Cheboygan County, Michigan

Cheboygan County
Cheboygan County
County
	Poe Reef Light
	Seal
	Location within the U.S. state of Michigan
	Michigan's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 45°29′N 84°30′W / 45.48°N 84.5°W
Country	United States
State	Michigan
Founded	1840 (authorized); 1853 (organized)
Seat	Cheboygan
Largest city	Cheboygan
Area
• Total	885 sq mi (2,290 km2)
• Land	715 sq mi (1,850 km2)
• Water	170 sq mi (400 km2) 19%
Population (2020)
• Total	25,579
• Density	37/sq mi (14/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	www.cheboygancounty.net

Cheboygan County (/ʃəˈbɔɪɡən/ shə-BOY-gən^[2]) is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,579.^[3] The county seat is Cheboygan.^[4] The county boundaries were set off in 1840, with land partitioned from Michilimackinac County.^[5] The Cheboygan County government was organized and combined with the former Wyandot County in 1853.^[1]^[6]

Etymology

The name of the county shares the same origin as that of the Cheboygan River, although the precise meaning is no longer known. It may have come from an Ojibwe word zhaabonigan, meaning "sewing needle". Alternatively, the origin may have been Chabwegan, meaning "a place of ore".^[7] It has also been described as "a Native American word first applied to the river."^[1] See List of Michigan county name etymologies. "Cheboygan" is pronounced the same as "Sheboygan" (a city in Wisconsin).^[2]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 885 square miles (2,290 km²), of which 715 square miles (1,850 km²) is land and 170 square miles (440 km²) (19%) is water.^[8] The county is considered to be part of Northern Michigan.

Adjacent counties

By land

By water

Mackinac County - north

Communities

City

Cheboygan (county seat)

Villages

Mackinaw City (part)
Wolverine

Civil townships

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

Indian reservations

Mackinac Bands of Chippewa and Ottawa Indians

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	517		—
1870	2,196		324.8%
1880	6,524		197.1%
1890	11,986		83.7%
1900	15,516		29.5%
1910	17,872		15.2%
1920	13,991		−21.7%
1930	11,502		−17.8%
1940	13,644		18.6%
1950	13,731		0.6%
1960	14,550		6.0%
1970	16,573		13.9%
1980	20,649		24.6%
1990	21,398		3.6%
2000	26,448		23.6%
2010	26,152		−1.1%
2020	25,579		−2.2%
2023 (est.)	26,048	^[9]	1.8%
US Decennial Census^[10] 1790-1960^[11] 1900-1990^[12] 1990-2000^[13] 2010-2018^[3]

As of the 2000 United States census,^[14] there were 26,448 people, 10,835 households, and 7,573 families in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile (14 people/km²). There were 16,583 housing units at an average density of 23 per square mile (8.9/km²). In 2020, its population was 25,279.

In 2000, the racial makeup of the county was 94.80% White, 0.25% Black or African American, 2.55% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.15% from other races, and 2.05% from two or more races. 0.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 21.4% were of German, 10.4% English, 10.0% French, 9.5% Polish, 9.2% American and 8.9% Irish ancestry. 97.7% spoke English as their first language.

There were 10,835 households, out of which 28.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.00% were married couples living together, 8.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.10% were non-families. 25.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.87.

The county population contained 23.70% under the age of 18, 6.20% from 18 to 24, 25.80% from 25 to 44, 26.30% from 45 to 64, and 17.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 98.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.50 males.

In 2000, the median income for a household in the county was $33,417, and the median income for a family was $38,390. Males had a median income of $30,054 versus $20,682 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,088. About 8.70% of families and 12.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.90% of those under age 18 and 7.10% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Cheyboygan County has tended to vote Republican through the years. Since 1884 its voters have selected the Republican Party nominee in 71% (24 of 35) of the national elections.

United States presidential election results for Cheboygan County, Michigan^[15]
Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
Year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	10,186	64.10%	5,437	34.22%	267	1.68%
2016	8,683	63.51%	4,302	31.47%	687	5.02%
2012	7,286	54.58%	5,831	43.68%	233	1.75%
2008	6,920	49.78%	6,720	48.34%	261	1.88%
2004	7,798	56.15%	5,941	42.78%	148	1.07%
2000	6,815	54.01%	5,484	43.47%	318	2.52%
1996	4,244	39.18%	5,018	46.32%	1,571	14.50%
1992	3,864	35.57%	4,459	41.04%	2,541	23.39%
1988	5,395	57.52%	3,943	42.04%	42	0.45%
1984	6,053	64.04%	3,358	35.53%	41	0.43%
1980	5,221	52.45%	3,938	39.56%	795	7.99%
1976	4,894	55.13%	3,880	43.70%	104	1.17%
1972	4,529	59.11%	2,985	38.96%	148	1.93%
1968	3,422	49.60%	2,840	41.17%	637	9.23%
1964	2,342	36.70%	4,028	63.12%	11	0.17%
1960	3,817	56.17%	2,977	43.81%	2	0.03%
1956	4,379	69.55%	1,910	30.34%	7	0.11%
1952	4,385	69.50%	1,900	30.12%	24	0.38%
1948	3,184	62.32%	1,842	36.05%	83	1.62%
1944	2,943	57.53%	2,141	41.85%	32	0.63%
1940	3,646	55.89%	2,856	43.78%	21	0.32%
1936	2,584	43.00%	3,016	50.19%	409	6.81%
1932	2,309	39.73%	3,431	59.04%	71	1.22%
1928	2,743	60.34%	1,784	39.24%	19	0.42%
1924	2,683	64.16%	994	23.77%	505	12.08%
1920	2,472	63.47%	1,281	32.89%	142	3.65%
1916	1,576	51.17%	1,389	45.10%	115	3.73%
1912	896	27.69%	981	30.32%	1,359	42.00%
1908	2,053	58.94%	1,205	34.60%	225	6.46%
1904	2,572	70.10%	979	26.68%	118	3.22%
1900	2,092	59.08%	1,398	39.48%	51	1.44%
1896	1,576	48.79%	1,617	50.06%	37	1.15%
1892	1,094	44.27%	1,224	49.53%	153	6.19%
1888	1,110	45.66%	1,237	50.88%	84	3.46%
1884	777	45.33%	897	52.33%	40	2.33%

Cheyboygan County operates the County 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.