Missaukee County is a county in Michigan, United States, in the northwestern part of the Lower Peninsula, centred on Lake Missaukee. It had a population of 15,052 at the 2020 census and covers 574 square miles (1,490 km2) centred near 44°20′N 85°06′W, of which 565 square miles are land and 9.1 square miles are water.
Lake City is the county seat, and its postal code is 49651. The county has two incorporated cities (Lake City and McBain), two census-designated places (Falmouth and Jennings), and 15 civil townships, and it observes Eastern time. Its FIPS code is 26113.
Towns & Villages in Missaukee County
Missaukee County has two incorporated cities, two census-designated places, and about 15 unincorporated hamlets scattered across its townships. Most of the smaller places are crossroads communities with a church, a former rail siding, or a small general store rather than a formal downtown. “CDP” below marks a Census Bureau-defined community with no city government of its own; “Unincorp.” marks a named place with no incorporated or CDP status.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake City | City · seat | Lake | — | 49651 |
| McBain | City | Richland | — | 49657 |
| Falmouth | CDP | Richland | — | 49632 |
| Jennings | CDP | Clam Union | — | — |
| Merritt | Unincorp. | Riverside | — | 49667 |
| Pioneer | Unincorp. | Pioneer | — | — |
| Vogel Center | Unincorp. | Reeder | — | — |
| Prosper | Unincorp. | Forest | — | — |
| Moddersville | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Moorestown | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Arlene | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Star City | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Lucas | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Stittsville | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Stoney Corner | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Keelans Corner | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Dinca | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Cutcheon | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Dolph | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Morey | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
Two names on the old scraped list were dropped: a duplicate second entry for Falmouth, and “Pine Court MH Park,” which is a mobile-home park rather than a distinct community.
Townships
Missaukee County is divided into 15 civil townships. Verified 2020 township-level population figures were not available for this rewrite, so the population column is left blank rather than guessed; the county total of 15,052 is confirmed above.
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Lake | — | Lake City |
| Richland | — | McBain, Falmouth |
| Clam Union | — | Jennings |
| Riverside | — | Merritt |
| Pioneer | — | Pioneer |
| Reeder | — | Vogel Center |
| Forest | — | Prosper |
| Aetna | — | — |
| Bloomfield | — | — |
| Butterfield | — | — |
| Caldwell | — | — |
| Enterprise | — | — |
| Holland | — | — |
| Norwich | — | — |
| West Branch | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 49651 — Lake City (also serves the county seat and Lake Township)
- 49657 — McBain (also serves Richland Township)
- 49632 — Falmouth (also serves Richland Township)
- 49667 — Merritt (also serves Riverside Township)
Jennings and the smaller unincorporated communities do not have their own post office and are served by the nearest of the four ZIPs above.
Geography
Missaukee County sits in the northwestern Lower Peninsula, part of the Cadillac, Michigan micropolitan area. The Muskegon River rises in the county and the Clam River crosses it, and the county holds 33 named natural freshwater lakes, the largest of which is Lake Missaukee at roughly 1,800 acres, next to Lake City. Much of the county’s northern and eastern portions lie within the Manistee National Forest and other public forest land, giving the county a mix of farmland in the west and woods and lake shoreline in the east.
Missaukee County borders Kalkaska County to the north, Crawford County to the northeast, Roscommon County to the east, Clare County to the southeast, Osceola County to the southwest, Wexford County to the west, and Grand Traverse County to the northwest.
Demographics
Missaukee County had 15,052 residents at the 2020 census. Lake City and McBain are its two incorporated cities and its largest population centres, with Falmouth and Jennings as smaller census-designated places. The county’s median household income runs below the Michigan median of $69,183, reflecting its largely rural, agricultural economic base. Spread across 565 square miles of land, the county’s population density is light, at roughly 27 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture anchors the local economy, particularly dairy farming and field crops around McBain and Falmouth, alongside forestry tied to the surrounding state and national forest land. Lake City serves as the county’s retail and government hub, and tourism tied to Lake Missaukee and the county’s other lakes brings seasonal visitors for fishing, boating, and hunting. The county falls within the Cadillac micropolitan area, and many residents commute to Cadillac in neighboring Wexford County for larger retail and healthcare services.
History
Missaukee County was set off from the old Mackinac County on April 1, 1840, though it was not organized as its own functioning county government until 1871; in the intervening decades it was attached for administrative purposes to Grand Traverse County, then Manistee County, then Wexford County. Its name is generally traced to Chief Missaukee (Ottawa/Odawa), or to the Anishinaabemowin term describing a large river mouth. The county’s early economy centred on logging the extensive white pine forests of the area before agriculture took over in the early twentieth century.
Getting There
M-55 crosses the county east–west and M-42 and M-66 provide the main north–south and secondary routes, with US-131 reachable a short distance to the west through Wexford County.
- Cadillac — about 15 miles west via M-55
- Traverse City — about 45 miles northwest
- Grayling — about 30 miles east via M-72
- Mount Pleasant — about 45 miles south
The nearest commercial airport is Cherry Capital Airport (TVC) in Traverse City.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Missaukee County, Michigan?
It is in the northwestern Lower Peninsula, part of the Cadillac micropolitan area, roughly 15 miles east of Cadillac.
What is the population of Missaukee County?
15,052 people, according to the 2020 census.
How big is Missaukee County?
574 square miles (1,490 km2), of which 565 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Missaukee County?
Lake City is the county seat.
How many towns are in Missaukee County?
Two incorporated cities (Lake City and McBain), two census-designated places (Falmouth and Jennings), and 15 civil townships holding a number of smaller unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Missaukee County?
49651 (Lake City), 49657 (McBain), 49632 (Falmouth), and 49667 (Merritt).
What is Lake Missaukee?
It is the county’s largest natural lake, about 1,800 acres, bordering Lake City and giving the county its recreational identity.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Michigan.