Colonel William A. Phillips

Livingston County (/lɪvɪŋstən/ LIV-ing-stən) is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 193,866.[2] It is part of the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county seat and most populous city is Howell.[3] 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 US Secretary of State Edward Livingston.[1] 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 which pass through the county: I-96, US 23, and M-59. Although continuing to be composed largely 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 US Census Bureau, the county has an area of 585 square miles (1,520 km2), of which 565 square miles (1,460 km2) is land and 20 square miles (52 km2) (3.4%) is water.[4]

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
18407,430
185013,48581.5%
186016,85125.0%
187019,33614.7%
188022,25115.1%
189020,858−6.3%
190019,664−5.7%
191017,736−9.8%
192017,522−1.2%
193019,27410.0%
194020,8638.2%
195026,72528.1%
196038,23343.1%
197058,96754.2%
1980100,28970.1%
1990115,64515.3%
2000156,95135.7%
2010180,96715.3%
2020193,8667.1%
US Decennial Census[5]
1790–1960[6] 1900–1990[7]
1990–2000[8] 2010–2019[2]

As of the 2010 United States Census,[9] the county had 180,967 people, 55,384 households, and 43,531 families. The population density was 320 inhabitants per square mile (120/km2). There were 58,919 housing units at an average density of 104 per square mile (40/km2). 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 English and 1.7% Spanish as their first language.[10]

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.

28.80% of the county's population was under age 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 age 65 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.

More than 50% of the county's population resides 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, which is an independently owned weekly.

The Daily Press & Argus, which publishes daily except Saturday, was 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 was launched in February 2010 by Steve Horton and Buddy Moorehouse, two veteran newspapermen. It publishes Tuesdays, covering Pinckney, Fowlerville, and the Howell areas. Its editor is Stephenie Koehn. The Journal is published along with the Fowlerville News and Views, which has been published for 25 years by Horton and his wife Dawn.

A weekly all-local paper,The Livingston Community News, was launched in May 2003 with offices in downtown Brighton and was closed in July 2009 when The Ann Arbor News, the newspaper's parent company, ceased publication. Community Journal editor Koehn was a reporter with The Livingston Community News.

Other media in the county include WHMI-FM, a Classic Hits radio station that has local news on the hour, and www.LivingstonTalk.com, a web-based product launched in the fall of 2009 by Moorehouse and fellow veteran journalist Maria Stuart. Moorehouse and Stuart previously worked as editors for a combined 45 years at the Daily Press and Argus.

The Marketeer is a free monthly magazine that is mailed to more than 42,000 in Livingston County. Its content is primarily advertising from local businesses plus articles and information about people and community events. The Marketeer has been published by George Moses Company since 1974.

Politics

Livingston County falls entirely within Michigan's 7th Congressional district and is currently represented by Democrat Elissa Slotkin, who defeated Republican Mike Bishop in the 2018 election when the county was still in the 8th congressional district. However, Livingston County has been reliably Republican since its founding. Since 1884, the Republican Party nominee has carried 83% of the Presidential elections (29 of 35).

United States presidential election results for Livingston County, Michigan[11]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
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

(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. Length 7.6 miles (12.2 km).
  • US 23 – runs north–south through eastern part of county, passing Hartland, Brighton, Whitmore Lake.
  • M-36 - runs east and SE 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

U.S. Census data map showing local municipal boundaries within Livingston County. Shaded areas represent incorporated cities.

Cities

Villages

Charter townships

Civil townships

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Bibliography on Livingston County". Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University. Archived from the original on February 17, 2013. Retrieved January 20, 2013.
  2. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on July 4, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  5. ^ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  6. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  7. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 15, 2015. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  8. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  9. ^ "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  10. ^ Data Access and Dissemination Systems (DADS). "U.S. Census website".
  11. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved May 5, 2018.

External links

42°36′N 83°55′W / 42.60°N 83.91°W / 42.60; -83.91