Osceola County, Michigan

Osceola County
Osceola County
County
	Osceola County Courthouse
	Seal
	Location within the U.S. state of Michigan
	Michigan's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 43°59′N 85°20′W / 43.98°N 85.33°W
Country	United States
State	Michigan
Founded	April 1, 1840 (created); 1869 (organized)
Named for	Osceola
Seat	Reed City
Largest city	Reed City
Area
• Total	573 sq mi (1,480 km2)
• Land	566.39 sq mi (1,466.9 km2)
• Water	6.7 sq mi (17 km2) 1.2%
Population (2020)
• Total	22,891
• Density	41.4/sq mi (16.0/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	2nd
Website	www.osceola-county.org

Osceola County (/ˌɒsiˈoʊlə/ AH-see-OH-lə) is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 22,891.^[2] The county seat is Reed City.^[3]

History

When established by the Michigan Legislature on April 1, 1840, it was named Unwattin County,^[4]^[5] after Chief Unwattin of the local Ottawa people.^[6] As a representative of the Ottawa nation, he participated in negotiations for the Treaty of Washington (1836) that granted a vast expanse of Michigan to the US Federal Government.^[4] The name was changed March 8, 1843, to Osceola, after the Seminole chief who achieved renown in Florida.^[1]

The county was initially attached for administrative purposes to Ottawa County. In 1855, it was attached to Mason County; in 1857, to Newaygo County; and in 1859, to Mecosta County.^[4]

As the population increased, separate county government was organized in 1869, with Hersey designated as the county seat. Reed City became the official county seat in 1927.^[1] The county was developed initially for harvesting and processing lumber, and many European Americans came to work in lumbering and the mills.

Geography

The low rolling hills^[7] of Osceola County were completely wooded prior to settlement; at present about half of the area has been cleared and converted to agricultural or urban use. There are numerous small lakes and ponds scattered across the county; the largest is Rose Lake, northeast of LeRoy.^[8] The highest point on the terrain (1,722 feet/525 meters ASL) is Grove Hill, in Sherman Township.^[9] According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 573 square miles (1,480 km²), of which 566 square miles (1,470 km²) is land and 6.7 square miles (17 km²) (6.7%) is water.^[10] The county is drained by the Muskegon River and branches of the Manistee River. Osceola County is part of Northern Michigan.

Adjacent counties

Wexford County − northwest
Missaukee County − northeast
Clare County − east
Isabella County − southeast
Mecosta County − south
Newaygo County − southwest
Lake County − west

Major highways

US 10
US 131
Bus. US 10 in Reed City
M-61
M-66
M-115

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	27		—
1870	2,093		7,651.9%
1880	10,777		414.9%
1890	14,630		35.8%
1900	17,859		22.1%
1910	17,889		0.2%
1920	15,221		−14.9%
1930	12,806		−15.9%
1940	13,309		3.9%
1950	13,797		3.7%
1960	13,595		−1.5%
1970	14,838		9.1%
1980	18,928		27.6%
1990	20,146		6.4%
2000	23,197		15.1%
2010	23,528		1.4%
2020	22,891		−2.7%
2023 (est.)	23,330	^[11]	1.9%
US Decennial Census^[12] 1790-1960^[13] 1900-1990^[14] 1990-2000^[15] 2010-2018^[2]

2000 census

At the 2000 United States Census,^[16] there were 23,197 people, 8,861 households and 6,415 families in the county. The population density was 41 per square mile (16/km²). There were 12,853 housing units at an average density of 23 per square mile (8.9/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.51% White, 0.35% Black or African American, 0.50% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.20% from other races, and 1.21% from two or more races. 0.99% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 26.0% were of German, 11.9% English, 11.0% American, 8.8% Irish, 6.5% Dutch and 5.2% Polish ancestry. 96.8% spoke English, 1.1% German and 1.0% Spanish as their first language.

There were 8,861 households, of which 32.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.10% were married couples living together, 9.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.60% were non-families. 22.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.01.

27.10% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 26.50% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 14.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 97.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.70 males.

The median household income was $34,102 and the median family income was $39,205. Males had a median income of $29,837 compared with $22,278 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,632. About 9.50% of families and 12.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.90% of those under age 18 and 10.30% of those age 65 or over.

Government

United States presidential election results for Osceola County, Michigan^[17]
Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
Year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	8,928	72.35%	3,214	26.05%	198	1.60%
2016	7,336	69.15%	2,705	25.50%	568	5.35%
2012	6,141	59.75%	3,981	38.73%	156	1.52%
2008	5,973	54.17%	4,855	44.03%	198	1.80%
2004	6,599	58.98%	4,467	39.93%	122	1.09%
2000	5,680	57.20%	4,006	40.34%	244	2.46%
1996	3,855	42.41%	4,085	44.94%	1,150	12.65%
1992	3,606	38.46%	3,529	37.64%	2,241	23.90%
1988	5,218	64.25%	2,860	35.22%	43	0.53%
1984	5,923	73.21%	2,127	26.29%	40	0.49%
1980	4,902	60.04%	2,650	32.46%	612	7.50%
1976	4,467	62.23%	2,603	36.26%	108	1.50%
1972	4,441	69.95%	1,706	26.87%	202	3.18%
1968	3,705	63.77%	1,509	25.97%	596	10.26%
1964	2,779	48.84%	2,891	50.81%	20	0.35%
1960	4,477	76.33%	1,378	23.50%	10	0.17%
1956	4,549	78.28%	1,236	21.27%	26	0.45%
1952	4,607	78.86%	1,160	19.86%	75	1.28%
1948	3,122	68.54%	1,276	28.01%	157	3.45%
1944	3,787	73.14%	1,338	25.84%	53	1.02%
1940	4,217	72.85%	1,555	26.86%	17	0.29%
1936	3,107	56.29%	1,992	36.09%	421	7.63%
1932	2,969	55.18%	2,321	43.13%	91	1.69%
1928	3,923	86.66%	582	12.86%	22	0.49%
1924	3,050	77.79%	566	14.44%	305	7.78%
1920	3,603	80.84%	769	17.25%	85	1.91%
1916	2,193	61.90%	1,285	36.27%	65	1.83%
1912	1,306	37.03%	609	17.27%	1,612	45.70%
1908	2,718	74.38%	767	20.99%	169	4.63%
1904	2,936	80.24%	562	15.36%	161	4.40%
1900	2,635	71.08%	880	23.74%	192	5.18%
1896	2,268	62.90%	1,177	32.64%	161	4.46%
1892	1,601	51.13%	1,092	34.88%	438	13.99%
1888	1,882	57.01%	1,090	33.02%	329	9.97%
1884	1,497	58.43%	792	30.91%	273	10.66%

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.

Communities

Cities

Evart
Reed City (county seat)

Villages

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Education

Intermediate School District

The Mecosta–Osceola Intermediate School District, based in Big Rapids, services the majority of the students in the county (Evart and Reed City), while Wexford-Missaukee Intermediate School District covering services for the others (Marion and Pine River). The ISD offers regional special education services, a residential at-risk youth center, and technical career programs for students of its districts.^[18]^[19]