Kalkaska County, Michigan

Etymology

The county's name is a pseudo-Native American neologism coined by Henry Schoolcraft, a Michigan geographer and ethnologist.^[8] Some theorists suggest this is word play. Schoolcraft's family name had been Calcraft, and the Ks may have been added to make the name appear more like a Native American word.^[9] Alternatively, the name may be derived from a Chippewa word meaning flat or burned-over country.

Lakes

Rivers

Major highways

• US 131 – runs NE through the western part of the county. Enters at 4 miles (6.4 km) north of SW corner; exits into Antrim County near midpoint of north county line.
• M-66 – runs north–south through west-central part of county. Passes Kalkaska.
• M-72 – runs east and ESE through middle portion of county. Passes Kalkaska.

Adjacent counties

Village

• Kalkaska (county seat)

Civil townships

Former townships

• Glade Township
• Wilson Township

Census-designated places

• Bear Lake
• Manistee Lake
• Rapid City
• South Boardman

Unincorporated communities

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 17,939. The median age was 45.7 years. 20.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 104.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 104.1 males age 18 and over.^[17]

The racial makeup of the county was 92.9% White, 0.2% Black or African American, 0.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.7% from some other race, and 5.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.0% of the population.^[18]

<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.^[19]

There were 7,438 households in the county, of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 49.7% were married-couple households, 20.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 20.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.^[17]

There were 11,570 housing units, of which 35.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 83.8% were owner-occupied and 16.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.7%.^[17]

2010 census

At the 2010 United States census^[20] there were 16,571 people, 6,428 households, and 4,634 families residing in the county. The population density was 30 inhabitants per square mile (12/km²). There were 10,822 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile (7.3/km²).

In 2010, the racial makeup of the county was 98.44% White, 0.21% Black or African American, 0.78% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.10% from other races, 0.86% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 24.6% were of German, 12.4% English, 10.4% Irish, 10.0% American, 6.3% Polish and 5.1% French ancestry. 98.8% spoke English as their first language.