Genesee County, Michigan

Formative period

Genesee County was created on March 28, 1835, from territory taken from Lapeer, Shiawassee, and Saginaw Counties. The county was attached to Oakland County for judicial purposes.^[8] The only township organized at the time was Grand Blanc, formed in 1833, consisting of additional township areas of the present Fenton, Mundy, Flint, Mount Morris, Genesee, Burton, Atlas, and Davison Townships. (Atlas and Davison Township survey areas were then in Lapeer County.) Flint Township followed in formation by the legislature on March 2, 1836, splitting away from Grand Blanc with the township areas of Burton, Genesee, and Mount Morris, plus additional township areas of the present-day Clayton, Montrose, Flushing, Thetford, and Vienna.^[9] On April 4, 1836, the county was fully organized.^[8] Organized on July 26, 1836, Argentine Township included two township survey areas, taking Fenton away from Grand Blanc Township plus the current Argentine area west of Fenton.^[9]

In the organizing act of March 11, 1837, two townships (Mundy and Vienna) were organized in the county. Mundy had an additional township area to the west. Vienna consisted of the northern tier of three township areas in the county at the time taking two areas from Flint Township. With this act just a week after Michigan's admission as a state, the county was fully covered with five township governments.^[9]

The townships of Genesee, Fenton, and Flushing were formed on March 6, 1838. Genesee and Flushing were split off from Flint Township.^[9] Fenton was split off from Argentine Township. Genesee included half the survey area to the west. While Flushing included the other half of that survey area (township 8 North range 6 East), the full township area further west (township 8 North range 5 East) then another survey area and half the row below (township 7 North range 5,6 East).^[10] Thus, Flint Township consisted of one and a half township survey areas.

Fifteen northerly sections of survey area township 7 north range No. 7 east in Flint Township plus southerly sections of Genesee Township were set off by the Michigan Legislature as Kearsley Township in 1839. On March 7, 1843, the legislature abolished this township returning the sections back to Flint and Genesee townships.^[11] Thus Flint Township consisted of approximately one and a half township survey areas.

Two new townships were formed by the state on March 9, 1842. Thetford was the eastmost survey area split off from Vienna. While Gaines was formed with the western township survey of Mundy.^[9]

The county was enlarged on March 9, 1843, by adding a column of townships on its east from Lapeer County. From north to south, the townships were Forest, Richfield, Davison and Atlas.^[9]

On March 25, 1846, an additional two townships were formed, Clayton, and Pewanagawink. Clayton split the southernmost survey area from Flushing Township. Pewanagawink took the westernmost survey area from Vienna and changed its name to Montrose by act of January 15, 1848.^[9]

Mount Morris Township was created on February 12, 1855,^[9] from a single survey township area with its two halves taken from Flushing and Genesee townships. Flint Township was split into three parts upon the formation of the City of Flint. The county board of supervisors split the remaining township survey area into two; the western area became Garland Township (this name only lasted until the Flint name was restored on February 5, 1856) and the remaining eastern survey area became Burton Township.^[8]

Modern era

Plans for the Genesee Recreation Area were placed in Flint's master plan in 1950. This was presented to Charles Stewart Mott Foundation board of trustees in 1964, with Charles Stewart Mott favoring the plan.^[12] In 1968, the county park system was started with the purchase of vacant land.^[13] with funds from the Mott Foundation, with a stipulation that a parks commission be formed.^[14]

Flint Community Junior College was turned into a county-wide institution with a referendum and millage proposal passing the voters in 1969. To reflect this, the college was renamed Genesee Community College on July 5, 1970. In 1973, it was renamed as Charles Stewart Mott Community College after the death of C.S. Mott.^[15]

In October 2009, county commissioners directed county corporate counsel to discuss with the county prosecuting attorney a possible merger of his office with the county prosecuting attorney's office.^[16] As of December 2011, County Counsel Ward Chapman was intending to retire by the end of the year, again raising the possibility of a merger.^[17] By August 9, 2016, the two offices were merged.^[18]

The Emergency Management and Homeland Security Department was merged by the county commission into the Sheriff's Department in June 2010, with the department director position being demoted to a manager level post and eliminating a programming coordinator.^[19] In July 2010, the county board voted to merge the clerk and register of deeds offices, effective January 1, 2013.^[20]

On October 26, 2010, Genesee County became a founding member of the Karegnondi Water Authority with Board of Commissioners Chair Jamie W. Curtis representing the county on the authority's board.^[21][22]

On May 30, 2012, Genesee County was reported to have had 45 confirmed tornadoes since 1950 (most notably the 1953 Flint–Beecher tornado), more than any other county in Michigan in that time.^[23]

Adjacent counties

• Tuscola County (northeast)
• Lapeer County (east)
• Oakland County (southeast)
• Livingston County (southwest)
• Shiawassee County (west)
• Saginaw County (northwest)

Major highways

• I-75 - runs north and south through central Genesee County, merges with US 23 in Mundy Township
• I-69 - runs east and west through central Genesee County
• I-475 - alternate route of I-75/US23, runs north and south through central Genesee County
• US 23 - runs north and south through central Genesee County, merges with I-75 in Mundy Township
• M-13 - runs north and south through western Genesee County, north of I-69, along the borders with Shiawassee County and Saginaw County
• M-15 - runs north and south through eastern Genesee County
• M-21 - runs east and west through central Genesee County, west of I-475
• M-54 - runs north and south through central Genesee County
• M-57 - runs east and west through northern Genesee County, west of M-15

Recent estimates

As of the fourth quarter of 2024, the median home value in Genesee County was $191,311.^[32]

As of the 2023 American Community Survey, the average household size was 2.40 persons, the county had a median household income of $60,673, and about 17.9% of the county's population lived at or below the poverty line. Genesee County had an estimated 58.3% employment rate, with 22.8% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 90.9% holding a high school diploma.^[3]

The top five reported languages spoken at home were English (96.2%), Spanish (0.9%), Indo-European (1.0%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.7%), and other (1.2%).

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, 406,211 people, 167,118 households, and 105,520 families were residing in the county. The population density was 637.75 inhabitants per square mile (246.2/km²). The median age was 40.9 years, with 22.2% of residents under 18 and 18.1% were 65 or older. For every 100 females, there were 94.5 males, and for every 100 females 18 and over, there were 91.4 males 18 and over.^[33]

The racial makeup of the county was 71.2% White, 19.7% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.2% from some other race, and 6.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 4.0% of the population.^[34]

About 81.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 18.2% lived in rural areas.^[35]

Of the 167,118 households, 28.4% had children under 18 living in them, 40.2% were married-couple households, 20.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 31.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The county had 183,087 housing units, of which 8.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 69.4% were owner-occupied and 30.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.2%.^[33]

Racial and ethnic composition

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.

2024 estimate

As of the 2024 estimate, 402,279 people and 166,375 households lived in the county. The population density was 631.58 inhabitants per square mile (243.9/km²). The 184,543 housing units had an average density of 289.73 per square mile (111.9/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 74.6% White, 20.2% African American, 0.6% Native American, 1.3% Asian, and 3.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 4.5% of the population.^[41]

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, 425,790 people, 169,202 households, and 111,620 families resided in the county. The population density was 668.45 inhabitants per square mile (258.1/km²). The 192,180 housing units had an average density of 301.70 per square mile (116.5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 74.54% White, 20.70% African American, 0.53% Native American, 0.91% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.71% from some other race, and 2.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 3.05% of the population.

In terms of ancestry, 18.0% were of German, 11.0% Irish, 10.6% English, 5.5% Polish 5.4% American, and 4.8% French.

Of the 169,202 households, 32.6% had children under 18 living with them, 43.3% were married couples living together, 17.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were not families; 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.48, and the average family size was 3.03. The median age was 39 years.

In the county, 25.0% of the population was under 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% was 65 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.

The median income in the county for a household was $38,819 and for a family was $48,979. Males had a median income of $27,269 versus $18,082 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,860. About 16.9% of families and 21.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.0% of those under 18 and 6.3% of those 65 or over.

Elected officials

Cities

Villages

• Gaines
• Goodrich
• Lennon (partial)
• Otisville
• Otter Lake (partial)

Charter townships

Civil townships

• Argentine Township
• Atlas Township
• Davison Township
• Forest Township
• Gaines Township
• Richfield Township
• Thetford Township

Census-designated places

• Argentine
• Beecher
• Lake Fenton

Other unincorporated communities