Baraga County, Michigan Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Baraga County

U.S. county

Baraga County Courthouse and Annex (July 2014)

Flag

Seal

Location within the U.S. state of Michigan

Michigan's location within the U.S.

Country

United States

State

Michigan

Founded

February 19, 1875

Largest village

Area

• Total

1,069 sq mi (2,770 km²)

• Land

898 sq mi (2,330 km²)

• Water

171 sq mi (440 km²) 16%%

Population

(2020)

• Total

8,158

• Density

9.9/sq mi (3.8/km²)

Time zone

UTC−5 (Eastern)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−4 (EDT)

Congressional district

1st

Baraga County ( BAIR-ə-gə) is a county in the Upper Peninsula in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 8,158, making it Michigan's fifth-least populous county. The county seat is L'Anse. The county is named after Bishop Frederic Baraga, a Catholic missionary who ministered to the Ojibwa Indians in the Michigan Territory.

The L'Anse Indian Reservation of the Ojibwa is within Baraga County.

Geography
Demographics
Communities
Images for kids
See also

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,069 square miles (2,770 km²), of which 898 square miles (2,330 km²) is land and 171 square miles (440 km²) (16%) is water.

The county is located in the state's Upper Peninsula on the shore of Lake Superior, at the southeast base of the Keweenaw Peninsula. The villages of Baraga and L'Anse are located at the base of Lake Superior's Keweenaw Bay. Point Abbaye projects north into the lake, enclosing Huron Bay. The eastern two-thirds of the county includes much of the Huron Mountains, including Mount Arvon -- the highest natural point in Michigan at 1,979 feet (603 m).

Major highways

US 41
US 141
M-28
M-38

Adjacent counties

Marquette County (east)
Iron County (south/CST Border)
Houghton County (west)

National protected areas

Keweenaw National Historical Park (part)
Ottawa National Forest (part)

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1880	1,804	—
1890	3,036	68.3%
1900	4,320	42.3%
1910	6,127	41.8%
1920	7,662	25.1%
1930	9,168	19.7%
1940	9,356	2.1%
1950	8,037	−14.1%
1960	7,151	−11.0%
1970	7,789	8.9%
1980	8,484	8.9%
1990	7,954	−6.2%
2000	8,746	10.0%
2010	8,860	1.3%
2020	8,158	−7.9%
US Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2018

The 2010 United States Census indicates Baraga County had a population of 8,860. This increase of 114 people from the 2000 United States Census. is a 1.3% population growth. In 2010 there were 3,444 households and 2,209 families in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile (4/km²). There were 5,270 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (2/km²). 75.0% of the population were White, 13.1% Native American, 7.2% Black or African American, 0.1% Asian, 0.2% of some other race and 4.4% of two or more races. 1.0% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). 22.5% were of Finnish, 9.1% German, 8.8% French, French Canadian or Cajun, 5.6% English and 5.5% Irish ancestry.

There were 3,444 households, out of which 25.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.82.

The county population contained 20.2% under the age of 18, 7% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.9 years. 54.9% of the population was male, 45.1% was female.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,115, and the median income for a family was $50,996. The per capita income for the county was $19,076. About 9.5% of families and 13% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.2% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.