Dickinson County, Michigan

Dickinson County is a county in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,947.^[3] The county seat is Iron Mountain.^[4] Dickinson is Michigan's newest county, formed in 1891 from parts of Marquette, Menominee, and Iron counties.^[2] It was named for Donald M. Dickinson, who served as U.S. Postmaster General under President Grover Cleveland.^[1][2]

Dickinson County
County
Dickinson County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Michigan
Michigan's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 46°00′N 87°52′W
Country	United States
State	Michigan
Founded	1891[1][2]
Named after	Donald M. Dickinson
Seat	Iron Mountain
Largest city	Iron Mountain
Area
• Total	777 sq mi (2,010 km2)
• Land	761 sq mi (1,970 km2)
• Water	16 sq mi (40 km2)  2.0%
Population
• Estimate  (2024)	25,995
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	www.dickinsoncountymi.gov

Dickinson County is part of the Iron Mountain, MI–WI micropolitan statistical area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 777 square miles (2,010 km²), of which 761 square miles (1,970 km²) is land and 16 square miles (41 km²) (2.0%) is water.^[5] Along with its western neighbor Iron County, it is one of only two landlocked counties in the Upper Peninsula.

Major highways

• US 2
• US 8
• US 141
• M-69
• M-95
• G-69

Airport

• KIMT - Ford Airport

Adjacent counties

• Marquette County (north)
• Menominee County (southeast)
• Marinette County, Wisconsin (south)
• Florence County, Wisconsin (southwest)
• Iron County (northwest)

Communities

U.S. Census data map showing local municipal boundaries within Dickinson County. Shaded areas represent incorporated cities.

Cities

• Iron Mountain (county seat)
• Kingsford
• Norway

Charter township

• Breitung Charter Township

Civil townships

• Breen Township
• Felch Township
• Norway Township
• Sagola Township
• Waucedah Township
• West Branch Township

Census-designated place

• Quinnesec

Other unincorporated communities

• Alfred
• Antoine^[6]
• Channing
• East Kingsford
• Felch
• Felch Mountain
• Floodwood
• Foster City
• Granite Bluff
• Hardwood
• Hylas
• Loretto
• Merriman
• Metropolitan
• Ralph
• Randville
• Sagola
• Skidmore
• Spruce^[7][8]
• Theodore
• Turner
• Vulcan
• Waucedah

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1900	17,890		—
1910	20,524		14.7%
1920	19,456		−5.2%
1930	29,941		53.9%
1940	28,731		−4.0%
1950	24,844		−13.5%
1960	23,917		−3.7%
1970	23,753		−0.7%
1980	25,341		6.7%
1990	26,831		5.9%
2000	27,472		2.4%
2010	26,168		−4.7%
2020	25,947		−0.8%
2024 (est.)	25,995	[9]	0.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[10] 1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12] 1990-2000[13] 2010-2018[3]

In 2020, the county had a population of 25,947.^[3]

The 2010 American Community Survey 3-year estimate indicated the median income for a household in the county was $42,331 and the median income for a family was $52,222.^[14] Males had a median income of $31,402 versus $14,957 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,583. About 3.4% of families and 10.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.4% of those under the age 18 and 11.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government

United States presidential election results for Dickinson County, Michigan^[15][16]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	10,324	67.28%	4,763	31.04%	257	1.67%
2020	9,617	65.80%	4,744	32.46%	254	1.74%
2016	8,580	64.84%	3,923	29.65%	729	5.51%
2012	7,688	59.82%	4,952	38.53%	211	1.64%
2008	7,049	52.96%	5,995	45.04%	267	2.01%
2004	7,734	57.08%	5,650	41.70%	165	1.22%
2000	6,932	54.02%	5,533	43.12%	367	2.86%
1996	4,408	38.03%	5,614	48.43%	1,569	13.54%
1992	4,273	32.79%	5,689	43.66%	3,069	23.55%
1988	6,158	49.89%	6,129	49.66%	56	0.45%
1984	6,880	54.91%	5,614	44.80%	36	0.29%
1980	6,614	50.58%	5,694	43.54%	769	5.88%
1976	5,922	48.63%	6,134	50.37%	121	0.99%
1972	5,989	51.12%	5,339	45.57%	387	3.30%
1968	4,920	43.95%	5,726	51.15%	548	4.90%
1964	3,365	29.79%	7,921	70.12%	11	0.10%
1960	5,336	44.49%	6,645	55.40%	14	0.12%
1956	6,200	54.72%	5,113	45.13%	17	0.15%
1952	6,045	51.18%	5,710	48.34%	56	0.47%
1948	4,417	39.06%	6,295	55.66%	597	5.28%
1944	4,987	42.11%	6,740	56.92%	115	0.97%
1940	6,188	44.65%	7,582	54.71%	89	0.64%
1936	4,563	35.28%	7,952	61.48%	419	3.24%
1932	5,120	42.55%	6,483	53.88%	429	3.57%
1928	5,840	55.57%	4,626	44.02%	43	0.41%
1924	4,538	68.66%	400	6.05%	1,671	25.28%
1920	3,539	76.65%	580	12.56%	498	10.79%
1916	2,393	60.63%	1,291	32.71%	263	6.66%
1912	1,371	40.90%	361	10.77%	1,620	48.33%
1908	2,507	76.18%	544	16.53%	240	7.29%
1904	2,984	87.84%	283	8.33%	130	3.83%
1900	2,858	84.51%	451	13.34%	73	2.16%
1896	2,608	80.59%	528	16.32%	100	3.09%
1892	1,606	51.05%	1,255	39.89%	285	9.06%

Dickinson County fairgrounds

The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintains vital records, administers public health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of welfare and other social services. The county board of commissioners controls the budget but has only limited authority to make laws or ordinances. In Michigan, most local government functions — police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street maintenance, etc. — are the responsibility of individual cities and townships. In the 2006 elections, it was also the most supportive county of proposal 2, a state constitutional amendment banning affirmative action programs. It received 74.2% support in the county.

The county was a bellwether in every presidential election from 1920 to 2004 (with exception to 1968).

In August of 2024, Dickinson County Undersheriff Chris Kuenzer announced a full staff of sworn officers.^[17]

Elected officials

• Prosecuting Attorney: Lisa Richards
• Sheriff: Aaron Rochnutz
• County Clerk: Dolly Cook
• Register of Deeds: Dolly Cook
• County Treasurer: Lorna Carey
• Drain Commissioner: Kevin Trevillain
• Mine Inspector: Steven Smith

(information as of July 2013)^[18]

See also

• List of Michigan State Historic Sites in Dickinson County
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Dickinson County, Michigan