Alpena County (/ælˈpiːnə/ al-PEE-nə) is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. According to the 2020 census, the population of the county was 28,907. The county seat is the city of Alpena. Alpena County is part of Northern Michigan. It includes the Alpena, MI Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The county was established by the Michigan Legislature in 1840 and was first called Anamickee County. This name comes from the Ojibwe word "animikii," which means "thunder." In 1843, the county was renamed Alpena County. The new name is a made-up word inspired by Native American languages, created by Henry Schoolcraft. It means "a good partridge country." This change was part of a larger effort to rename many counties in Michigan during that time. The Thunder Bay Band of Chippewa and Ottawa, the original people who lived in the area, joined with the Mackinac Bands of Chippewa and Ottawa Indians in the mid-1800s under Chief Way-ge-maw-waw-be. The county was officially organized in 1857.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,695 square miles (4,390 km²), of which 572 square miles (1,480 km²) is land and 1,123 square miles (2,910 km²) (66%) is water.

Alpena County is located in the northeast of the mitten-shaped Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Lake Huron and Thunder Bay are to the east, Alcona County is to the south, Oscoda County is to the southwest, Montmorency County is to the west, and Presque Isle County is to the north. Most of the county is drained by the Thunder Bay River and its tributaries. The Mackinaw State Forest covers large areas of land in the county. The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary is located offshore near the county.

The 45th parallel divides the county in half, meaning it is halfway between the North Pole and the equator.

Several islands in Thunder Bay are part of the Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge. Automated lighthouses are located on Middle Island and Thunder Bay Island.

• Thunder Bay River
• Long Lake
• Grand Lake

Glaciers shaped the area, creating a unique ecosystem. A large part of the area is called the Grayling outwash plain, which includes flat areas covered with sand and gravel from melting glaciers. These areas also have jack pine barrens, some white pine-red pine forests, and northern hardwood forests. Large lakes were formed by glacial activity. Some inland lakes are very large.

• Alcona County – south
• Oscoda County – southwest
• Montmorency County – west
• Presque Isle County – north

• U.S. Route 23 passes through Alpena as it travels along the Lake Huron shoreline. To the north, the road goes through Long Lake and Grand Lake, then continues to Rogers City, Michigan, through Cheboygan, Michigan, and ends at Mackinaw City, Michigan, where it connects to I-75 and the Mackinac Bridge.
• M-32 ends its 100-mile (160 km) east-west route from Lake Michigan to Lake Huron in downtown Alpena, where it intersects with U.S. Route 23.
• M-65 provides a more direct route to the south than U.S. Route 23, which follows the lake shore through many towns. M-65 goes north to Rogers City.

• Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Demographics

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 28,907. The median age was 48.1 years. 18.6% of residents were under the age of 18, and 24.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 97.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.5 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 94.0% White, 0.3% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.4% from some other race, and 4.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.4% of the population.

53.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 46.6% lived in rural areas.

There were 12,901 households in the county, of which 22.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 44.7% were married-couple households, 20.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 15,645 housing units, of which 17.5% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 78.1% were owner-occupied, and 21.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7%, and the rental vacancy rate was 9.9%.

The 2010 United States census indicated Alpena County had a population of 29,598. This is a decrease of 1,716 people from 2000. Overall, the county had a -5.5% growth rate during this ten-year period. In 2010, there were 12,791 households and 8,164 families in the county. The population density was 51.8 per square mile (20.0 square kilometers).

There were 16,053 housing units at an average density of 28.1 per square mile (10.8 square kilometers). Among the population at the time, 97.5% were White, 0.5% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.3% Black or African American, 0.1% of some other race, and 1.1% of two or more races. 1.0% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). 26.8% were of German, 19.5% Polish, 12.9% French, French Canadian, or Cajun, 8.1% English, 6.4% Irish, and 5.7% American ancestry.

There were 12,791 households, out of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were husband-and-wife families, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.2% were non-families, and 30.8% were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.27, and the average family size was 2.81.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 20.9% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 20.8% from 25 to 44, 31.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males.

The 2010 American Community Survey 3-year estimate indicated the median income for a household in the county was $36,242, and the median income for a family was $46,718. Males had a median income of $27,002, versus $15,670 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,713. About 2.5% of families and 16.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.2% of those under the age of 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The county government runs the jail, repairs rural roads, manages major local courts, keeps records of property deeds and mortgages, maintains important documents like birth and death records, enforces public health rules, and works with the state to provide welfare and other social services. The county board of commissioners manages the budget but has limited power to create laws or rules. In Michigan, most local government tasks, such as police and fire services, building and zoning rules, tax assessments, and street repairs, are handled by individual cities and townships.

The county operates three parks (and campgrounds) with beaches on local lakes. These include Beaver Lake Park in Lachine, Long Lake Park in Alpena, and Sunken Lake Park in Posen.

Media

The Alpena News is the main daily newspaper for much of the northeastern part of the Lower Peninsula in Michigan. For a complete list of other news sources, refer to the Alpena, Michigan entry.

Arts and culture

• Besser Museum for Northeast Michigan
• Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary

There are seven recognized historical markers in the county:

• Alpena County Courthouse
• Alpena City Hall
• The Daniel Carter Family
• First Congregational Church [Alpena]
• Monarch Mill
• St. Bernard Catholic Church
• World's Largest Cement Plant