Keego Harbor is a city in Oakland County, Michigan. It is a northern suburb of Detroit, located about 27 miles (43.5 km) from downtown Detroit and approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) southwest of Pontiac. According to the 2020 census, Keego Harbor had a population of 2,764. The city covers a land area of 0.50 square miles (1.29 km²). Keego Harbor is the third-smallest city in Michigan by land area, following Petersburg and Clarkston.
History
The first people from outside the area arrived between 1825 and 1830. Cass Lake attracted wealthy individuals who bought land near the lake for vacations. In 1890, a railway was built through Keego Harbor to connect to Detroit and Pontiac, making the area easier to reach. Around the year 1900, Joseph E. Sawyer, a well-known lawyer from Pontiac, bought and mapped land to the southwest of Orchard Lake. He constructed a canal to link Dollar Lake to Cass Lake and declared the area a harbor on the eastern side of Cass Lake. He named the area Keego, which was a phonetic spelling of the Anishinaabemowin word "giigoonh," meaning "fish." The name Keego was inspired by a poem titled The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The community was originally part of West Bloomfield Township but became an independent city in 1955.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city covers a total area of 0.55 square miles (1.42 square kilometers). Of this area, 0.50 square miles (1.29 square kilometers) is land, and 0.05 square miles (0.13 square kilometers), which is 9.09%, is water.
The small Dollar Lake and canal are located within the city of Keego Harbor. The city is on the eastern side of Cass Lake. It is bordered by Sylvan Lake to the east, Orchard Lake Village to the southwest, Waterford Township to the north, and West Bloomfield Township to the south and northwest.
Demographics
As of the 2010 census, the city had 2,970 people, 1,292 households, and 721 families. The population density was 5,940.0 people per square mile (2,293.4/km²). There were 1,473 housing units, with an average density of 2,946.0 per square mile (1,137.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city included 84.1% White, 6.2% African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.3% Asian, 4.0% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino individuals made up 10.8% of the population.
Of the 1,292 households, 32.3% had children under 18 living with them. Thirty-six point one percent were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder without a husband, 5.7% had a male householder without a wife, and 44.2% were non-families. Thirty-six point one percent of households included only one person, and 7% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.30 people, and the average family size was 3.08 people.
The median age in the city was 35.6 years. Twenty-four point eight percent of residents were under 18, 7.9% were between 18 and 24, 33.6% were aged 25 to 44, 26.1% were aged 45 to 64, and 7.6% were 65 or older. The gender distribution was 50.3% male and 49.7% female.
As of the 2000 census, the city had 2,769 people, 1,223 households, and 664 families. The population density was 5,388.9 people per square mile (2,080.7/km²). There were 1,317 housing units, with an average density of 2,563.1 per square mile (989.6/km²). The racial makeup included 94.08% White, 0.61% African American, 1.16% Native American, 1.05% Asian, 1.26% from other races, and 1.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino individuals made up 4.37% of the population.
Of the 1,223 households, 30.2% had children under 18 living with them. Thirty-eight point one percent were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder without a husband, and 45.7% were non-families. Thirty-seven point four percent of households included only one person, and 5.2% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.26 people, and the average family size was 3.07 people.
In 2000, 24.9% of the population was under 18, 7.7% were aged 18 to 24, 41.1% were aged 25 to 44, 18.7% were aged 45 to 64, and 7.6% were 65 or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.5 males. For every 100 females aged 18 or older, there were 105.3 males.
The median household income in the city was $46,552, and the median family income was $49,015. Males had a median income of $37,031, and females had a median income of $34,038. The average income per person was $26,305. Five point two percent of families and 5.1% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 6.0% of those under 18 and 2.4% of those 65 or older.