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Calhoun County, Michigan facts for kids

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Calhoun County
U.S. county
Post Card. Michigan Central Depot in Battle Creek.
Post Card. Michigan Central Depot in Battle Creek.
Map of Michigan highlighting Calhoun County
Location within the U.S. state of Michigan
Map of the United States highlighting Michigan
Michigan's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Michigan
Founded established 1829
organized 1833
Named for John C. Calhoun
Seat Marshall
Largest city Battle Creek
Area
 • Total 718 sq mi (1,860 km2)
 • Land 706 sq mi (1,830 km2)
 • Water 12 sq mi (30 km2)  1.7%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 134,310
 • Density 193/sq mi (75/km2)
Congressional districts 4th, 5th

Calhoun County is a place in the state of Michigan, USA. It is a type of local government area called a county. In 2020, about 134,310 people lived here.

The main town where the county government is located is Marshall. The biggest city in the county is Battle Creek.

Calhoun County was created on October 19, 1829. It was named after John C. Calhoun. He was the Vice President at that time. The county government officially started on March 6, 1833.

Geography

Calhoun County covers a total area of about 718 square miles. Most of this area, 706 square miles, is land. The rest, about 12 square miles, is water.

Rivers and Lakes

Here are some important rivers and lakes in Calhoun County:

Neighboring Counties

Calhoun County shares its borders with these other counties:

History

In July 2010, a big event happened in Calhoun County. A pipeline carrying oil burst. This caused a large oil spill into Talmadge Creek, which flows into the Kalamazoo River.

This was one of the biggest inland oil spills in U.S. history. It was also one of the most expensive to clean up. The pipeline carried a type of heavy oil from Canada. After the spill, the lighter parts of the oil evaporated. This left the heavier oil to sink in the river.

About 35 miles of the Kalamazoo River were closed for cleanup. The river slowly reopened in June 2012. In 2013, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ordered the company to remove more oil from the riverbed.

People and Families

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1840 10,599 —
1850 19,162 80.8%
1860 29,564 54.3%
1870 36,569 23.7%
1880 38,452 5.1%
1890 43,501 13.1%
1900 49,315 13.4%
1910 56,638 14.8%
1920 72,918 28.7%
1930 87,043 19.4%
1940 94,206 8.2%
1950 120,813 28.2%
1960 138,858 14.9%
1970 141,963 2.2%
1980 141,557 −0.3%
1990 135,982 −3.9%
2000 137,985 1.5%
2010 136,146 −1.3%
2020 134,310 −1.3%
2023 (est.) 133,366 −2.0%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010-2019

The 2010 Census showed that Calhoun County had 136,146 people. This was a small decrease from the year 2000.

In 2010, there were about 54,016 households in the county. About 31.2% of these households had children under 18 living there. The average household had 2.44 people.

The population was spread out by age. About 24.2% of people were under 18 years old. The median age in the county was 39 years.

Towns and Villages

Calhoun County has several cities, villages, and other communities.

Cities

Villages

Charter Townships

Census-Designated Places

These are areas that are like towns but not officially incorporated.

  • Brownlee Park
  • Level Park-Oak Park

Other Communities

Many smaller communities are also part of Calhoun County:

Townships

These are local government areas that cover rural parts of the county.

Historical Markers

Calhoun County has 83 special signs called Michigan historical markers. These signs tell about important places and events in the county's past.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Calhoun (Míchigan) para niños

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