Ingham County ( ) is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

located in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 284,900. The

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

is Mason.

Lansing Lansing () is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in Ingham County, although portions of the city extend west into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. The 2020 census placed the city's population at 112,644, makin ...

, the state capital of Michigan, is largely located within the county. (Lansing is the only state capital in the United States located in a county of which it is not also the seat of government.) The county is home to

Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...

Lansing Community College Lansing Community College is a public community college with its main campus in Lansing, Michigan. Founded in 1957, the college's main campus is located on an urban, site in downtown Lansing spanning seven city blocks approximately two block ...

, and the Class A minor league baseball team

Lansing Lugnuts The Lansing Lugnuts are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. They are located in Lansing, Michigan, and play their home games at Jackson Field (Lansing), Jackson Field. The Midwe ...

. Ingham County is included in the Lansing–

East Lansing East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city lies within Ingham County with a smaller portion extending north into Clinton County. At the 2020 Census the population was 47,741. Located directly east of the state capital ...

, MI

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...

. It is considered to be a part of Mid Michigan.

History

Ingham County was established by an act of the Michigan Territorial Legislature on October 29, 1829, from portions of Shiawassee County,

Washtenaw County Washtenaw County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the population was 372,258. The county seat is Ann Arbor. The county was authorized by legislation in 1822 and organized as a county in 1826. Washtenaw ...

and unorganized territory. It was attached for administrative purposes to Washtenaw County until 1838 when county government was established for Ingham. The county was named for

Samuel D. Ingham Samuel Delucenna Ingham (September 16, 1779 – June 5, 1860) was a state legislator, judge, U.S. Representative and served as U.S. Treasury Secretary under President Andrew Jackson. Early life and education Ingham was born near New Hope, Pe ...

, the

U.S. Secretary of the Treasury The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal a ...

under

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, he gained fame as ...

, making Ingham one of Michigan's so-called Cabinet counties.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.8%) is water. The county consists of gently rolling hills with an

elevation The elevation of a geographic location is its height above or below a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface (see Geodetic datum § Vert ...

ranging between 800 and 1,000 feet above

sea level Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datuma standardised g ...

. The highest point in the county is the top of Teaspoon Hill rising to a height of 1,056 feet above sea level 1.5 miles north of Leslie. The Grand River winds northward along the western boundary of the county and the Red Cedar River flows west across the northern section into the Grand River in Lansing. Most of the midsection of the county drains to the north into the Red Cedar River and the northern tier of townships drain to the south into the Cedar. The Sycamore Creek, flowing northwest into the Red Cedar in Lansing, drains much of the midsection of the county. Most of the southern portion of the county drains south or west into the Grand River. The southeastern corner drains to the southeast into the Huron River via the Portage Creek and Portage River and a series of small lakes.

Adjacent counties

* Shiawassee County (northeast) * Livingston County (east) *

(southeast) * Jackson County (south) *

Eaton County Eaton County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 109,175. The county seat is Charlotte. The county was organized in 1837 and was named for John Eaton, who was Secretary of War under ...

(west) *

Clinton County Clinton County may refer to: *Counties named for George Clinton, first and third Governor of New York, and later the fourth Vice President of the United States: **Clinton County, New York ** Clinton County, Ohio *Counties named for DeWitt Clinton, ...

(north)

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2010, there were 280,895 people, 111,162 households, and 62,674 families residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 502.3 people per square mile (193.9/km²). There were 121,281 housing units at an average density of 216.8 per square mile (83.7/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 76.2%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 11.8%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.6% Native American, 5.2%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.04%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 2.3% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 4.0% from two or more races. 7.83% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race. According to the 2007–2010

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is a demographics survey program conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the decennial census, such as ancestry, citizenship, educati ...

22.8% were of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

, 13.2%

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

, 12.5%

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

and 5.6%

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...

ancestry. 88.2% spoke only

, while 3.9% spoke Asian languages and 3.8%

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

at home. As of the 2000 Census, there were 108,593 households, out of which 29.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.00% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 12.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.30% were non-families. 30.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.04. In the county, 23.40% of the population was under the age of 18, 18.50% was from 18 to 24, 28.60% from 25 to 44, 20.10% from 45 to 64, and 9.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.10 males. The median income for a household in the county was $40,774, and the median income for a family was $53,063. Males had a median income of $40,335 versus $30,178 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the county was $21,079. About 8.30% of families and 14.60% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 14.60% of those under age 18 and 6.60% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The county government operates the

jail A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, correc ...

, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintains

vital records Vital records are records of life events kept under governmental authority, including birth certificates, marriage licenses (or marriage certificates), separation agreements, divorce certificates or divorce party and death certificates. In some ...

, administers

public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...

regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of welfare and other social services. The 14-member county board of commissioners controls the budget, but has only limited authority to make laws or ordinances due to Michigan's large

devolution Devolution is the statutory delegation of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to govern at a subnational level, such as a regional or local level. It is a form of administrative decentralization. Devolved territories h ...

of local power to cities, villages, and townships. The county board of commissioners also hires a county administrator/

controller Controller may refer to: Occupations * Controller or financial controller, or in government accounting comptroller, a senior accounting position * Controller, someone who performs agent handling in espionage * Air traffic controller, a person ...

who serves as the chief fiscal and administrative officer of the county.

Elected officials

Prosecuting Attorney A prosecutor is a legal representative of the prosecution in states with either the common law adversarial system or the civil law inquisitorial system. The prosecution is the legal party responsible for presenting the case in a criminal tria ...

: Carol Siemon (D) *

Sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...

: Scott Wriggelsworth (D) *

County Clerk A clerk is a white-collar worker who conducts general office tasks, or a worker who performs similar sales-related tasks in a retail environment. The responsibilities of clerical workers commonly include record keeping, filing, staffing service ...

: Barb Byrum (D) *

Register of Deeds Recorder of deeds or deeds registry is a government office tasked with maintaining public records and documents, especially records relating to real estate ownership that provide persons other than the owner of a property with real rights over ...

: Derrick Quinney (D) * County Treasurer: Eric Schertzing (D) *

Drain Commissioner A drain commissioner is an elected official in county government of the U.S. state of Michigan who is responsible for planning, developing and maintaining surface water drainage systems under Public Act 40 of 1956. In counties with a population unde ...

: Patrick Lindemann (D)

County Board of Commissioners

14 members, elected from districts (11 Democrats, 3 Republicans)

30th Judicial Circuit Court

judge A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a panel of judges. A judge hears all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the barristers or solicitors of the case, assesses the credibility an ...

s (non-partisan) ** Judge Richard Garcia, Chief Circuit & Probate Court Judge ** Judge Shauna Dunnings, Chief Circuit & Probate Judge Pro Tempore ** Judge Lisa McCormick ** Judge Carol Koenig ** Judge Joyce Draganchuk, Presiding Judge - General Trial Division ** Judge

Rosemarie Aquilina Rosemarie Elizabeth Aquilina (born April 25, 1958) is an American judge. She is a judge of the 30th circuit court in Ingham County, Michigan. Previously, Aquilina was the 55th District Court Judge, where she served as both a Sobriety Court Jud ...

** Judge Clinton Canady III ** Judge James Jamo ** Judge Wanda Stokes (information as of January 2021)

Transportation

Air service

* Ingham County is served by Lansing

Capital Region International Airport Capital Region International Airport , formerly Lansing Capital City Airport, is a public, Class C airport located northwest of downtown Lansing in a portion of DeWitt Township, Michigan that has been annexed to the City of Lansing via Pub ...

and

Mason Jewett Field Mason Jewett Field is a public use airport located one nautical mile (1.85 km) southeast of the central business district of Mason, in Ingham County, Michigan, United States. It is owned and operated by the Capital Region Airport Authority ...

Rail service

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...

Canadian National Railway The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States. CN i ...

CSX Transportation CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The railroad operates approximately 21,000 route miles () of track. ...

* Jackson & Lansing Railroad

Bus service

Capital Area Transportation Authority The Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA) is the public transit authority that operates mass transit bus service and paratransit within the metro Lansing, Michigan area, including service on the campus of Michigan State University. In , the ...

(CATA) *

Greyhound Lines Greyhound Lines, Inc. (commonly known as simply Greyhound) operates the largest intercity bus service in North America, including Greyhound Mexico. It also operates charter bus services, Amtrak Thruway services, commuter bus services, and pac ...

Indian Trails Indian Trails, Inc. is an inter-city bus company based in Owosso, Michigan, with offices in Romulus (in Metro Detroit) and Kalamazoo. History Indian Trails was founded in 1910 in Owosso as the Phillips-Taylor Livery Service, whose main busi ...

Highways

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Recreational

Lansing River Trail Lansing River Trail is a multiple use trail approximately long. It runs along the Grand River and the Red Cedar River between Michigan State University and Dietrich Park in northern Lansing. The first segment of trail opened in 1975. It was d ...

Communities

Cities

(part) *

(part) * Leslie * Mason (county seat) * Williamston

Villages

* Dansville * Stockbridge * Webberville

Charter townships

* Delhi Charter Township *

Lansing Charter Township Lansing Charter Township is a charter township of Ingham County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 8,143 at the 2020 census. The township consists of six non-contiguous sections bordered mostly by the cities of East Lansing and ...

Meridian Charter Township Meridian Charter Township is a charter township of Ingham County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the township had a population of 39,688. The township is named after the Michigan meridian, which comprises the eastern bo ...

Civil townships

* Alaiedon Township * Aurelius Township * Bunker Hill Township * Ingham Township * Leroy Township * Leslie Township * Locke Township * Onondaga Township * Stockbridge Township * Vevay Township * Wheatfield Township * White Oak Township * Williamstown Township

Census-designated places

* Edgemont Park *

Haslett Haslett is a census-designated place (CDP) in Ingham County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly within Meridian Charter Township with a small portion extending east into Williamstown Township. The population was 19,220 at the 2 ...

* Holt *

Okemos Okemos ( ) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Ingham County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population of the CDP was 21,369 at the 2010 census. Okemos is located mostly within Meridian Charter Township, with a small portion extending sout ...

Other unincorporated communities

* Columbia * Fitchburg *

Onondaga Onondaga may refer to: Native American/First Nations * Onondaga people, a Native American/First Nations people and one of the five founding nations of the Iroquois League * Onondaga (village), Onondaga settlement and traditional Iroquois capita ...

Education

;School districts include:
Text list
/ref> * Dansville Schools *

East Lansing School District East Lansing Public Schools is the school district for East Lansing, Michigan, USA. The district is governed by a seven-person Board of Education. Since 1973, the Board has included a student-elected, non-voting student representative from East ...

* Eaton Rapids Public Schools *

Fowlerville Community Schools Fowlerville may refer to: * Fowlerville, Michigan, a village in Livingston County, Michigan, United States * Fowlerville, Erie County, New York, a hamlet in Erie County, New York, United States * Fowlerville, Livingston County, New York Fowlerv ...

* Haslett Public Schools *

Holt Public Schools Holt Public Schools is a school district headquartered in Holt, Michigan Holt is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Ingham County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The CDP is located within Delhi Charter Township and ...

* Lansing Public School District * Leslie Public Schools * Mason Public Schools *

Morrice Area Schools Morrice is a surname, predominantly of Scottish origin. Notable people with the name include: * Ian Morrice, Australian CEO *James Wilson Morrice (1865–1924), Canadian landscape painter *Jane Morrice (born 1954), Irish politician * Mike Morrice, ...

* Northwest School District *

Okemos Public Schools Okemos Public Schools, originally established in 1849, now represents a area in north-central Ingham County in Okemos, Michigan adjacent to East Lansing, Michigan (home of Michigan State University) and east of Lansing, Michigan. In 2005� ...

Perry Public School District Perry, also known as pear cider, is an alcoholic beverage made from fermentation (food), fermented pears, traditionally the perry pear. It has been common for centuries in England, particularly in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Worcesters ...

Springport Public Schools Springport may refer to: Places In the United States: * Springport, Indiana * Springport, Michigan Springport is a village in Jackson County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 800 at the 2010 census. The village is located wi ...

* Stockbridge Community Schools *

Waverly Community Schools Waverly Community Schools is a school district managing six schools in Lansing, Michigan, United States. The superintendent is Kelly Blake. Schools * Waverly Senior High School, grades 9-12 *Waverly Middle School, grades 7-8 *East Intermediate S ...

Webberville Community Schools Webberville Community Schools was a public school district located in Webberville, Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area ...

Williamston Community Schools Williamston Community Schools (WCS) is the K-12 public school district centered in Williamston, Michigan. The district covers in parts of Williamstown, Locke, Leroy, Wheatfield, Alaiedon, and Meridian townships. It includes portions of O ...

The

Michigan School for the Blind The Michigan School for the Blind (MSB) was a state-operated school for blind children in Michigan. Its former academic campus is at 715 W. Willow Street in Lansing, Michigan, and is now The Abigail, a senior apartment complex. The building was l ...

, a state-operated school, was formerly in Lansing.

is in the county.

References

External links

Ingham County

Capital Area District Library (serving all of Ingham County except East Lansing)
* {{authority control Lansing–East Lansing metropolitan area Michigan counties 1838 establishments in Michigan Populated places established in 1838