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Muskegon County
Muskegon County
County
	Muskegon County Courthouse
	Seal
	Location within the U.S. state of Michigan
	Michigan's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 43°17′N 86°27′W / 43.29°N 86.45°W
Country	United States
State	Michigan
Founded	1859
Named for	Muskegon River
Seat	Muskegon
Largest city	Norton Shores (area), Muskegon (population)
Area
• Total	1,460 sq mi (3,800 km2)
• Land	499 sq mi (1,290 km2)
• Water	961 sq mi (2,490 km2) 66%
Population (2020)
• Total	175,824
• Density	345/sq mi (133/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts	2nd, 3rd
Website	www.co.muskegon.mi.us

Muskegon County (/məˈskiːɡən/ mə-SKEE-gən) is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of 2020, the population was 175,824.^[2] The county seat is Muskegon.^[3]

Muskegon County comprises the Muskegon, MI Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the larger Grand Rapids-Kentwood-Muskegon, MI Combined Statistical Area.

History

Around 1812, Jean Baptiste Recollect and Pierre Constant set up trading posts in the area. By the Treaty of Washington (1836), Native Americans ceded parts of Michigan, including future Muskegon County, to the United States. This opened up the area to greater settlement by European Americans, who developed farms.^[4]

Prior to 1859, the majority of Muskegon County was part of Ottawa County (the Southern three quarters). Grand Haven served as the County Seat of this combined County, and still serves as the Ottawa County seat today.^[5]

Muskegon County was organized in 1859. Its name is from the Muskegon River, which runs through it and empties into Muskegon Lake and subsequently flows into Lake Michigan. The word "Muskegon" comes from the Ojibwa/Chippewa word mashkig, meaning "marsh" or "swamp".^[1]^[6] See List of Michigan county name etymologies.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,460 square miles (3,800 km²), of which 499 square miles (1,290 km²) is land and 961 square miles (2,490 km²) (66%) is water.^[7]

Michigan's second longest river, Muskegon River,^[8] flows through the county with its north and south branches emptying into Muskegon Lake. Muskegon Lake then empties into Lake Michigan via the Muskegon Channel. Muskegon Lake is Michigan's only deep water port on Lake Michigan.^[9] In the north the White River flows through the county into White Lake and then on to Lake Michigan. In the south, Black Creek flows into Mona Lake which also flow into Lake Michigan. These three lakes allow boat navigation to and from Lake Michigan, making it one of the states most boat accessible counties, with Muskegon Lake allowing access for additional large commercial vessels.

Bodies of water

Muskegon Lake
Muskegon River
Mona Lake
White Lake
White River
Little Black Lake
Little Blue Lake
Wolf Lake
Fox Lake
Big Blue Lake
Bear Lake
Duck Lake
Twin Lake

National protected area

Manistee National Forest (part)

Transit

Major highways

I-96
US 31
Bus. US 31 (Muskegon)
Bus. US 31 (Whitehall-Montague)
M-37
M-46
M-120
B-15
B-23
B-31
B-35
B-72
B-86

Adjacent counties

By land

By water

Milwaukee County, Wisconsin - southwest
Ozaukee County, Wisconsin - west

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	3,947		—
1870	14,894		277.3%
1880	26,586		78.5%
1890	40,013		50.5%
1900	37,036		−7.4%
1910	40,577		9.6%
1920	62,362		53.7%
1930	84,630		35.7%
1940	94,501		11.7%
1950	121,545		28.6%
1960	129,943		6.9%
1970	157,426		21.2%
1980	157,589		0.1%
1990	158,983		0.9%
2000	170,200		7.1%
2010	172,188		1.2%
2020	175,824		2.1%
2023 (est.)	176,564	^[10]	0.4%
U.S. Decennial Census^[11] 1790-1960^[12] 1900-1990^[13] 1990-2000^[14] 2010-2019^[15]

As of the 2010 United States Census,^[16] there were 172,188 people living in the county. 77.4% were non-Hispanic White, 14.6% Black or African American, 0.6% Asian, 0.9% Native American, and 2.5% of two or more races. 4.8% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

As of the census^[17] of 2000, there were 170,200 people, 63,330 households, and 44,267 families living in the county. The population density was 334 inhabitants per square mile (129/km²). There were 68,556 housing units at an average density of 135 per square mile (52/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 81.25% White, 14.20% Black or African American, 0.82% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.28% from other races, and 2.01% from two or more races. 3.53% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 17.2% were of German, 9.8% Dutch, 7.3% American, 7.2% English, 6.8% Irish and 5.5% Polish ancestry, 95.9% spoke English and 2.6% Spanish as their first language.

There were 63,330 households, of which 34.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.60% were married couples living together, 13.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.10% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.50% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 29.00% from 25 to 44, 21.90% from 45 to 64, and 12.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.40 males.

The county's median household income was $38,008, and the median family income was $45,710. Males had a median income of $35,952 versus $25,430 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,967. About 8.80% of families and 11.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.00% of those under age 18 and 8.20% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Prior to 1932, Muskegon County was a Republican Party stronghold in presidential elections, aside from 1912 where the split Republican vote primarily backed former president & third-party candidate Theodore Roosevelt. The county became a Republican-leaning swing county from 1932 to 1988. It only supported a Democrat for president six times during this period; 1948 was the only election in this period that was not a national Democratic landslide.

Starting with the 1992 election, the county has consistently backed Democratic presidential candidates, and is one of the few Democratic bastions in traditionally Republican West Michigan. However, after narrowly losing the county in both 2016 and 2020 amid his surge in the Rust Belt, Donald Trump flipped it in 2024.

United States presidential election results for Muskegon County, Michigan^[18]
Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
Year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	47,733	50.15%	46,028	48.36%	1,420	1.49%
2020	45,133	48.82%	45,643	49.37%	1,668	1.80%
2016	36,127	45.89%	37,304	47.39%	5,292	6.72%
2012	30,884	40.43%	44,436	58.16%	1,077	1.41%
2008	29,145	34.51%	53,821	63.73%	1,490	1.76%
2004	35,302	43.96%	44,282	55.14%	729	0.91%
2000	30,028	43.35%	37,865	54.66%	1,377	1.99%
1996	21,873	34.48%	35,328	55.69%	6,237	9.83%
1992	23,769	33.04%	32,515	45.19%	15,664	21.77%
1988	33,567	53.36%	28,977	46.06%	363	0.58%
1984	39,355	60.67%	25,247	38.92%	261	0.40%
1980	36,512	53.73%	26,645	39.21%	4,797	7.06%
1976	35,548	56.06%	27,013	42.60%	846	1.33%
1972	36,428	59.60%	22,804	37.31%	1,893	3.10%
1968	28,233	48.11%	24,492	41.74%	5,958	10.15%
1964	22,146	37.51%	36,769	62.28%	119	0.20%
1960	32,667	52.98%	28,755	46.63%	239	0.39%
1956	30,395	54.04%	25,679	45.65%	172	0.31%
1952	25,967	51.47%	23,826	47.23%	653	1.29%
1948	15,382	41.45%	20,631	55.60%	1,094	2.95%
1944	16,536	44.95%	19,963	54.27%	287	0.78%
1940	14,957	43.45%	19,257	55.94%	210	0.61%
1936	9,366	34.52%	17,252	63.58%	515	1.90%
1932	11,971	45.58%	13,497	51.39%	797	3.03%
1928	16,997	76.28%	5,158	23.15%	126	0.57%
1924	14,422	79.22%	1,462	8.03%	2,322	12.75%
1920	11,702	73.70%	3,468	21.84%	707	4.45%
1916	5,692	52.16%	4,465	40.91%	756	6.93%
1912	1,523	18.47%	1,678	20.35%	5,045	61.18%
1908	5,070	69.25%	1,794	24.50%	457	6.24%
1904	5,453	76.46%	1,181	16.56%	498	6.98%
1900	5,250	63.60%	2,796	33.87%	209	2.53%
1896	4,682	58.79%	3,110	39.05%	172	2.16%
1892	3,830	49.76%	3,301	42.89%	566	7.35%
1888	4,521	52.44%	3,514	40.76%	587	6.81%
1884	3,483	49.79%	3,171	45.33%	342	4.89%

County government

The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintains vital records, administers public health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of welfare and other social services. The county board of commissioners 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.