County population in 2012: 43,868 (37% urban, 63% rural); it was 45,787 in 2000 County owner-occupied with a mortgage or a loan houses and condos in 2010: 8,225 County owner-occupied free and clear houses and condos in 2010: 4,308 County owner-occupied houses and condos in 2000: 12,892 Renter-occupied apartments: 3,886 (it was 3,457 in 2000)
% of renters here:
21%
State:
28%
Land area: 507 sq. mi. Water area: 12.1 sq. mi.
Population density: 89 people per square mile
(average).
Mar. 2012 cost of living index in Branch County: 82.5 (low, U.S. average is 100)
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Industries providing employment: Manufacturing (24.4%), Educational,health and social services (19.6%), Retail trade (13.4%).
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with mortgages in 2009: $1,371 (1.2%) Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with no mortgage in 2009: $1,192 (1.1%)
Percentage of residents living in poverty in 2009: 15.7%
(14.6% for White Non-Hispanic residents, 47.6% for Black residents, 37.9% for Hispanic or Latino residents, 23.3% for American Indian residents, 54.3% for other race residents, 18.5% for two or more races residents) Median age of residents in 2010: 39 years old
(Males: 38 years old, Females: 40 years old)
(Median age for: White residents: 40 years old, Black residents: 40 years old, American Indian residents: 36 years old, Asian residents: 34 years old, Hispanic or Latino residents: 21 years old, Other race residents: 21 years old)
Residents with income below the poverty level in 2009:
This county:
9.3%
Whole state:
10.5%
Residents with income below 50% of the poverty level in 2009:
This county:
3.9%
Whole state:
4.8%
Fair market rent in 2006 for a 1-bedroom apartment in Branch County is $450 a month. Fair market rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is $592 a month. Fair market rent for a 3-bedroom apartment is $710 a month.
Notable locations in this county outside city limits:
Notable locations in Branch County: Butler Speedway (A), Powatomie Recreation Area Campground (B), Capri Drive-In Theater (C), Waffle Farm Campgrounds (D), Iyopawa Island Golf Course (E), Narrows Resort and Campground (F), Green Acres Campground (G), Golf Club of Coldwater (H), Blackberry Patch Golf Club (I), Quincy Golf Course (J), Prairie River Golf Club (K), Batavia Station (L), Sequoia Campground (M), Lakeland Fire Department (N), Coldwater Welcome Center (O), Branch County Sheriff Department (P). Display/hide their locations on the map
Churches in Branch County include: Dayburg Church (A), Dorrance Church (B), East Alganssee Church (C), East Ovid Church (D), First Congregational Church (E), Pleasant Hill Church (F), Matteson Church (G), Lockwood Church (H), Juddville United Methodist Church (I). Display/hide their locations on the map
Cemeteries: Blossom Cemetery (1), Lake View Cemetery (2), Card Cemetery (3), Knauss Cemetery (4), Ovid Cemetery (5), Dutch Settlement Cemetery (6), Adams Cemetery (7). Display/hide their locations on the map
Lakes, reservoirs, and swamps: River Lake (A), Marl Lake (B), Marble Lake (C), Red Water Lake (D), Mallow Lake (E), Tuttle Lake (F), Randall Lake (G), Quaker Lake (H). Display/hide their locations on the map
Rivers and creeks: Bagley Creek (A), Fisher Creek (B), Hog Creek (C), Little Fawn River (D), Spencer Creek (E), Tallahassee Creek (F), Bowen Creek (G), Burnett Creek (H), Cold Creek (I). Display/hide their locations on the map
Parks in Branch County include: Riverbend County Park (1), Waldron County Park (2), Creal Soccer Complex (3), Angel Cove Park (4), Memorial Park (5), Coldwater Lake State Park (6), Methodist Episcopal Church Historical Marker (7), Harriet Quimby Historical Marker (8), Chicago Road Historical Marker (9). Display/hide their locations on the map
Current college students: 1,547 People 25 years of age or older with a high school degree or higher: 80.0% People 25 years of age or older with a bachelor's degree or higher: 10.6%
Number of foreign born residents: 1,180 (30% naturalized citizens)
Branch County:
2.6%
Whole state:
5.3%
Year of entry for the foreign-born population
1995 to March 2000: 536
1990 to 1994: 152
1985 to 1989: 91
1980 to 1984: 90
1975 to 1979: 47
1970 to 1974: 75
1970 to 1974: 17
1965 to 1969: 172
Mean travel time to work (commute): 21.6 minutes
Percentage of county residents living and working in this county: 70.8%
Housing units in structures:
One, detached: 14,707
One, attached: 231
Two: 475
3 or 4: 438
5 to 9: 354
10 to 19: 287
20 or more: 333
Mobile homes: 2,957
Boats, RVs, vans, etc.: 40
Housing units in Branch County with a mortgage: 5,860 (656 second mortgage, 625 home equity loan, 13 both second mortgage and home equity loan) Houses without a mortgage: 3,140
Here:
65.1% with mortgage
State:
69.7% with mortgage
Religion statistics:
Percentage of population affiliated with a religious congregations: 29.89%
Here
29.9%
USA
50.2%
Total adherents: 13,687 Total congregations: 50
Adherents
Breakdown of population affiliated with a religious congregations
Name
Catholic Church
United Methodist Church
American Baptist Churches in the USA
Lutheran Church
Old Order Amish
Adherents
6,440 (47.1%)
1,164 (8.5%)
841 (6.1%)
776 (5.7%)
680 (5.0%)
Congregations
3 (6.0%)
6 (12.0%)
2 (4.0%)
3 (6.0%)
10 (20.0%)
Name
Presbyterian Church (USA)
The Wesleyan Church
Free Methodist Church of North America
Episcopal Church
Other
Adherents
563 (4.1%)
530 (3.9%)
355 (2.6%)
270 (2.0%)
2,068 (15.1%)
Congregations
2 (4.0%)
2 (4.0%)
2 (4.0%)
1 (2.0%)
19 (38.0%)
Source: Jones, Dale E., et al. 2002. Congregations and Membership in the United States 2000. Nashville, TN: Glenmary Research Center.
Average size of farms: 226 acres Average value of agricultural products sold per farm: $57,796 Average value of crops sold per acre for harvested cropland: $225.92 The value of nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod as a percentage of the total market value of agricultural products sold: 3.39% The value of livestock, poultry, and their products as a percentage of the total market value of agricultural products sold: 39.47% Average total farm production expenses per farm: $60,528 Harvested cropland as a percentage of land in farms: 68.55% Average market value of all machinery and equipment per farm: $75,769 The percentage of farms operated by a family or individual: 93.59% Average age of principal farm operators: 54 years Average number of cattle and calves per 100 acres of all land in farms: 5.06 Milk cows as a percentage of all cattle and calves: 20.16% Corn for grain: 77231 harvested acres All wheat for grain: 4612 harvested acres Soybeans for beans: 76960 harvested acres Vegetables: 2,639 harvested acres Land in orchards: 111 acres
Tornado activity:
Branch County historical area-adjusted tornado activity is significantly above Michigan state average. It is 2.7 times above overall U.S. average. Tornadoes in this county have caused 22 fatalities and 294 injuries recorded between 1950 and 2004. On 4/11/1965, a category 4 (max. wind speeds 207-260 mph) tornado killed 21 people and injured 293 people
Earthquake activity:
Branch County-area historical earthquake activity is slightly above Michigan state average. It is 99% smaller than the overall U.S. average.
On 9/2/1994 at 21:23:06, a magnitude 3.5 (3.4 LG, 3.5 LG, Depth: 3.1 mi, Class: Light, Intensity: II - III) earthquake occurred 64.5 miles away from the county center Magnitude types: regional Lg-wave magnitude (LG)
Most recent natural disasters:
Michigan Hurricane Katrina Evacuation, Incident Period: August 29, 2005 to October 1, 2005, Emergency Declared (EM-3225): September 7, 2005, FEMA Id: FEMA-EM-3225, Natural disaster type: Hurricane
Michigan Severe Winter Storm, Incident Period: December 11, 2000 to December 31, 2000, Emergency Declared (EM-3160): January 10, 2001, FEMA Id: FEMA-EM-3160, Natural disaster type: Winter Storm
Michigan Blizzards and Snowstorms, Incident Period: January 27, 1978, Emergency Declared (EM-3057): January 27, 1978, FEMA Id: FEMA-EM-3057, Natural disaster type: Snowstorm, Blizzard
Michigan TORNADOES, SEVERE STORMS, Incident Period: April 14, 1965, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared (DR-190): April 14, 1965, FEMA Id: FEMA-DR-190, Natural disaster type: Storm, Tornado
The number of natural disasters in Branch County (4) is a lot smaller than the US average (12). Major Disasters (Presidential) Declared: 1 Emergencies Declared: 3
Other production occupations including supervisors (10%)
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers (7%)
Electrical equipment mechanics and other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations including supervisors (5%)
Laborers and material movers, hand (4%)
Material recording, scheduling, dispatching, and distributing workers (4%)
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations (3%)
Other production occupations including supervisors (6%)
Other office and administrative support workers including supervisors (5%)
Secretaries and administrative assistants (5%)
Metal workers and plastic workers (4%)
Assemblers and fabricators (4%)
Cashiers (4%)
Preschool, kindergarten, elementary and middle school teachers (4%)
Most common places of birth for the foreign-born residents (%):
Mexico (43%)
Other Western Asia (12%)
Canada (10%)
Japan (7%)
Korea (3%)
Germany (3%)
Asia, n.e.c. (3%)
Most common first ancestries reported in Branch County (%):
German (26%)
United States or American (14%)
English (12%)
Irish (8%)
Polish (7%)
Dutch (3%)
French (except Basque) (3%)
Means of transportation to work:
Drove a car alone: 16,236 (78%)
Carpooled: 2,693 (13%)
Bus or trolley bus: 85 (0%)
Motorcycle: 17 (0%)
Bicycle: 51 (0%)
Walked: 513 (2%)
Other means: 217 (1%)
Worked at home: 925 (4%)
Owners and renters by unit type in %
Breakdown of mean house values by ages of householders
People in group quarters in Branch County, Michigan in 2000:
1,864 people in state prisons
373 people in other types of correctional institutions
333 people in nursing homes
179 people in agriculture workers' dormitories on farms
140 people in local jails and other confinement facilities (including police lockups)
86 people in other noninstitutional group quarters
77 people in other group homes
30 people in homes for the mentally retarded
25 people in hospitals/wards and hospices for chronically ill
25 people in hospices or homes for chronically ill
15 people in homes or halfway houses for drug/alcohol abuse
4 people in homes for the physically handicapped
People in group quarters in Branch County, Michigan in 2010:
2,627 people in state prisons
252 people in nursing facilities/skilled-nursing facilities
106 people in local jails and other municipal confinement facilities
77 people in group homes intended for adults
27 people in emergency and transitional shelters (with sleeping facilities) for people experiencing homelessness
25 people in residential treatment centers for adults
20 people in workers’ group living quarters and job corps centers
13 people in other noninstitutional facilities
Average gross adjusted income of non-migrant taxpayers in this county in 2005 was $42,548.
5.70% of this county's 2006 resident taxpayers lived in other counties in 2005 ($34,115 average adjusted gross income)
Here:
5.70%
Michigan average:
5.24%
10 or fewer of this county's residents moved from foreign countries.
3.63% relocated from other counties in Michigan ($20,338 average AGI)
2.07% relocated from other states ($13,777 average AGI)
Branch County:
2.07%
Michigan average:
1.38%
Percentage of residents relocating from other counties or countries
Top counties from which taxpayers relocated into this county between 2005 and 2006:
6.79% of this county's 2005 resident taxpayers moved to other counties in 2006 ($30,158 average adjusted gross income)
Here:
6.79%
Michigan average:
5.98%
10 or fewer of this county's residents moved to foreign countries.
3.88% relocated to other counties in Michigan ($15,596 average AGI)
2.91% relocated to other states ($14,562 average AGI)
Branch County:
2.91%
Michigan average:
2.21%
Percentage of residents relocating to other counties or countries
Top counties to which taxpayers relocated from this county between 2005 and 2006:
Births per 1000 population from 1990 to 1999: 12.8 Births per 1000 population from 2000 to 2006: 13.2
Births per 1000 population in Branch County
Deaths per 1000 population from 1990 to 1999: 9.1 Deaths per 1000 population from 2000 to 2006: 8.9
Deaths per 1000 population in Branch County
Infant deaths per 1000 live births from 1990 to 1999: 9.0 Infant deaths per 1000 live births from 2000 to 2006: 8.8
Infant deaths per 1000 live births in Branch County
Persons enrolled in hospital insurance and/or supplemental medical insurance (Medicare) in July 1, 2003: 6,892 (5,843 aged, 1,049 disabled) Population without health insurance coverage in 2000: 13% Children under 18 without health insurance coverage in 2000: 10%
Short term general hospitals per 100,000 population in 2004: 2.15 Short term general hospital admissions per 100,000 population in 2004: 8072.090 Short term general hospital beds per 100,000 population in 2004: 206.7 Emergency room visits per 100,000 population in 2004: 52163.9
General practice office based MDs per 100,000 population in 2005: 1145.070 Medical specialist MDs per 100,000 population in 2005: 867.410 Dentists per 100,000 population in 1998: 6.46
Total births per 100,000 population, July 2005 - July 2006 : 29.79 Total deaths per 100,000 population, July 2005 - July 2006: 68.88
Limited-service eating places per 100,000 population in 2005 : 15.07
Suicides per 1,000,000 population from 2000 to 2006: 104.9. This is less than state average.
Mechanisms of suicide:
Deaths per 1,000,000 population:
Firearm - 71.0
Other - 34.0
Household type by relationship:
Households: 42,100
In family households: 35,994 (8,317 male householders, 3,033 female householders)
8,564 spouses, 12,690 children (11,531 natural, 331 adopted, 828 stepchildren), 754 grandchildren, 358 brothers or sisters, 261 parents, 428 other relatives, 1,372 non-relatives
In nonfamily households: 6,106 (2,430 male householders (1,946 living alone)), 2,639 female householders (2,289 living alone)), 1,037 nonrelatives
In group quarters: 3,148 (2,985 institutionalized population)
Size of family households: 5,206 2-persons, 2,417 3-persons, 1,998 4-persons, 972 5-persons, 404 6-persons, 353 7-or-more-persons.
93.5% of residents of Branch County speak English at home.
2.8% of residents speak Spanish at home (55% speak English very well, 15% speak English well, 18% speak English not well, 11% don't speak English at all).
2.5% of residents speak other Indo-European language at home (74% speak English very well, 15% speak English well, 7% speak English not well, 3% don't speak English at all).
0.4% of residents speak Asian or Pacific Island language at home (27% speak English very well, 34% speak English well, 39% speak English not well).
0.8% of residents speak other language at home (45% speak English very well, 19% speak English well, 33% speak English not well, 4% don't speak English at all).
In fiscal year 2004:
Federal Government expenditure: $193,839,000 ($4174 per capita) Department of Defense expenditure: $2,271,000 Federal direct payments to individuals for retirement and disability: $100,603,000 Federal other direct payments to individuals: $47,207,000 Federal direct payments not to individuals: $6,187,000 Federal grants: $33,254,000 Federal procurement contracts: $1,343,000 ($46,000 Department of Defense) Federal salaries and wages: $5,245,000 ($0,000 Department of Defense) Federal Government direct loans: $264,000 Federal guaranteed/insured loans: $17,413,000 Federal Government insurance: $17,099,000
Population change from April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2005:
Births: 3,128
Here:
67 per 1000 residents
State:
68 per 1000 residents
Deaths: 2,159
Here:
46 per 1000 residents
State:
45 per 1000 residents
Net international migration: +437
Here:
+9 per 1000 residents
State:
+12 per 1000 residents
Net internal migration: -672
Here:
-14 per 1000 residents
State:
-16 per 1000 residents
Population growth in Branch County
Total withdrawal of fresh water for public supply: 3.23 millions of gallons per day (all from ground)
Median number of rooms in houses and condos:
Here:
6.2
State:
6.1
Median number of rooms in apartments:
Here:
4.3
State:
4.1
Year house built
2005 or later: 190
2000 to 2004: 1,406
1990 to 1999: 2,919
1980 to 1989: 1,709
1970 to 1979: 3,454
1960 to 1969: 2,601
1950 to 1959: 1,848
1940 to 1949: 1,290
1939 or earlier: 5,375
Rooms in houses/apartments in Branch County, Michigan
59% of Branch County residents lived in the same house 5 years ago. Out of people who lived in different houses, 56% lived in this county. Out of people who lived in different counties, 63% lived in Michigan.
Branch County:
59.1%
State average:
58.3%
Place of birth for U.S.-born residents:
This state: 33137
Northeast: 947
Midwest: 7171
South: 2150
West: 936
Median price asked for vacant for-sale houses in 2000: $73,100
Housing units lacking complete plumbing facilities: 2%
Housing units lacking complete kitchen facilities: 2%
Year Householders Moved Into Unit:
Most commonly used house heating fuel in Branch County
39.0 years
38.0 years
(51.2%)
(48.8%)
, Hillsdale County 
, Kalamazoo County 
, LaGrange County, Indiana 
, St. Joseph County 
, Steuben County, Indiana 
.
