Oscoda County, Michigan
| Oscoda County, Michigan | |
|---|---|
 Location in the U.S. state of Michigan |
|
 Michigan's location in the U.S. |
|
| Founded | April 1, 1840 (created) 1881 (organized) |
| Seat | Mio |
| Largest community | Big Creek Township |
| Area | |
| • Total | 572 sq mi (1,481 km2) |
| • Land | 566 sq mi (1,466 km2) |
| • Water | 5.9 sq mi (15 km2), 1.0% |
| Population | |
| • (2010) | 8,640 |
| • Density | 15/sq mi (6/km²) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 |
| Website | www |
Oscoda County is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 8,640, making it the fifth-least populous county in Michigan. The county seat is Mio.
The county was founded in 1840 and organized in 1881. The name is a Henry Schoolcraft neologism thought to be a combination of two Ojibwa words, "ossin" (stone) and "muskoda" (prairie) -- hence 'pebbly prairie.'
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 572 square miles (1,480 km2), of which 566 square miles (1,470 km2) is land and 5.9 square miles (15 km2) (1.0%) is water. Oscoda County is part of Northern Michigan.
Glaciers shaped the area, creating a unique regional ecosystem. A large portion of the area is the so-called Grayling outwash plain, which consists of broad outwash plain including sandy ice-disintegration ridges; jack pine barrens, some white pine-red pine forest, and northern hardwood forest. Large lakes were created by glacial action.
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,418 people, 3,921 households, and 2,717 families residing in the county. The population density was 17 people per square mile (6/km²). There were 8,690 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.82% White, 0.08% Black or African American, 0.71% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.14% from other races, and 1.16% from two or more races. 0.94% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 30.2% were of German, 12.8% American, 9.6% English, 8.1% Polish, 6.8% French and 6.7% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000. 94.1% spoke English, 2.8% German and 1.5% Pennsylvania Dutch as their first language.
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