Saline, Michigan Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Saline, Michigan

City

City of Saline

Downtown Saline along Michigan Avenue

Seal

Location within Washtenaw County

Saline, Michigan

Location in Michigan

Saline, Michigan

Location in the United States

Country

United States

Incorporated

1966

Government

• Type

Council–manager

Area

• Total

4.41 sq mi (11.41 km²)

• Land

4.33 sq mi (11.23 km²)

• Water

0.07 sq mi (0.18 km²)

Elevation

820 ft (250 m)

Population

(2020)

• Total

8,948

• Density

2,064.13/sq mi (796.91/km²)

Time zone

UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))

• Summer (DST)

UTC-4 (EDT)

ZIP code(s)

48176

Area code(s)

734

FIPS code

26-71140

GNIS feature ID

0637119

Saline (pronounced sə-LEEN) is a city in Washtenaw County, Michigan. In 2020, about 8,948 people lived there. The city is next to Saline Township, but they are managed separately.

History of Saline
Geography and Location
- Main Roads in Saline
Population Information
- Saline's Population in 2010
Schools in Saline
Famous People From Saline
Sister Cities of Saline
Images for kids
See also

History of Saline

Dual-sized state historic marker

Long ago, before the 1700s, Native Americans came to this area. They hunted animals and collected salt from nearby salt springs. In the 1700s, French explorers also came by canoe to gather salt. They named the local river Saline, which means "salty" in French.

In the 1800s, people from England and Germany settled here. A government surveyor named Orange Risdon helped found the town. The residents named it Saline, and it officially became a town in 1832.

In 1870, a railroad called the Detroit-Hillsdale-&-Indiana Railroad reached Saline. This helped the town grow. In 1875, a famous building called the Davenport House was built. It's also known as the Curtis Mansion.

Saline kept growing, and in 1931, it changed from a village to a city. The Saline Fisheries Research Station was built where an old grist mill (a mill for grinding grain) used to be. Saline has had its own newspaper since the 1870s. Today, the Saline Post is the local newspaper.

The city is well-known for its yearly Celtic Festival. People from all over the U.S. come to enjoy it. Saline also has "sister cities" in other countries. These are Brecon, Wales (since 1966) and Lindenberg, Germany (since 2003).

Geography and Location

Saline covers about 4.41 square miles (11.41 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

The Saline River flows through the city.

Main Roads in Saline

U.S. Route 12, also known as East Michigan Avenue, goes through the middle of the city.

Population Information

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1880	858	—
1890	706	−17.7%
1900	584	−17.3%
1910	816	39.7%
1920	830	1.7%
1930	1,009	21.6%
1940	1,227	21.6%
1950	1,533	24.9%
1960	2,334	52.3%
1970	4,811	106.1%
1980	6,483	34.8%
1990	6,660	2.7%
2000	8,034	20.6%
2010	8,810	9.7%
2020	8,948	1.6%
U.S. Decennial Census

Saline's Population in 2010

In 2010, there were 8,810 people living in Saline. There were 3,699 households, which are groups of people living together. The city had about 2,068 people per square mile.

Most of the people in Saline were White (93.6%). There were also African American (1.4%), Native American (0.2%), and Asian (2.5%) residents. About 2.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age in Saline was 41.1 years old. About 24.5% of residents were under 18. Also, 14.6% were 65 years or older.

Schools in Saline

Saline Farmers Market

The public schools in Saline are run by Saline Area Schools.

Younger students attend elementary schools like Harvest, Woodland Meadows, and Pleasant Ridge. Heritage School is for 4th and 5th graders. Older students go to Saline Middle School and Saline High School.