillsdale |
| Area | |
| • Total | 607 sq mi (1,570 km2) |
| • Land | 598 sq mi (1,550 km2) |
| • Water | 8.9 sq mi (23 km2) 1.5% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 45,746  |
| • Density | 75/sq mi (29/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 5th |
| Website | https://www.co.hillsdale.mi.us/ |
Hillsdale County is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 45,746.[2] The county seat is Hillsdale.[3] Hillsdale County is the only county in Michigan to border both Indiana and Ohio. Due to an angle in the state's southern border, Hillsdale County has the southernmost point in the state. Hillsdale County is conterminous with the Hillsdale, MI Micropolitan Statistical Area. The Hillsdale County Courthouse was designed by Claire Allen, a prominent southern Michigan architect.
History
The county is named for its rolling terrain.[4] It was described by action of the Michigan Territorial legislature in 1829, and was organized six years later.[1] See List of Michigan county name etymologies.
Hillsdale County was a New England settlement; its early settlers came from the northern coastal colonies – "Yankees", descended from the English Puritans who emigrated from the Old World in the 1600s. There was a wave of such settlers into the Northwest Territory during the early 1800s, many traveling on the newly completed Erie Canal, and made safe by the conclusion of the Black Hawk War. They brought with them a passion for education, establishing many schools. Many were abolitionists.[5]
Geography
According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 607 square miles (1,570 km2), of which 598 square miles (1,550 km2) is land and 8.9 square miles (23 km2) (1.5%) is water.[6] Hillsdale is the only county in Michigan to have a land border with two other states – Ohio and Indiana. The headwaters of two St. Joseph Rivers rise in Hillsdale County: the St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan) and the St. Joseph River (Maumee River).
Parks
Adjacent counties
- Jackson County (northeast)
- Calhoun County (northwest)
- Lenawee County (east)
- Branch County (west)
- Fulton County, Ohio (southeast)
- Williams County, Ohio (south)
- Steuben County, Indiana (southwest)
Climate
Hillsdale County experiences four distinct seasons. July is the hottest month with an average high of 82 °F or 27.8 °C and January the coldest with an average high of 29 °F or −1.7 °C. June is the wettest month with 4.29 inches or 109.0 millimetres of rain on average.
| Climate data for Hillsdale, Michigan | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 29 (−2) |
33 (1) |
43 (6) |
56 (13) |
68 (20) |
78 (26) |
82 (28) |
80 (27) |
72 (22) |
60 (16) |
46 (8) |
34 (1) |
57 (14) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 13 (−11) |
14 (−10) |
24 (−4) |
35 (2) |
45 (7) |
55 (13) |
59 (15) |
57 (14) |
49 (9) |
38 (3) |
29 (−2) |
19 (−7) |
36 (2) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.10 (53) |
1.82 (46) |
2.77 (70) |
3.39 (86) |
3.82 (97) |
4.29 (109) |
3.54 (90) |
3.70 (94) |
3.71 (94) |
2.82 (72) |
3.07 (78) |
2.66 (68) |
37.69 (957) |
| Source: weather.com | |||||||||||||
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1840 | 7,240 | — | |
| 1850 | 16,159 | 123.2% | |
| 1860 | 25,675 | 58.9% | |
| 1870 | 31,684 | 23.4% | |
| 1880 | 32,723 | 3.3% | |
| 1890 | 30,660 | −6.3% | |
| 1900 | 29,865 | −2.6% | |
| 1910 | 29,673 | −0.6% | |
| 1920 | 28,161 | −5.1% | |
| 1930 | 27,417 | −2.6% | |
| 1940 | 29,092 | 6.1% | |
| 1950 | 31,916 | 9.7% | |
| 1960 | 34,742 | 8.9% | |
| 1970 | 37,171 | 7.0% | |
| 1980 | 42,071 | 13.2% | |
| 1990 | 43,431 | 3.2% | |
| 2000 | 46,527 | 7.1% | |
| 2010 | 46,688 | 0.3% | |
| 2020 | 45,746 | −2.0% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 45,587 | [7] | −0.3% |
| US Decennial Census[8] 1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10] 1990-2000[11] 2010-2018[2] | |||
As of the 2000 United States Census,[12] there were 46,527 people, 17,335 households, and 12,550 families residing in the county. The population density was 78 people per square mile (30 people/km2). There were 20,189 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile (13/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.56% White, 0.43% Black or African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. 1.20% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 28.4% were of German, 28.2% English and 9.3% Irish ancestry, 97.0% spoke English, 1.2% Spanish and 1.2% German as their first language.
There were 17,335 households, out of which 32.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.90% were married couples living together, 8.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.60% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.05.
The county's population contained 26.30% under the age of 18, 10.00% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 13.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 99.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $40,396, and the median income for a family was $45,895. Males had a median income of $35,349 versus $23,718 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,255. About 5.20% of families and 8.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.80% of those under age 18 and 8.60% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
Hillsdale County has been a reliably Republican county since the 19th century. Since 1884, the Republican nominee has carried the county in 32 of 34 presidential elections, the lone exceptions being when it was carried by Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson amidst a national landslide in 1964 (albeit by only 144 votes), and when it was carried by Progressive nominee Theodore Roosevelt when the Republican electorate had a schism in 1912.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 17,037 | 73.11% | 5,883 | 25.25% | 382 | 1.64% |
| 2016 | 14,095 | 70.69% | 4,799 | 24.07% | 1,046 | 5.25% |
| 2012 | 11,727 | 61.40% | 7,106 | 37.20% | 267 | 1.40% |
| 2008 | 11,221 | 54.87% | 8,765 | 42.86% | 463 | 2.26% |
| 2004 | 12,804 | 63.34% | 7,123 | 35.23% | 289 | 1.43% |
| 2000 | 10,483 | 60.00% | 6,495 | 37.17% | 495 | 2.83% |
| 1996 | 7,947 | 48.56% | 5,955 | 36.39% | 2,464 | 15.06% |
| 1992 | 7,579 | 42.36% | 5,244 | 29.31% | 5,068 | 28.33% |
| 1988 | 10,571 | 68.29% | 4,763 | 30.77% | 145 | 0.94% |
| 1984 | 12,063 | 76.50% | 3,616 | 22.93% | 89 | 0.56% |
| 1980 | 10,951 | 66.37% | 4,375 | 26.52% | 1,173 | 7.11% |
| 1976 | 9,307 | 62.23% | 5,427 | 36.29% | 221 | 1.48% |
| 1972 | 9,261 | 68.64% | 3,942 | 29.22% | 289 | 2.14% |
| 1968 | 8,506 | 63.27% | 3,803 | 28.29% | 1,135 | 8.44% |
| 1964 | 6,420 | 49.05% | 6,564 | 50.15% | 106 | 0.81% |
| 1960 | 10,208 | 71.19% | 4,069 | 28.38% | 63 | 0.44% |
| 1956 | 10,311 | 74.68% | 3,428 | 24.83% | 67 | 0.49% |
| 1952 | 10,680 | 75.51% | 3,340 | 23.62% | 123 | 0.87% |
| 1948 | 7,232 | 67.21% | 3,095 | 28.76% | 433 | 4.02% |
| 1944 | 9,364 | 74.33% | 3,153 | 25.03% | 81 | 0.64% |
| 1940 | 9,398 | 72.25% | 3,538 | 27.20% | 71 | 0.55% |
| 1936 | 6,723 | 55.03% | 5,023 | 41.11% | 471 | 3.86% |
| 1932 | 5,879 | 49.54% | 5,696 | 48.00% | 292 | 2.46% |
| 1928 | 8,282 | 80.99% | 1,893 | 18.51% | 51 | 0.50% |
| 1924 | 6,556 | 68.45% | 1,980 | 20.67% | 1,042 | 10.88% |
| 1920 | 6,690 | 71.12% | 2,467 | 26.23% | 249 | 2.65% |