Newaygo County is a county in Michigan, United States, in the west-central part of the state along the Muskegon River. It had a population of 49,978 at the 2020 census and covers 862 square miles (2,230 km2), of which 813 square miles is land and 48 square miles is water, centred near 43°33′N 85°48′W.
White Cloud is the county seat, and its postal code is 49349. The county has four cities (Fremont, Grant, Newaygo and White Cloud), one village (Hesperia, shared with neighboring Oceana County) and dozens of unincorporated communities spread across 23 civil townships and one charter township (Sheridan). Newaygo County sits in the Eastern Time Zone.
Towns & Villages in Newaygo County
Newaygo County’s 45 named places break down as four cities, one village, and roughly 40 unincorporated communities and rural mobile-home-park subdivisions. “Unincorp.” below covers hamlets, crossroads settlements and platted subdivisions with no municipal government of their own.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Cloud | City · seat | 1,479 | 49349 |
| Fremont | City | 4,516 | 49412 |
| Newaygo | City | 2,471 | 49337 |
| Grant | City | — | — |
| Hesperia | Village | — | — |
| Aetna | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ashland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ashland Center | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Big Bend | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Big Prairie | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bishop | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bitely | Unincorp. | — | 49309 |
| Bridgeton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Brohman | Unincorp. | — | 49312 |
| Brookhaven Estates MH Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Brookside | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Country View Estates MH Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Croton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Croton Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dayton Center | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ensley Center | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Four Seasons Trailer Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hawkins | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hills MH Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Huber | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jugville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lake Forest MH Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lilley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| McLean | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Meadowview Village MH Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oxbow | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oxbow Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ramona | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Reeman | Unincorp. | — | 49676 |
| Riverview | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sitka | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sun | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tift Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Troy | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Volney | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Walgamor Corners | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wierengas Hess Lake MH Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Woodland Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Woodville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wooster | Unincorp. | — | — |
Hesperia straddles the Newaygo/Oceana county line, with most of its platted village on the Oceana side; the portion inside Newaygo County has no separate population count. Several MH Park entries (Brookhaven Estates, Country View Estates, Four Seasons, Hills, Lake Forest, Meadowview Village, Wierengas Hess Lake) are platted mobile-home subdivisions rather than traditional hamlets — they are kept here because they are named, mapped places within the county’s unincorporated area.
Townships
Newaygo County is divided into 23 civil townships plus one charter township, Sheridan: Ashland, Barton, Beaver, Big Prairie, Bridgeton, Brooks, Croton, Dayton, Denver, Ensley, Everett, Garfield, Goodwell, Grant, Home, Lilley, Lincoln, Merrill, Monroe, Norwich, Sherman, Troy and Wilcox. Verified 2020 per-township population figures were not available for this rewrite, so no ranked table is published here rather than guess at numbers.
ZIP Codes
- 49349 — White Cloud (also serves the county seat area)
- 49412 — Fremont (also 49413)
- 49337 — Newaygo
- 49309 — Bitely
- 49312 — Brohman
- 49676 — Reeman
Grant, Hesperia and most of the smaller unincorporated communities either share a ZIP with a nearby post office town or could not be verified for this rewrite, so they are not listed above.
Geography
Newaygo County lies in west-central Michigan along the Muskegon River, which runs southwest through the county and once powered the lumber-era dams at Newaygo and Croton. More than 230 natural lakes dot the county’s sandy, forested terrain, a legacy of glacial outwash plains that also underlie the Manistee National Forest land within its borders. The county borders Lake County to the north, Osceola County to the northeast, Mecosta County to the east, Montcalm County to the southeast, Kent County to the south, Muskegon County to the southwest, Oceana County to the west, and Mason County to the northwest. Verified live links: Lake County, Osceola County, Mecosta County, Montcalm County, Muskegon County, Oceana County and Mason County.
Demographics
Newaygo County had 49,978 residents at the 2020 census, a density of roughly 61 people per square mile. Fremont, at 4,516 residents, is the largest community, followed by Newaygo at 2,471 and White Cloud at 1,479. Median household income in the county runs below the Michigan median of $69,183, reflecting the county’s rural, lower-wage manufacturing and tourism base.
Economy & Local Life
Tourism is the county’s largest economic driver, built around its 230-plus lakes, the Muskegon River and stretches of the Manistee National Forest that draw anglers, canoeists and hunters from across West Michigan. Gerber Products Company, headquartered in Fremont, is the county’s largest single employer, with roughly 1,300 workers at its baby-food plant and offices. Agriculture, particularly fruit and vegetable farming, and small manufacturing round out the local economy alongside seasonal lake-cottage tourism.
History
Newaygo County was established in 1840 and organized for local government by 1851. Its name comes from either an Ojibwe leader who signed the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw or an Algonquian word meaning “much water,” a fitting origin given the county’s lake-dense landscape. Nineteenth-century lumbering built the county’s early towns, with dams at Newaygo and Croton harnessing the Muskegon River first for sawmills and later for hydroelectric power; three hydroelectric dams still operate on the river within the county today.
Getting There
Michigan highways M-20, M-37, M-82 and M-120 cross the county, linking its towns to US-131 just to the east.
- Grand Rapids — 40 miles south
- Muskegon — 35 miles southwest
- Big Rapids — 25 miles northeast
- Cadillac — 45 miles north
The nearest commercial airport is Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Newaygo County?
It is in west-central Michigan, along the Muskegon River, between Grand Rapids and Cadillac.
What is the population of Newaygo County?
49,978 at the 2020 census.
How big is Newaygo County?
862 square miles (2,230 km2), including 48 square miles of water.
What is the county seat of Newaygo County?
White Cloud is the county seat.
How many towns are in Newaygo County?
Four cities — Fremont, Grant, Newaygo and White Cloud — plus the village of Hesperia and roughly 40 unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Newaygo County?
Main ZIPs include 49349 (White Cloud), 49412/49413 (Fremont), 49337 (Newaygo), 49309 (Bitely), 49312 (Brohman) and 49676 (Reeman).
What is Newaygo County’s largest employer?
Gerber Products Company, headquartered in Fremont, employs about 1,300 people.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Michigan.