Hillsdale County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. According to the 2020 Census, the population was 45,746. The county seat is Hillsdale. Hillsdale County is the only county in Michigan that shares borders with both Indiana and Ohio. Because of a bend in the border with Ohio, Hillsdale County contains the southernmost point in Michigan. The county is part of the Hillsdale, MI Micropolitan Statistical Area. It is home to Hillsdale College, a private liberal-arts college. The Hillsdale County Courthouse was designed by Claire Allen, a well-known architect from southern Michigan.

History

The county's name comes from its rolling hills. The Michigan Territorial legislature described the area in 1829, and the county was formed six years later. For more information about the origins of Michigan county names, see the List of Michigan county name etymologies.

Hillsdale County was settled by people from New England. These early settlers came from the northern coastal colonies, known as "Yankees," who were descendants of English Puritans who moved to America from Europe in the 1600s. During the early 1800s, many Yankees traveled to the Northwest Territory, often using the newly completed Erie Canal. The end of the Black Hawk War made this journey safer. These settlers valued education and built many schools. Many of them worked to end slavery.

Geography

According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 607 square miles (1,570 km²), of which 598 square miles (1,550 km²) is land and 8.9 square miles (23 km²) (1.5%) is water. Hillsdale is the only county in Michigan to have a land border with two other states—Ohio and Indiana. The headwaters of two St. Joseph Rivers begin in Hillsdale County: the St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan) and the St. Joseph River (Maumee River).

• McCourtie Park
• Slayton Arboretum

Climate

Hillsdale County has four different seasons throughout the year. The hottest month is July, with an average high temperature of 82 °F or 27.8 °C. The coldest month is January, with an average high temperature of 29 °F or −1.7 °C. The wettest month is June, with an average of 4.29 inches or 109.0 millimetres of rainfall.

Demographics

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 45,746. The average age was 42.3 years. 22.2% of people were younger than 18 years old, and 20.5% were 65 years old or older. For every 100 females, there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and older, there were 98.5 males aged 18 and older.

The racial makeup of the county was 93.2% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, less than 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.7% from other races, and 4.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race made up 2.6% of the population.

23.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 76.7% lived in rural areas.

There were 18,062 households in the county. 27.4% of these households had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 50.2% were married-couple households, 19.4% had a male householder with no spouse or partner, and 23.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner. About 28.5% of all households included only one person, and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years old or older.

There were 21,396 housing units, of which 15.6% were unoccupied. Of the occupied housing units, 77.5% were owned by the residents, and 22.5% were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1%, and the rental vacancy rate was 6.5%.

As of the 2000 United States census, there were 46,527 people, 17,335 households, and 12,550 families in the county. The population density was 78 people per square mile (30 people per square kilometer). There were 20,189 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile (13 per square kilometer). The racial makeup of the county was 97.56% White, 0.43% Black or African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. 1.20% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 28.4% had German ancestry, 28.2% had English ancestry, and 9.3% had Irish ancestry. 97.0% spoke English as their first language, 1.2% spoke Spanish, and 1.2% spoke German.

There were 17,335 households, of which 32.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them. 59.90% were married couples living together, 8.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.60% were non-families. 22.90% of all households included only one person, and 9.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years old or older. The average household size was 2.60, and the average family size was 3.05.

The county's population included 26.30% under the age of 18, 10.00% aged 18 to 24, 26.80% aged 25 to 44, 23.50% aged 45 to 64, and 13.30% who were 65 years old or older. The average age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.00 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and older, there were 96.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,396, and the median income for a family was $45,895. Males had a median income of $35,349, while females had a median income of $23,718. The average income per person was $18,255. About 5.20% of families and 8.20% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 8.80% of those under age 18 and 8.60% of those aged 65 or older.

Politics

Hillsdale County has mostly supported Republican candidates in presidential elections since the 19th century. From 1884 to now, the Republican candidate won the county in 34 out of 36 presidential elections. The only exceptions were in 1964, when Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson won by 144 votes, and in 1912, when Progressive candidate Theodore Roosevelt won after a split in the Republican Party. In 2024, Donald Trump won the county by one of the largest margins in the county's history.

The county government is responsible for operating the county jail, maintaining rural roads, managing local courts, recording legal documents such as deeds and mortgages, enforcing public health rules, and helping provide social services with the state. The county board of commissioners oversees the budget and has limited power to create laws or rules. In Michigan, most local government duties, such as police and fire services, building regulations, tax assessments, and street maintenance, are handled by individual cities and townships.

On August 12, 2022, the Hillsdale County Republican Party prevented elected precinct delegates from entering the County Convention. The party claimed that the county clerk, Marney Kast, had altered some candidates' ballots after the filing deadline. The convention was held inside Sozo Church by those not excluded. The elected delegates held their own meeting outside in the parking lot. This caused a split in the party and led to several lawsuits.

Today, the Michigan Republican Party officially recognizes Brent Leininger as the chair of the Hillsdale County Republican Party. Leininger was one of the precinct delegates who had been excluded from the convention.

Transportation

• US 12 travels through the county from east to west for about 23 miles. It is the southernmost highway in Michigan that runs east and west.
• US 127 is a north–south highway that follows part of the county’s eastern edge. It is also called Meridian Road because it runs along the Michigan meridian.
• M-34 is a highway that starts at the county’s eastern border and goes west until it connects with M-99. It is also known as Hudson Road.
• M-49 is a north–south highway that begins near the Ohio border and crosses M-99 in the northwest corner of the county.
• M-99 travels through the county from north to south for about 30 miles. It is also called Carleton Road, named after poet Will Carleton, who studied at Hillsdale College and lived in Hillsdale.

Hillsdale Municipal Airport (KJYM), opened in 1963, has a 5,000-foot paved and lighted runway, instrument approaches, hangars, tie-down areas, and fuel services. It provides access for general aviation to Hillsdale County and surrounding areas.

The 4,000-mile National Scenic North Country Trail runs through the county from north to south.

Communities

• Hillsdale (county seat)
• Jonesville
• Litchfield
• Reading

• Allen
• Camden
• Montgomery
• North Adams
• Waldron

• Cambria
• Lake LeAnn
• Pittsford

Notable people

• Moses Allen was the first person to settle in the area and served as a soldier in the War of 1812.
• Oscar F. Avery (1841–1924) was a lawyer and an Illinois state senator. He was born in Allen Township.
• Don A. Jones (1912–2000) was an admiral and a civil engineer. He worked as the seventh Director of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey and the second Director of the Environmental Science Services Administration Corps. He was born in Waldron.
• Penny Neer was an Olympic athlete.