Oscoda County is a county in the state of Michigan. According to the 2020 census, the population was 8,219. This makes it the county with the smallest number of people in the Lower Peninsula and the sixth-smallest in the entire state. The county seat is Mio, a place that is not officially a city and is located near the center of the county.

History

The county was created on April 1, 1840, by a law passed by the Michigan State legislature. However, the system for managing the county was not finished until 1881. The name comes from Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, a new word believed to be made from two Ojibwa words, "ossin" (stone) and "muskoda" (prairie) – meaning "pebbly prairie." He worked as the US Indian agent and was also a geographer who mapped and named new counties and towns.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county covers an area of 572 square miles (1,480 km²), with 566 square miles (1,470 km²) being land and 5.9 square miles (15 km²) (1.0%) being water. Oscoda County is located in Northern Michigan.

• Mio is located in the Au Sable River Valley.
• The county is bordered by the Huron National Forest and the Rifle River State Recreation Area.
• The county is part of the Au Sable State Forest, specifically the Grayling Fire Management Unit, which includes Alcona, Crawford, Oscoda, and northern Iosco counties.
• Much of the area lies on the "Grayling outwash plain," a special kind of habitat.
• The Oscoda County Park provides a clear view of the area.

Glaciers shaped the land, forming a unique ecosystem. Much of the area is the Grayling outwash plain, a wide flat area with sandy ridges from melted ice, jack pine barrens, white pine-red pine forests, and northern hardwood forests. Large lakes were formed by glacier movement.

• M-33 – runs north to south through the center of the county. It passes Fairview and Mio.
• M-72 – enters the western part of the county near its center. It runs east to meet M-33 at Mio. It passes Luzerne. It is one of three major highways that cross the peninsula.
• F-32 – runs east from Mio into Alcona County. It passes McKinley.

• Huron National Forest (part)

Communities

Oscoda County is the only county in Michigan that does not have any officially recognized communities.

• Big Creek Township
• Clinton Township
• Comins Township
• Elmer Township
• Greenwood Township
• Mentor Township

• Mio (county seat)

• Biggs Settlement
• Comins
• Fairview
• Kneeland
• Luzerne
• McKinley
• Red Oak

Demographics

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 8,219 people. The median age was 53.8 years. Eighteen point one percent of residents were under the age of 18, and 29.7% were 65 years or older. For every 100 females, there were 105.8 males. For every 100 females aged 18 or older, there were 104.2 males aged 18 or older.

The racial makeup of the county was 94.2% White, 0.1% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% Asian, less than 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.3% from other races, and 4.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race made up 1.9% of the population.

Less than 0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, and 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 3,732 households in the county. Nineteen point nine percent of households had children under the age of 18 living in them. Forty-eight point two percent of households were married-couple households. Twenty-three point one percent had a male householder with no spouse or partner, and 22.7% had a female householder with no spouse or partner. Thirty-three point six percent of households had only one person living in them, and 17.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years or older.

There were 7,649 housing units. Fifty-one point two percent of these units were vacant. Of the occupied units, 84.0% were owned by the residents, and 16.0% were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3%, and the rental vacancy rate was 16.1%.

At the 2000 United States census, 9,418 people, 3,921 households, and 2,717 families lived in the county. The population density was 17 people per square mile (6.6 people per square kilometer). There were 8,690 housing units, with an average density of 15 per square mile (5.8 per square kilometer).

In 2000, the county’s racial makeup was 97.82% White, 0.08% Black or African American, 0.71% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.14% from other races, and 1.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race made up 0.94% of the population. Thirty point two percent of residents had German ancestry, 12.8% American, 9.6% English, 8.1% Polish, 6.8% French, and 6.7% Irish. Ninety-four point one percent of residents spoke English as their first language, 2.8% spoke German, and 1.5% spoke Pennsylvania Dutch.

In 2000, there were 3,921 households. Twenty-five point three percent had children under the age of 18 living in them. Fifty-eight point one percent were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.7% were non-families. Twenty-six percent of households had only one person living in them, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years or older. The average household size was 2.39, and the average family size was 2.85. Twenty-three point three percent of the population was under the age of 18, 5.6% were aged 18 to 24, 22.8% were aged 25 to 44, 28.0% were aged 45 to 64, and 20.2% were 65 years or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females aged 18 or older, there were 95.3 males.

In 2000, the median household income was $28,228, and the median family income was $32,225. Males had a median income of $30,013, and females had a median income of $20,202. The per capita income was $15,697. Ten point three percent of families and 14.6% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included 20.4% of those under the age of 18 and 8.8% of those aged 65 or older.

Government

Oscoda County has mostly supported the Republican Party since it was formed. Since 1884, the Republican Party candidate has won the majority of votes in the county in 86% (31 out of 36) of national elections through 2024.

Oscoda County runs the county jail, repairs rural roads, manages major local courts, records property documents, mortgages, and important life events like births and deaths, enforces public health rules, and works with the state to provide social services. The county board of commissioners controls the budget and has limited power to create laws or rules. In Michigan, most local government duties—such as police and fire services, building and zoning rules, tax assessments, and street repairs—are handled by individual cities and townships.

Current as of January 2022.

Recreation

The AuSable River near Mio offers chances to fish, canoe, kayak, or tube. The M-33 access point north of Mio includes a launch area and public facilities. Another launch area is located at the Mio Dam Pond.

Oscoda County has snowmobile trails, ATV trails, hiking trails, and cross-country skiing trails. Snowmobile and ATV trails are found in Luzerne, McKinley, and Mio. A scramble area is located at Bull Gap in the Huron National Forest. The Loud Creek Trail has 7 different routes with varying difficulty levels. The trail’s total distance is 10 kilometers.

In Fairview, there is a horseback riding ranch and a golf course. Karefree Ranch Boarding Stables provides guided horseback rides in the Huron National Forest. The Fairview Hills Golf Club is a 9-hole golf course located on M-33.