# Livingston County, Michigan

Livingston County (/lɪvɪŋstən/ LIV-ing-stən) is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, its population was 193,866. It is part of the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county seat and most populous city is Howell. The county was platted in 1833, but for three years remained assigned to Shiawassee and Washtenaw Counties for revenue, taxation, and judicial matters. It was formally organized in 1836. As one of Michigan's "Cabinet counties", a group of ten counties whose names honor members of President Andrew Jackson's cabinet, it is named after former U.S. Secretary of State Edward Livingston. Livingston County's location in Southeast Michigan offers residents relatively convenient access to the metropolitan centers of Detroit, Lansing, Ann Arbor, and Flint. Livingston County residents regularly commute to those centers, using the three major expressways that pass through the county: I-96, US 23, and M-59. Though largely composed of bedroom communities, the county is experiencing and maintaining significant growth in both the service and industrial economic sectors. Major employers include Tribar, PepsiCo, Citizens Insurance, and ThaiSummit. The Brighton Recreation Area is in the county.

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 585 square miles (1,520 km$^2$), of which 565 square miles (1,460 km$^2$) is land and 20 square miles (52 km$^2$) (3.4%) is water.

### Adjacent counties

* Shiawassee County – northwest
* Genesee County – northeast
* Oakland County – east
* Washtenaw County – south
* Jackson County – southwest
* Ingham County – west

## Demographics

As of the 2010 United States Census, the county had 180,967 people, 55,384 households, and 43,531 families. The population density was 320 inhabitants per square mile (120/km$^2$). There were 58,919 housing units at an average density of 104 per square mile (40/km$^2$). 96.7% of the population were White, 0.8% Asian, 0.4% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.4% of some other race and 1.3% of two or more races. 1.9% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). 20.8% were of German, 11.2% Irish, 10.6% English, 10.6% Polish, 6.5% American, 5.2% Italian and 5.1% French, French Canadian or Cajun ancestry. 95.9% spoke only English at home, while 1.7% spoke Spanish.
There were 55,384 households, of which 39.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.50% were married couples living together, 6.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.40% were non-families. 17.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the county, 28.80% of the population was under the age of 18, 6.60% was from age 18 to 24, 31.70% was from age 25 to 44, 24.60% was from age 45 to 64, and 8.30% was 65 years or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.70 males.
With a median household income of $67,400 (2008 estimate - $72,700) and a median family income of $75,284, Livingston County is the 88th highest-income county in the United States and has the second-highest median income in Michigan (after Oakland) in 2010. Males had a median income of $54,358 versus $32,073 for females. The county's per capita income was $28,069. About 2.40% of families and 3.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.60% of those under age 18 and 4.50% of those age 65 or over.
A majority of the county's population resided in the southeastern communities of Brighton Township, Genoa Township, Hamburg Township, Green Oak Township, the Village of Pinckney, Putnam Township and the city of Brighton.
The US Census Bureau in 2000 identified Brighton, Howell and the nearby city of South Lyon to be a contiguously urbanized area, one of the newest such areas in the United States.

## Media

There are two local newspapers, the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus, owned by Gannett Company, and The Community Journal, an independently owned weekly.
The Daily Press & Argus, which publishes daily except Saturday, launched in 2000 through the combination of two weekly newspapers, The Livingston County Press and The Brighton Argus, which served the communities for many decades.
The Community Journal launched in 2010. It publishes on Tuesdays, covering Pinckney, Fowlerville, and the Howell areas.The Journal is published along with the Fowlerville News and Views.
A weekly all-local paper, The Livingston Community News, launched in 2003 with offices in downtown Brighton and closed in 2009 when The Ann Arbor News, its parent company, ceased publication.
Other media in the county include WHMI-FM, a Classic Hits radio station that has local news on the hour, and LivingstonTalk.com, a web-based product launched in 2009.
The Marketeer is a free monthly magazine mailed to more than 42,000 Livingston County residents. Its content is primarily advertising from local businesses plus articles and information about people and community events. The Marketeer has been published since 1974.

## Politics

Livingston County falls entirely within Michigan's 7th Congressional district and is represented by Republican Tom Barrett.
Livingston County has reliably supported the Republican Party since its founding. Since 1884, Republican presidential nominees have carried the county in 30 of 36 elections, and all but one since 1936 (losing only in 1964).
United States presidential election results for Livingston County, Michigan :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 81,217 | 61.20% | 49,503 | 37.30% | 1,996 | 1.50% |
| 2020 | 76,982 | 60.52% | 48,220 | 37.91% | 1,995 | 1.57% |
| 2016 | 65,680 | 61.68% | 34,384 | 32.29% | 6,425 | 6.03% |
| 2012 | 60,083 | 60.91% | 37,216 | 37.73% | 1,341 | 1.36% |
| 2008 | 55,592 | 55.64% | 42,349 | 42.39% | 1,965 | 1.97% |
| 2004 | 58,860 | 62.79% | 33,991 | 36.26% | 891 | 0.95% |
| 2000 | 44,637 | 59.14% | 28,780 | 38.13% | 2,058 | 2.73% |
| 1996 | 30,598 | 50.79% | 22,517 | 37.38% | 7,127 | 11.83% |
| 1992 | 27,539 | 44.61% | 17,851 | 28.92% | 16,345 | 26.48% |
| 1988 | 31,331 | 68.79% | 13,749 | 30.19% | 466 | 1.02% |
| 1984 | 31,846 | 74.39% | 10,720 | 25.04% | 246 | 0.57% |
| 1980 | 25,012 | 60.17% | 12,626 | 30.37% | 3,932 | 9.46% |
| 1976 | 19,437 | 59.83% | 12,415 | 38.22% | 634 | 1.95% |
| 1972 | 16,856 | 66.85% | 7,634 | 30.28% | 725 | 2.88% |
| 1968 | 10,034 | 51.01% | 7,052 | 35.85% | 2,584 | 13.14% |
| 1964 | 6,723 | 40.89% | 9,698 | 58.99% | 20 | 0.12% |
| 1960 | 10,340 | 64.68% | 5,608 | 35.08% | 39 | 0.24% |
| 1956 | 10,315 | 72.62% | 3,845 | 27.07% | 45 | 0.32% |
| 1952 | 9,790 | 75.57% | 3,086 | 23.82% | 79 | 0.61% |
| 1948 | 7,368 | 70.99% | 2,813 | 27.10% | 198 | 1.91% |
| 1944 | 7,417 | 71.38% | 2,910 | 28.01% | 64 | 0.62% |
| 1940 | 7,068 | 68.25% | 3,254 | 31.42% | 34 | 0.33% |
| 1936 | 5,117 | 53.51% | 4,117 | 43.05% | 329 | 3.44% |
| 1932 | 4,534 | 48.46% | 4,684 | 50.06% | 139 | 1.49% |
| 1928 | 5,642 | 72.88% | 2,075 | 26.81% | 24 | 0.31% |
| 1924 | 4,886 | 67.37% | 2,037 | 28.09% | 329 | 4.54% |
| 1920 | 4,639 | 64.10% | 2,437 | 33.67% | 161 | 2.22% |
| 1916 | 2,460 | 50.88% | 2,297 | 47.51% | 78 | 1.61% |
| 1912 | 1,408 | 28.49% | 1,960 | 39.66% | 1,574 | 31.85% |
| 1908 | 2,740 | 50.82% | 2,418 | 44.84% | 234 | 4.34% |
| 1904 | 3,288 | 60.32% | 1,988 | 36.47% | 175 | 3.21% |
| 1900 | 2,860 | 49.70% | 2,727 | 47.38% | 168 | 2.92% |
| 1896 | 2,893 | 47.69% | 2,994 | 49.36% | 179 | 2.95% |
| 1892 | 2,447 | 43.76% | 2,385 | 42.65% | 760 | 13.59% |
| 1888 | 2,706 | 44.99% | 2,842 | 47.25% | 467 | 7.76% |
| 1884 | 2,597 | 44.72% | 2,938 | 50.59% | 272 | 4.68% |

### County 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: David Reader
* Sheriff: Michael Murphy
* County Clerk: Elizabeth Hundley
* County Treasurer: Jennifer Nash
* Register of Deeds: Brandon Denby
* Drain Commissioner: Brian Jonckheere
(information as of May 2019)

## Transportation
### Major highways

* I-96 – runs ESE and SE through central part of county, passing Fowlerville, Howell, Brighton.
* BL I-96 – business loop through central Howell, parallel to and on the north side of I96. 7.6 miles (12.2 km) long.
* US 23 – runs north–south through eastern part of county, passing Hartland, Brighton, Whitmore Lake.
* M-36 - runs east and southeast through lower part of county, passing Pinckney and Hamburg, to intersection with US23 north of Whitmore Lake.
* M-59 – runs west from east county line to intersection with I96, 3.4 miles (5.5 km) WNW of Howell.
* M-106 – enters west line of county near SW corner. Runs east and NE to intersection with M36, 3 miles (4.8 km) inside county border.
* D-19 – runs south from Pinckney 2.3 miles (3.7 km) to intersection with N. Territorial Road.

## Communities
### Cities

* Brighton
* Fenton (partial)
* Howell (county seat)

### Villages

* Fowlerville
* Pinckney

### Charter townships

* Brighton Charter Township
* Genoa Charter Township
* Green Oak Charter Township

### Civil townships

* Cohoctah Township
* Conway Township
* Deerfield Township
* Hamburg Township
* Handy Township
* Hartland Township
* Howell Township
* Iosco Township
* Marion Township
* Oceola Township
* Putnam Township
* Tyrone Township
* Unadilla Township

### Census-designated places

* Hartland
* Whitmore Lake (partial)

### Other unincorporated communities

* Anderson
* Bullis Crossing
* Chalkerville
* Chilson
* Cohoctah
* Cohoctah Center
* Deer Creek
* Deerfield Center
* Fleming
* Green Oak
* Gregory
* Hallers Corners
* Hamburg
* Hell
* Island Lake
* Kaiserville
* Kensington (former)
* Lakeland
* Nicholson (partial)
* Oak Grove
* Parkers Corners
* Parshallville
* Plainfield
* Pettysville
* Rushton
* Tyrone Center
* Unadilla
* Williamsville