Marquette County, Michigan

Marquette County, Michigan
Marquette County is a county located in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 66,017. The county seat is Marquette. The county is named for Father Jacques Marquette, a Jesuit missionary. It was set off in 1843 and organized in 1851. Marquette County is the largest county in land area in Michigan, and the most populous county in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Marquette County comprises the Marquette, MI Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (47%) is water. It is the largest county in Michigan by land area and fourth-largest by total area.
The Huron Mountains are located in the county. To the north of the county is Lake Superior.
Adjacent counties
Alger County, east
Delta County, southeast
Menominee County, south/CT Border
Dickinson County, south/CT Border
Iron County, southwest/CT Border
Baraga County, west
Houghton County, northwest
Keweenaw County, north
National protected areas
Hiawatha National Forest (part)
Huron National Wildlife Refuge
Ottawa National Forest (part)
Climate
Economy
Top employers
Last updated June 8, 2021.
According to the Lake Superior Community Partnership website, the top employers in the county are:
*Bolded values have been updated for 2021.
Transportation
Airports
Sawyer International Airport, a county-owned public-use facility, south of Marquette on the site of K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base, which closed in 1995.
Transit
MarqTran provides local transit services in and around Marquette.
Indian Trails provides intercity bus service.
Major highways
In addition to the of state highways in the county, the Marquette County Road Commission maintains of primary county roads which include County Road 492 (CR 492), and of secondary county roads. The road commission provides maintenance such as snow removal under contract with the Michigan Department of Transportation for the state trunklines. In 2010, the commission planned to build CR 595. The project was canceled after the permit was denied by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and the project funding was diverted.
Demographics
The 2010 United States Census, indicates Marquette County had a population of 67,077. This increase of 2,443 people from 2000 represents a growth of 3.8%. In 2010 there were 27,538 households and 16,664 families in the county. The population density was . There were 34,330 housing units at an average density of . 93.8% of the population were White, 1.7% Native American, 1.7% Black or African American, 0.6% Asian, 0.2% of some other race and 2.0% of two or more races. 1.1% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). 18.8% were of Finnish, 13.3% German, 10.5% French, French Canadian or Cajun, 9.3% English, 6.8% Italian, 6.2% Irish and 5.8% Swedish ancestry.
There were 27,538 households, out of which 23.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.8% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.81.
The county population contained 18.7% were under the age of 18, 14.8% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.4 years. The population is 50.5% male and 49.5% female.
The median income for a household in the county was $46,875, and the median income for a family was $52,083. The per capita income for the county was $22,170. About 6.4% of families and 12.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.3% of those under age 18 and 12.5% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Marquette County was reliably Republican following the American Civil War; its voters went Republican (or Republican-splinter) in every election from 1876 through 1932. However, that shifted in 1936; since then, the Republican nominee has carried the county in only five out of 22 elections through 2020, and it has become the only reliably Democratic county in the Upper Peninsula.
The county government operates Sawyer International Airport, 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
County Clerk: Linda Talsma
County Treasurer: Jacqueline Solomon
Drain Commissioner: P. Michael Farrell
Mine Inspector: Steve Bertucci
Prosecuting Attorney: Matthew J. Wiese
Register of Deeds: Aidan Mckindles
Sheriff: Gregory S. Zyburt
Education
Northern Michigan University is a four-year university in Marquette. It was established in 1899.
Historical markers
There are ten historical markers in the county:
Cliffs Shaft Mine
Dandelion Cottage
Father Marquette Park
First Steam Railroad in Upper Peninsula
Ishpeming: Historic Ski Center
Jackson Mine
Marquette County Courthouse
Marquette Iron Range
Northern Michigan University
Sam Cohodas Lodge / Sam Cohodas
Communities
Cities
Ishpeming
Marquette (county seat)
Negaunee
Charter townships
Chocolay Charter Township
Marquette Charter Township
Civil townships
Champion Township
Ely Township
Ewing Township
Forsyth Township
Humboldt Township
Ishpeming Township
Michigamme Township
Negaunee Township
Powell Township
Republic Township
Richmond Township
Sands Township
Skandia Township
Tilden Township
Turin Township
Wells Township
West Branch Township
Census-designated places
Big Bay
Gwinn
Harvey
K.I. Sawyer
Michigamme
Palmer
Republic
Trowbridge Park
West Ishpeming
Other unincorporated communities
Alder
Antlers
Arnold
Beaver Grove
Birch
Brookton Corners
Carlshend
Clarksburg
Dukes
Eagle Mills
Empire Iron Mine
Gordon
Green Garden
Greenwood
Homeier
Huron Mountain
Lakewood
Lawson
Little Lake
Maple Grove
McFarland
Midway Location
National Mine
North Lake
Northland
Sand River
Selma
Snowville
South Greenwood
South Republic
Suomi Location
Vick
Witch Lake
Indian reservations
The L'Anse Indian Reservation, which is primarily based in Baraga County to the west, has a small portion within Chocolay Township.
The Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians, which is headquartered in Sault Ste. Marie in Chippewa County, occupies a very small piece of property within the city limits of Marquette.
See also
List of Michigan State Historic Sites in Marquette County, Michigan
National Register of Historic Places listings in Marquette County, Michigan
References
External links
Marquette County web site
Michigan counties
1851 establishments in Michigan
Populated places established in 1851