Macomb County, Michigan
Macomb County is a county on the eastern shore of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is part of the Detroit metropolitan area, bordering Detroit to the north and containing many of its northern suburbs. Its seat of government is Mt. Clemens, and its largest community is Warren. As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 881,217, making it the third-most populous county in the state, behind neighboring Wayne and Oakland. Macomb County contains 27 cities, townships and villages, including three of the ten most-populous municipalities in Michigan. Most of this population is concentrated south of Hall Road, one of the county's main thoroughfares.
History
The Ojibwe lived in the area for centuries before European contact and were preceded by other cultures of ancient indigenous peoples.The first European colonists were French, and they arrived in the area during the 17th century. Other early settlers were French fur trappers, who sometimes married Ojibwe women, and Jesuit missionaries. A Moravian colony was established in the county in the late 18th century. In addition to the original French and English settlers, later immigrants included Germans, Belgians, and others from Europe. In the 19th century, the county received many European-American migrants from New York and New England, who were attracted to the area for land and booming jobs in the lumber and other resource industries.
Macomb County was formally organized on January 15, 1818, as the third county in the Michigan Territory. The county was named in honor of Detroit-born Alexander Macomb, Jr., a highly decorated veteran of the War of 1812 and hero of the Battle of Plattsburg. He was made Commanding General of the U.S. Army in 1828.
As was typical in development, the county at first encompassed a much larger area than at present. As population increased in the area, the state legislature removed territory in 1819 and 1820 to form the counties of Oakland, Lapeer, Genesee, and St. Clair.
After World War II, Macomb and neighboring Oakland County grew rapidly due to suburbanization - between 1950 and 1960 the county population more than doubled. However, as opposed to the more white-collar Oakland County, Macomb County residents were generally auto workers and other middle-class blue-collar workers.
In May 2008, Macomb County voters approved the inclusion of a County Executive in a new charter to be submitted to the voters by 2010. A charter commission was elected in November 2008 to draft a charter for submission to Governor Granholm, which was submitted and approved and placed on the November 2009 ballot. The Charter passed with a 60.4% to 39.6% margin.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water. The county's southeastern border with Canada is located across Lake St. Clair.Lake St. Clair borders the county on the east.
Macomb County is mostly considered a part of Southeast Michigan. However, the far northern parts of the county, including Richmond and Armada, are often considered to be part of Michigan's Thumb region.
The county comprises mostly rural/agricultural communities to the north and a mix of suburban and urban areas to the south.
Adjacent counties
By land- St. Clair County, Michigan - northeast
- Lapeer County, Michigan - northwest
- Oakland County, Michigan - west
- Wayne County, Michigan - south
- Lambton County, Ontario, Canada - southeast
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 881,217. The median age was 41.5 years. 20.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 95.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 92.9 males age 18 and over.The racial makeup of the county in 2020 was 76.3% White, 12.4% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 4.4% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.0% from some other race, and 5.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.0% of the population.
The 2020 census also recorded that 96.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 3.2% lived in rural areas.
There were 353,201 households in the county, of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 45.9% were married-couple households, 19.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 369,404 housing units, of which 4.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 73.6% were owner-occupied and 26.4% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.2%.
2010 census
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 840,978 people living in the county. 85.4% were White, 8.6% Black or African American, 3.0% Asian, 0.3% Native American, 0.6% of some other race and 2.1% of two or more races. 2.3% were Hispanic or Latino. 14.8% were of German, 14.3% Polish, 11.1% Italian, 6.5% Irish and 5.9% American ancestry.2000 census
In 2000, 87.6% of county residents spoke only English at home; 1.7% spoke Italian, 1.4% Polish, 1.2% Spanish, 1.1% Arabic, and 1.1% Syriac.European ethnic groups that have settled in Macomb County since the late 20th century include Bosnians, Albanians and Macedonians.
Among Asian ethnic groups, eight numbered over 1,000 people in Macomb County. They were Arabs, Asian Indians, Chaldo-Assyrians, Filipinos, Chinese, Koreans, Vietnamese, and Hmong. Pakistanis are also represented in Macomb County's population.
Native American tribes had more than 2,478 residents in Macomb County in 2000.
In 2000, there were 309,203 households, out of which 31.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.30% were married couples living together, 10.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.80% were non-families. 26.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.09.
In 2000, the age distribution of the county was as follows: 24.10% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 31.50% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 13.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $52,102, and the median income for a family was $62,816. Males had a median income of $48,303 versus $30,215 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,446. About 4.00% of families and 5.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.00% of those under age 18 and 6.40% of those age 65 or over.
2006 American Community Survey
According to the 2006 American Community Survey, the average family size was 3.15. The population of 25 and over was 571,463. 86.9% of that population had graduated from high school, and 21% of the population had a Bachelor's degree or higher. About 14.3% of that population was disabled. 12.5% of Macomb's population could speak another language at home.Of Michigan's five largest counties, Macomb experienced the most population growth in the post-World War II years of accelerating suburban development, between 1950 and 1960. Its population has continued to grow to the present day, albeit at a slower pace since 1980.
Parks and recreation
Macomb County is home to more than 130 parks covering managed by the state, regional, county, and local government. There are four major public parks in the County - , Macomb Orchard Trail, Lake St. Clair Metropark, and Stony Creek Metropark. The county also has 31 miles of shoreline and over 100 marinas.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 and creates and adopts ordinances and resolutions related to County functions. 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.The Macomb Intermediate School District serves all school districts based in the county.
Elected officials
- County Executive: Mark Hackel
- Prosecuting Attorney: Peter Lucido
- Sheriff: Anthony Wickersham
- County Clerk/Register of Deeds: Anthony Forlini
- County Treasurer: Larry Rocca
- Public Works Commissioner: Candice Miller
- Macomb County Board of Commissioners: 13 members, elected from districts
- Circuit Court: 13 judges
- Probate Court: 2 judges
Politics
The more populated communities south of M-59, closer to Detroit city proper are friendlier to Democrats. Warren leans Democratic, while Sterling Heights, after voting for Barack Obama in 2012, voted for Trump by about 12 points in both 2016 and 2020, but in 2018, voted for Gretchen Whitmer and Debbie Stabenow by 3 points, and Clinton Charter Township after voting for Obama in 2012, voted for Trump in 2016, but swung back to Whitmer and Stabenow in 2018 and Joe Biden in 2020. The communities north of M-59 further removed from Detroit are more strongly Republican, all backing Trump in 2016 and 2020 and Bill Schuette in 2018.