Newaygo is a small city in Newaygo County, which is located in the state of Michigan. According to the 2020 census, the population of Newaygo was 2,471. The name is pronounced "no-way-goh."

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.90 square miles (10.10 km²), with 3.74 square miles (9.69 km²) being land and 0.16 square miles (0.41 km²) being water. The Muskegon River flows through the town and is often used for activities such as canoeing, tubing, and fishing. The county is part of West Michigan. Newaygo is located within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids.

The Muskegon River runs along the north side of the town, passing beneath M-37 and a train bridge.

Highways:
• M-37
• M-82

History

Newaygo's recorded history begins in the 1600s with French trappers, called coureur des bois, and later fur company workers, known as voyageurs, who traveled by canoe along the Muskegon River. The town's name is thought to come from Chief Nuwagon, an Ojibwe leader who signed the Treaty of Saginaw in 1819, or from an Algonquian word meaning "much water." John Brooks arrived in 1836 to cut trees and became the town's first postmaster in 1847. Because of its location near the river, Newaygo became an important place for moving logs by water to sawmills in Muskegon during the logging boom of the late 1800s.

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, the city had 1,976 people, 786 households, and 502 families. The population density was 528.3 people per square mile (204.0/km²). There were 892 housing units, with an average density of 238.5 per square mile (92.1/km²). The racial makeup was 93.6% White, 0.9% African American, 1.2% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.6% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino individuals made up 7.3% of the population.

Of the 786 households, 36.8% had children under 18 living with them. 39.7% were married couples, 20.2% had a female householder without a husband, 3.9% had a male householder without a wife, and 36.1% were non-families. 30.7% of households had only one person, and 14.7% had someone 65 or older living alone. The average household size was 2.51, and the average family size was 3.10.

The median age in the city was 32.4 years. 29.3% of residents were under 18, 10.5% were 18 to 24, 24.7% were 25 to 44, 21.3% were 45 to 64, and 14.2% were 65 or older. The gender distribution was 46.1% male and 53.9% female.

As of the 2000 census, the city had 1,670 people, 620 households, and 450 families. The population density was 501.2 people per square mile (193.5/km²). There were 707 housing units, with an average density of 212.2 per square mile (81.9/km²). The racial makeup was 95.87% White, 0.24% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 2.34% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino individuals made up 4.79% of the population.

Of the 620 households, 41.6% had children under 18 living with them. 50.8% were married couples, 17.9% had a female householder without a husband, and 27.4% were non-families. 23.7% of households had only one person, and 7.7% had someone 65 or older living alone. The average household size was 2.69, and the average family size was 3.16.

In 2000, 33.1% of the population was under 18, 10.7% were 18 to 24, 26.1% were 25 to 44, 18.6% were 45 to 64, and 11.5% were 65 or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 84.9 males.

The median household income in the city was $32,273, and the median family income was $36,023. Males earned a median income of $32,763, while females earned $21,385. The per capita income was $14,643. About 15.2% of families and 16.5% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 22.5% of those under 18 and 6.3% of those 65 or older.

Climate

The Köppen Climate Classification system uses the code "Dfb" to describe this climate type. This type is referred to as a Warm Summer Continental Climate.

Notable people

• Ella H. Brockway Avann (was born in 1853), educator
• Roy Bargy, composer and pianist
• Joe Berger, lineman with the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL
• Jack Nitzsche, musician and arranger
• Bertha Yerex Whitman, architect