====== Counties of Michigan ====== Michigan is divided into **83 counties**, each serving as an important unit of local government and regional identity. Counties administer courts, public records, elections, law enforcement, public health services, and numerous other governmental functions. This section of Michipedia documents the history, geography, government, demographics, and notable features of Michigan's counties. ---- ===== List of Counties ===== * [[counties:alcona_county|Alcona County]] * [[counties:alger_county|Alger County]] * [[counties:allegan_county|Allegan County]] * [[counties:alpena_county|Alpena County]] * [[counties:antrim_county|Antrim County]] * [[counties:arenac_county|Arenac County]] * [[counties:baraga_county|Baraga County]] * [[counties:barry_county|Barry County]] * [[counties:bay_county|Bay County]] * [[counties:benzie_county|Benzie County]] * [[counties:berrien_county|Berrien County]] * [[counties:branch_county|Branch County]] * [[counties:calhoun_county|Calhoun County]] * [[counties:cass_county|Cass County]] * [[counties:charlevoix_county|Charlevoix County]] * [[counties:cheboygan_county|Cheboygan County]] * [[counties:chippewa_county|Chippewa County]] * [[counties:clare_county|Clare County]] * [[counties:clinton_county|Clinton County]] * [[counties:crawford_county|Crawford County]] * [[counties:delta_county|Delta County]] * [[counties:dickinson_county|Dickinson County]] * [[counties:eaton_county|Eaton County]] * [[counties:emmet_county|Emmet County]] * [[counties:genesee_county|Genesee County]] * [[counties:gladwin_county|Gladwin County]] * [[counties:gogebic_county|Gogebic County]] * [[counties:grand_traverse_county|Grand Traverse County]] * [[counties:gratiot_county|Gratiot County]] * [[counties:hillsdale_county|Hillsdale County]] * [[counties:houghton_county|Houghton County]] * [[counties:huron_county|Huron County]] * [[counties:ingham_county|Ingham County]] * [[counties:ionia_county|Ionia County]] * [[counties:iosco_county|Iosco County]] * [[counties:iron_county|Iron County]] * [[counties:isabella_county|Isabella County]] * [[counties:jackson_county|Jackson County]] * [[counties:kalamazoo_county|Kalamazoo County]] * [[counties:kalkaska_county|Kalkaska County]] * [[counties:kent_county|Kent County]] * [[counties:keweenaw_county|Keweenaw County]] * [[counties:lake_county|Lake County]] * [[counties:lapeer_county|Lapeer County]] * [[counties:leelanau_county|Leelanau County]] * [[counties:lenawee_county|Lenawee County]] * [[counties:livingston_county|Livingston County]] * [[counties:luce_county|Luce County]] * [[counties:mackinac_county|Mackinac County]] * [[counties:macomb_county|Macomb County]] * [[counties:manistee_county|Manistee County]] * [[counties:marquette_county|Marquette County]] * [[counties:mason_county|Mason County]] * [[counties:mecosta_county|Mecosta County]] * [[counties:menominee_county|Menominee County]] * [[counties:midland_county|Midland County]] * [[counties:missaukee_county|Missaukee County]] * [[counties:monroe_county|Monroe County]] * [[counties:montcalm_county|Montcalm County]] * [[counties:montmorency_county|Montmorency County]] * [[counties:muskegon_county|Muskegon County]] * [[counties:newaygo_county|Newaygo County]] * [[counties:oakland_county|Oakland County]] * [[counties:oceana_county|Oceana County]] * [[counties:ogemaw_county|Ogemaw County]] * [[counties:ontonagon_county|Ontonagon County]] * [[counties:osceola_county|Osceola County]] * [[counties:oscoda_county|Oscoda County]] * [[counties:otsego_county|Otsego County]] * [[counties:ottawa_county|Ottawa County]] * [[counties:presque_isle_county|Presque Isle County]] * [[counties:roscommon_county|Roscommon County]] * [[counties:saginaw_county|Saginaw County]] * [[counties:st_clair_county|St. Clair County]] * [[counties:st_joseph_county|St. Joseph County]] * [[counties:sanilac_county|Sanilac County]] * [[counties:schoolcraft_county|Schoolcraft County]] * [[counties:shiawassee_county|Shiawassee County]] * [[counties:tuscola_county|Tuscola County]] * [[counties:van_buren_county|Van Buren County]] * [[counties:washtenaw_county|Washtenaw County]] * [[counties:wayne_county|Wayne County]] * [[counties:wexford_county|Wexford County]] ---- ===== Regional Groupings ===== ==== Upper Peninsula ==== * [[counties:alger_county|Alger County]] * [[counties:baraga_county|Baraga County]] * [[counties:chippewa_county|Chippewa County]] * [[counties:delta_county|Delta County]] * [[counties:dickinson_county|Dickinson County]] * [[counties:gogebic_county|Gogebic County]] * [[counties:houghton_county|Houghton County]] * [[counties:iron_county|Iron County]] * [[counties:keweenaw_county|Keweenaw County]] * [[counties:luce_county|Luce County]] * [[counties:mackinac_county|Mackinac County]] * [[counties:marquette_county|Marquette County]] * [[counties:menominee_county|Menominee County]] * [[counties:ontonagon_county|Ontonagon County]] * [[counties:schoolcraft_county|Schoolcraft County]] ==== Northern Lower Peninsula ==== * [[counties:alcona_county|Alcona County]] * [[counties:alpena_county|Alpena County]] * [[counties:antrim_county|Antrim County]] * [[counties:benzie_county|Benzie County]] * [[counties:charlevoix_county|Charlevoix County]] * [[counties:cheboygan_county|Cheboygan County]] * [[counties:crawford_county|Crawford County]] * [[counties:emmet_county|Emmet County]] * [[counties:grand_traverse_county|Grand Traverse County]] * [[counties:iosco_county|Iosco County]] * [[counties:kalkaska_county|Kalkaska County]] * [[counties:lake_county|Lake County]] * [[counties:leelanau_county|Leelanau County]] * [[counties:manistee_county|Manistee County]] * [[counties:missaukee_county|Missaukee County]] * [[counties:montmorency_county|Montmorency County]] * [[counties:ogemaw_county|Ogemaw County]] * [[counties:osceola_county|Osceola County]] * [[counties:oscoda_county|Oscoda County]] * [[counties:otsego_county|Otsego County]] * [[counties:presque_isle_county|Presque Isle County]] * [[counties:roscommon_county|Roscommon County]] * [[counties:wexford_county|Wexford County]] ==== Central Michigan ==== * [[counties:arenac_county|Arenac County]] * [[counties:bay_county|Bay County]] * [[counties:clare_county|Clare County]] * [[counties:gladwin_county|Gladwin County]] * [[counties:gratiot_county|Gratiot County]] * [[counties:isabella_county|Isabella County]] * [[counties:midland_county|Midland County]] * [[counties:mecosta_county|Mecosta County]] * [[counties:montcalm_county|Montcalm County]] * [[counties:newaygo_county|Newaygo County]] * [[counties:saginaw_county|Saginaw County]] ==== Southern Michigan ===== * [[counties:allegan_county|Allegan County]] * [[counties:barry_county|Barry County]] * [[counties:berrien_county|Berrien County]] * [[counties:branch_county|Branch County]] * [[counties:calhoun_county|Calhoun County]] * [[counties:cass_county|Cass County]] * [[counties:clinton_county|Clinton County]] * [[counties:eaton_county|Eaton County]] * [[counties:genesee_county|Genesee County]] * [[counties:hillsdale_county|Hillsdale County]] * [[counties:ingham_county|Ingham County]] * [[counties:ionia_county|Ionia County]] * [[counties:jackson_county|Jackson County]] * [[counties:kalamazoo_county|Kalamazoo County]] * [[counties:kent_county|Kent County]] * [[counties:lapeer_county|Lapeer County]] * [[counties:lenawee_county|Lenawee County]] * [[counties:livingston_county|Livingston County]] * [[counties:macomb_county|Macomb County]] * [[counties:monroe_county|Monroe County]] * [[counties:muskegon_county|Muskegon County]] * [[counties:oakland_county|Oakland County]] * [[counties:oceana_county|Oceana County]] * [[counties:ottawa_county|Ottawa County]] * [[counties:shiawassee_county|Shiawassee County]] * [[counties:st_clair_county|St. Clair County]] * [[counties:st_joseph_county|St. Joseph County]] * [[counties:sanilac_county|Sanilac County]] * [[counties:tuscola_county|Tuscola County]] * [[counties:van_buren_county|Van Buren County]] * [[counties:washtenaw_county|Washtenaw County]] * [[counties:wayne_county|Wayne County]] ---- ===== See Also ===== * [[state:michigan|Michigan]] * [[geography:upper_peninsula|Upper Peninsula]] * [[geography:lower_peninsula|Lower Peninsula]] * [[places:lansing|Lansing]] * [[places:detroit|Detroit]] ---- {{tag>counties michigan local_government geography}} ===== Featured County ===== **Grand Traverse County** Located in Northern Michigan, Grand Traverse County is known for its scenic shoreline, agricultural heritage, tourism industry, and the city of Traverse City. The county is among Michigan's most visited destinations and serves as a regional center for commerce, healthcare, and education. [[counties:grand_traverse_county|Read Article →]] --- ===== Browse Counties by Region ===== ==== Upper Peninsula Counties ==== * [[counties:alger_county|Alger County]] * [[counties:baraga_county|Baraga County]] * [[counties:chippewa_county|Chippewa County]] * [[counties:delta_county|Delta County]] * [[counties:gogebic_county|Gogebic County]] * [[counties:houghton_county|Houghton County]] * [[counties:iron_county|Iron County]] * [[counties:keweenaw_county|Keweenaw County]] * [[counties:luce_county|Luce County]] * [[counties:mackinac_county|Mackinac County]] * [[counties:marquette_county|Marquette County]] * [[counties:menominee_county|Menominee County]] * [[counties:ontonagon_county|Ontonagon County]] * [[counties:schoolcraft_county|Schoolcraft County]] --- ==== Northern Lower Michigan Counties ==== * [[counties:antrim_county|Antrim County]] * [[counties:benzie_county|Benzie County]] * [[counties:charlevoix_county|Charlevoix County]] * [[counties:cheboygan_county|Cheboygan County]] * [[counties:crawford_county|Crawford County]] * [[counties:emmet_county|Emmet County]] * [[counties:grand_traverse_county|Grand Traverse County]] * [[counties:kalkaska_county|Kalkaska County]] * [[counties:leelanau_county|Leelanau County]] * [[counties:missaukee_county|Missaukee County]] * [[counties:otsego_county|Otsego County]] * [[counties:roscommon_county|Roscommon County]] * [[counties:wexford_county|Wexford County]] --- ==== Major Population Counties ===== * [[counties:wayne_county|Wayne County]] * [[counties:oakland_county|Oakland County]] * [[counties:macomb_county|Macomb County]] * [[counties:kent_county|Kent County]] * [[counties:genesee_county|Genesee County]] * [[counties:washtenaw_county|Washtenaw County]] * [[counties:ingham_county|Ingham County]] --- ===== County Government ===== Michigan counties commonly administer: * Courts and judicial services * Property records * Elections administration * Public health services * Sheriff's offices * Emergency management * Tax administration * Public infrastructure County governments serve as an important link between local communities and the State of Michigan. --- ===== County Seats ===== Every Michigan county has a designated county seat which serves as the administrative center of county government. Examples include: * [[places:traverse_city|Traverse City]] — Grand Traverse County * [[places:lansing|Lansing]] — Ingham County * [[places:ann_arbor|Ann Arbor]] — Washtenaw County * [[places:bay_city|Bay City]] — Bay County * [[places:marquette|Marquette]] — Marquette County --- ===== Historic Counties ===== Many Michigan counties were established during periods of: * Territorial expansion * Logging development * Agricultural settlement * Mining activity * Railroad construction Several counties retain historic courthouses and significant cultural landmarks. --- ===== Recently Added Articles ===== * [[counties:grand_traverse_county|Grand Traverse County]] * [[counties:mackinac_county|Mackinac County]] * [[counties:marquette_county|Marquette County]] * [[counties:wayne_county|Wayne County]] --- ===== Related Topics ===== * [[places:start|Places]] * [[cities:start|Cities]] * [[villages:start|Villages]] * [[townships:start|Townships]] * [[regions:start|Regions]] * [[government:start|Government]] * [[history:start|History]] --- Michigan's 83 counties form the foundation of regional governance, public administration, and local identity throughout the Great Lakes State. Michipedia seeks to document the history, communities, government, geography, and significance of every county in Michigan.