Allegan County, Michigan

Allegan County
Allegan County
County
	Saugatuck Dunes State Park
	Location within the U.S. state of Michigan
	Michigan's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 42°35′N 85°54′W / 42.59°N 85.9°W
Country	United States
State	Michigan
Founded	established 1831; organized 1835
Seat	Allegan
Largest city	Holland
Area
• Total	1,833 sq mi (4,750 km2)
• Land	825 sq mi (2,140 km2)
• Water	1,008 sq mi (2,610 km2) 55%
Population (2020)
• Total	120,502
• Density	135/sq mi (52/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	4th
Website	http://www.allegancounty.org

Allegan County (⫽ˈæləɡən⫽ AL-ə-gən) is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 120,502.^[2] The county seat is Allegan.^[3] The name was coined by Henry Rowe Schoolcraft to sound like a Native American word.^[1]

Allegan County comprises the Holland, Michigan Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Grand Rapids–Kentwood–Muskegon Combined Statistical Area. It is primarily an agricultural area that is rapidly becoming urbanized as the population centers of Grand Rapids on the northeast and Kalamazoo to the southeast expand into Allegan County.

The county has long been a regional tourist draw, particularly the Tulip Time Festival in Holland and the area along Lake Michigan. The Lake Michigan shoreline has long been a popular place for vacation homes, and that development continues, especially around Saugatuck and Douglas. Another draw is Allegan State Game Area, a 45,000 acres (180 km²) forest attracting campers, snowmobilers, cross-country skiers and hunters. Allegan County contains Saugatuck Dunes State Park with trails through scenic dunes and a swimming beach on Lake Michigan. The county also contains Pier Cove Park, a public beach with Lake Michigan access. Lake Allegan is a popular destination.^[4]

History

The Michigan peninsula was long occupied by bands of the Pottawatomi and Ojibwe of the Lake Superior Band of Chippewa Indians. The United States government forced the tribes to cede their extensive territories to the federal government, in exchange for annuities and small reservations. The federally recognized Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi has a reservation here.

The boundaries of Allegan County were laid out by the Territorial legislature in 1831. The county was organized in 1835. At that time there were only about four European-American families in the area. Among the first settlers of Allegan County were Giles Scott and Turner Aldrich.^[5]

Geography

According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,833 sq mi (4,750 km²), of which 825 sq mi (2,140 km²) is land and 1,008 sq mi (2,610 km²) (55%) is water.^[6]

Adjacent counties

By land

Ottawa County – north
Kent County – northeast
Barry County – east
Kalamazoo County – southeast
Van Buren County – south

By water

Transportation

Major highways

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1840	1,783		—
1850	5,125		187.4%
1860	16,087		213.9%
1870	32,105		99.6%
1880	37,815		17.8%
1890	38,961		3.0%
1900	38,812		−0.4%
1910	39,819		2.6%
1920	37,540		−5.7%
1930	38,974		3.8%
1940	41,839		7.4%
1950	47,493		13.5%
1960	57,729		21.6%
1970	66,575		15.3%
1980	81,555		22.5%
1990	90,509		11.0%
2000	105,665		16.7%
2010	111,408		5.4%
2020	120,502		8.2%
2023 (est.)	121,939	^[7]	1.2%
US Decennial Census^[8] 1790–1960^[9] 1900–1990^[10] 1990–2000^[11] 2010–2019^[2]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 111,408 people living in the county. 92.9% were White, 1.2% Black or African American, 0.6% Asian, 0.6% Native American, 2.8% of some other race and 1.9% of two or more races. 6.7% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). 23.0% were of Dutch, 17.5% German, 8.3% English, 7.1% Irish and 7.1% American ancestry.^[12]

As of the 2000 United States Census,^[13] there were 105,665 people, 38,165 households, and 28,394 families living in the county. The population density was 128 inhabitants per square mile (49/km²). There were 43,292 housing units at an average density of 52 per square mile (20/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.47% White, 1.31% Black or African American, 0.55% Native American, 0.55% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.77% from other races, and 1.32% from two or more races. 5.72% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 25.6% were of Dutch, 17.8% German, 9.6% American, 8.4% English and 7.2% Irish ancestry, 93.6% spoke only English; 5.2% spoke Spanish at home.

There were 38,165 households, out of which 37.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.40% were married couples living together, 9.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.60% were non-families. 20.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.15.

The county population contained 28.90% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 30.00% from 25 to 44, 22.00% from 45 to 64, and 11.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $45,813, and the median income for a family was $51,908. Males had a median income of $38,681 versus $26,887 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,918. About 5.00% of families and 7.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.50% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over.

Religion

The Reformed Church in America was the largest Protestant denomination with 4,500 members in 11 churches.
The United Methodist Church was second, with 3,600 congregants in 20 churches.
The Christian Reformed Church was third, with 10 churches and 2,600 members.
The Catholic Church has 10,000 members as of 2010^[update].^[14]
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has one meetinghouse.^[15]

Government

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

Elected officials

Prosecuting Attorney: Myrene Koch
Sheriff: Frank L. Baker
Chief 48th Circuit Court Judge: Hon. Roberts Kengis
48th Circuit Court Judge: Hon. Margaret Bakker
57th District Court Judge: Hon. Joseph Skocelas
57th District Court Judge: Hon. William Baillargeon
Family Court Judge: Hon. Michael L. Buck
County Clerk/Register of Deeds: Bob Genetski
County Treasurer: Sally L. Brooks
Drain Commissioner: Denise Medemar
County Surveyor: Kevin D. Miedema

(Information as of September 2022)

Politics

Allegan County has been strongly Republican from its start, and is very Republican even by the standards of West Michigan. Since 1884, the Republican Party nominee has carried the county vote in 94% of the elections (32 of 34 elections). It was one of the few counties in the nation where Franklin D. Roosevelt was completely shut out in all four of his successful runs for president. FDR actually garnered fewer votes in the county in his 46-state landslide of 1936 than he did in 1932. Lyndon Johnson is the only Democrat to have carried the county since 1884, and even then only by 701 votes; it was the last time a Democrat has managed even 40 percent of the county's vote until Barack Obama received 43.63 percent of its vote in 2008. The only other time that the Republicans lost the county in the 20th century was in 1912, when the GOP was mortally divided and Theodore Roosevelt carried it on the Bull Moose ticket.

United States presidential election results for Allegan County, Michigan^[16]
Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
Year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	41,392	61.60%	24,449	36.39%	1,354	2.02%
2016	34,183	60.91%	18,050	32.16%	3,887	6.93%
2012	31,123	58.97%	20,806	39.42%	846	1.60%
2008	30,061	54.28%	24,165	43.63%	1,154	2.08%
2004	34,022	63.11%	19,355	35.90%	530	0.98%
2000	28,197	62.81%	15,495	34.52%	1,199	2.67%
1996	20,859	53.77%	14,361	37.02%	3,570	9.20%
1992	19,077	46.72%	12,823	31.40%	8,935	21.88%
1988	22,163	66.78%	10,785	32.50%	240	0.72%
1984	23,762	73.48%	8,389	25.94%	187	0.58%
1980	20,560	62.24%	9,877	29.90%	2,594	7.85%
1976	19,330	65.59%	9,794	33.23%	347	1.18%
1972	18,407	68.47%	7,883	29.32%	594	2.21%
1968	14,769	60.32%	7,276	29.72%	2,438	9.96%
1964	11,223	48.39%	11,934	51.45%	37	0.16%
1960	16,660	70.98%	6,752	28.77%	60	0.26%
1956	16,509	74.44%	5,617	25.33%	51	0.23%
1952	15,663	73.40%	5,437	25.48%	238	1.12%
1948	10,439	67.68%	4,594	29.78%	391	2.54%
1944	12,327	73.04%	4,480	26.54%	71	0.42%
1940	12,347	69.40%	5,385	30.27%	60	0.34%
1936	9,247	57.41%	5,922	36.77%	937	5.82%
1932	8,705	54.13%	7,030	43.71%	347	2.16%
1928	10,792	81.65%	2,358	17.84%	67	0.51%
1924	9,417	79.32%	1,562	13.16%	893	7.52%
1920	7,825	75.89%	2,154	20.89%	332	3.22%
1916	4,803	54.81%	3,591	40.98%	369	4.21%
1912	2,121	27.92%	1,925	25.34%	3,550	46.74%
1908	5,422	67.32%	2,186	27.14%	446	5.54%
1904	5,589	73.98%	1,576	20.86%	390	5.16%
1900	5,590	61.13%	3,275	35.82%	279	3.05%
1896	5,810	57.85%	3,937	39.20%	296	2.95%
1892	4,283	50.96%	3,207	38.16%	915	10.89%
1888	5,078	52.01%	3,829	39.22%	856	8.77%
1884	4,080	48.27%	3,445	40.75%	928	10.98%