Jenison is a type of community called a census-designated place (CDP) in Ottawa County, Michigan. It is located within Georgetown Charter Township. According to the 2020 census, Jenison had a population of 16,640 people. The entire area covered by ZIP code 49428, which includes Jenison, is estimated to have a population of 26,156 people. The ZIP code covers a larger area than the CDP itself. Jenison is a bedroom community, meaning many residents live there but work in nearby Grand Rapids.
History
The area now known as Jenison was first home to the Peoria and Odawa Native American tribes. In 1836, white settlers arrived and established a logging area along the Grand River. The town was named after the Jenison family, who built a sawmill there in 1864. A post office called Jenisonville opened in 1872, and the name was changed to Jenison in 1887.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the community has a total area of 5.9 square miles (15 km), of which 5.8 square miles (15 km) is land, and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km) (0.85%) is water.
Demographics
In 2000, the community had 17,211 people, 5,975 households, and 4,863 families. The population density was 2,940.8 people per square mile (1,135.4/km²). There were 6,065 housing units, with an average density of 1,036.3 units per square mile (400.1/km²). The racial makeup of the community was 98.84% White, 0.49% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.85% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.53% from other races, and 0.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino individuals of any race made up 1.77% of the population.
Out of 5,975 households, 39.8% had children under 18 living with them, 73.5% were married couples, 5.8% had a female householder without a husband, and 18.6% were non-families. Sixteen point nine percent of households had only one person, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years or older. The average household size was 2.86 people, and the average family size was 3.24 people.
The population was spread across age groups: 28.9% were under 18, 7.8% were 18 to 24, 26.8% were 25 to 44, 24.0% were 45 to 64, and 12.5% were 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and older, there were 90.5 males.
The median income for a household was $56,426, and the median income for a family was $61,957. Males earned a median income of $46,738, while females earned $28,204. The average income per person in the community was $21,021. About 1.8% of families and 2.5% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included 3.1% of people under 18 and 4.3% of people 65 or older.
Schools
Most of the community is in the Jenison Public School District. A small part is in the Hudsonville Public School District. Jenison Christian School, a private school that serves students from Preschool through 8th grade, is also located in Jenison.
Notable people
- Caleb Baragar, a professional baseball player for the San Francisco Giants in Major League Baseball
- David Brandt, a retired player in the National Football League
- Mark Dewey, a retired pitcher in Major League Baseball
- Kevin DeYoung, a pastor and author
- Paul Grasmanis, a retired player in the National Football League
- Richard Grenell, a diplomat and ambassador
- Benny McCoy, a retired infielder in Major League Baseball
- Andy Ponstein, an ARCA driver
- Glenn Duffie Shriver, who was found guilty of attempted espionage.