Branch County, Michigan

Branch County
	Branch County, Michigan
	; Seal
	; Seal
	; Location in the state of Michigan
	; Michigan's location in the U.S.
Founded	October 29, 1829
Seat	Coldwater
Largest city	Coldwater
Area; - Total; - Land; - Water	; 519.49 sq mi (1,345 km²); 507.41 sq mi (1,314 km²); 12.08 sq mi (31 km²), 2.33%
PopulationEst.; - (2012); - Density	; 43,868; 91/sq mi (35/km²)
Time zone	Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website	co.branch.mi.us

Branch County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 45,248. The county seat is Coldwater². As one of the "cabinet counties" it was named for the U.S. Secretary of the Navy John Branch under President Andrew Jackson.¹

Geography

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 519.49 square miles (1,345.5 km²), of which 507.41 square miles (1,314.2 km²) (or 97.67%) is land and 12.08 square miles (31.3 km²) (or 2.33%) is water.³

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1840	5,715	—
1850	12,472	118.2%
1860	20,981	68.2%
1870	26,226	25.0%
1880	27,941	6.5%
1890	26,791	−4.1%
1900	27,811	3.8%
1910	25,605	−7.9%
1920	23,997	−6.3%
1930	23,950	−0.2%
1940	25,845	7.9%
1950	30,202	16.9%
1960	34,903	15.6%
1970	37,906	8.6%
1980	40,188	6.0%
1990	41,502	3.3%
2000	45,787	10.3%
2010	45,248	−1.2%
Est. 2012	43,868	−3.0%
U.S. Decennial Census⁴ 2012 Estimate⁵

The 2010 United States Census⁶ indicates Branch County had a 2010 population of 45,248. This is a decrease of -539 people from the 2000 United States Census. Overall, the county had a -1.2% growth rate during this ten-year period. In 2010 there were 16,419 households and 11,350 families in the county. The population density was 89.4 per square mile (34.5 square kilometers). There were 20,841 housing units at an average density of 41.2 per square mile (15.9 square kilometers). The racial and ethnic makeup of the county was 90.9% White, 3.0% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 0.1% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races.

There were 16,419 households out of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.2% were husband and wife families, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.9% were non-families, and 25.8% were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the county the population was spread out with 23.9% under age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 111.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.9 males.

The 2010 American Community Survey 3-year estimate⁶ indicates the median income for a household in the county was $41,855 and the median income for a family was $48,959. Males had a median income of $25,595 versus $17,263 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,289. About 2.5% of families and 17.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.3% of those under the age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.

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 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.

Branch County elected officials.

Prosecuting Attorney: Ralph W. Kimble⁷
Sheriff: John Pollack⁷
County Clerk: Teresa Kubasiak⁷
County Treasurer: Ann Vrablic⁷
Register of Deeds: Nancy Hutchins⁷
Drain Commissioner: Michael Hard⁷
County Surveyor: Edward W. Reed⁷
County Commissioners: Rod Olney, Dale Swift, Donald Vrablic, Jon Houtz, Randall Hazelbaker⁷

References

^ ^a ^b "Bibliography on Branch County". Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
^ "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Counties". United States Census. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
^ "U.S. Decennial Census". Census.gov. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". Retrieved March 24, 2013.
^ ^a ^b "American Factfinder". United States Census Bureau accessdate=March 11, 2012.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Branch County Government Website.

Template:Http://www.co.branch.mi.us/

--PRISM Group (talk) 23:55, 7 February 2013 (UTC)

Cities, villages, and townships

Cities

Villages

Unincorporated

Townships

Transportation

I-69
BL I-69 runs through Coldwater.
US 12, is an east–west highway crossing through the southern portion of the state from Detroit to the Indiana state line at Michiana.
M-60 runs east from Niles to I-94 at Jackson.
M-66 runs south from Sturgis through Battle Creek and ending near Charlevoix.
M-86 runs east from Three Rivers to approximately 1 mile west of Coldwater.