Alger County, Michigan

Highways

Adjacent counties

By land

• Luce County – east
• Schoolcraft County – southeast
• Delta County – south
• Marquette County – west

By water

• Thunder Bay District, Ontario – north

National protected areas

• Grand Island National Recreation Area
• Hiawatha National Forest (part)
• Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 8,842. The median age was 49.4 years. 15.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 25.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 123.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 129.6 males age 18 and over.^[10]

The racial makeup of the county was 83.3% White, 6.6% Black or African American, 3.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.5% from some other race, and 5.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.3% of the population.^[11]

<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.^[12]

There were 3,609 households in the county, of which 20.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 51.4% were married-couple households, 21.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 20.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.^[10]

There were 6,169 housing units, of which 41.5% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 83.7% were owner-occupied and 16.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 18.8%.^[10]

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, Alger County had a population of 9,601.^[13] The racial makeup of the county was 86.3% White, 6.4% Black or African American, 4.1% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% of some other race and 2.7% of two or more races; of them 1.2% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). Regarding specific ethnicities, 15.7% of the population was of German heritage, 13.5% Finnish, 12.6% French, French Canadian or Cajun, 9.3% English, 7.3% Polish, 6.9% Irish and 5.3% American ancestry.^[14]

In 2010, there were 3,898 households, out of which 20.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.2% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.2 and the average family size was 2.74. In the county, the population was spread out, with 17.1% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 22.8% from 25 to 44, 32.8% from 45 to 64, and 20.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.3 years. The population was 54.4% male and 45.6% female.^[13]

In 2010, the median income for a household in the county was $38,231, and the median income for a family was $46,154. The per capita income for the county was $19,858. About 9.3% of people in families and 14.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.3% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over. The 2021 census estimates showed the county had a median household income of $48,822.^[2]

City

• Munising (county seat)

Village

• Chatham

Civil townships

Census-designated place

• Grand Marais

Unincorporated communities

Other locations

Indian reservations

• Alger County contains two very small portions of the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians tribal community, which is headquartered in Sault Ste. Marie in Chippewa County. One portion is in the northeastern corner of Au Train Township, and another slightly larger portion is about two miles south of Munising in Munising Township.^[17]