Allegan County is a county in Michigan, United States, on the Lake Michigan shoreline between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. It had a population of 120,502 at the 2020 census and covers 1,833 square miles (4,750 km2) — 825 sq mi (2,140 km2) of land and the rest Lake Michigan water — centred near 42°35′N 85°54′W.
Allegan is the county seat, and its postal code is 49010. The county holds nine cities (two shared with neighboring counties), two villages, one census-designated place and dozens of unincorporated communities spread across 24 civil townships. It runs on Eastern time and is part of the Holland micropolitan statistical area.
Towns & Villages in Allegan County
Allegan County’s incorporated places are concentrated along US-131 and I-196: nine cities, two villages (Hopkins and Martin) and the census-designated place of Dorr. Dozens more unincorporated communities — crossroads hamlets, old mill towns and Lake Michigan resort settlements — are scattered through the county’s 24 townships. CDP and Unincorp. places have no independent city or village government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allegan | City · seat | 5,222 | 49010 |
| Douglas | City | — | 49406 |
| Fennville | City | — | 49408 |
| Holland (part) | City | — | 49423 |
| Otsego | City | — | 49078 |
| Plainwell | City | — | 49080 |
| Saugatuck | City | — | 49453 |
| South Haven (part) | City | — | 49090 |
| Wayland | City | — | 49348 |
| Hopkins | Village | — | 49328 |
| Martin | Village | — | 49070 |
| Dorr | CDP | — | 49323 |
| Bakersville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Beachmont | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bentheim | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bradley | Unincorp. | — | 49311 |
| Bravo | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Burnips | Unincorp. | — | 49314 |
| Castle Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cedar Bluff | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cheshire Center | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Chicora | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Corning | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Diamond Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dunningville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| East Martin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| East Saugatuck | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fillmore | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ganges | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gibson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Glenn | Unincorp. | — | 49416 |
| Graafschap | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Grange Corners | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Green Lake | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hamilton | Unincorp. | — | 49419 |
| Hawkhead | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hilliards | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hollywood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hooper | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hopkinsburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kibbie | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lee | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Leisure | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Macks Landing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Merson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Miami Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Millgrove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Moline | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Monteith Station | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Monterey Center | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mount Pleasant | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Neeley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| New Richmond | Unincorp. | — | 49048 |
| New Salem | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oakland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Old Saugatuck | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Overisel | Unincorp. | — | 49329 |
| Oxbow | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pearl | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pier Cove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pullman | Unincorp. | — | 49450 |
| Shelbyville | Unincorp. | — | 49344 |
| Sherman Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shorecrest | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shorewood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| South Monterey | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Spring Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Watson | Unincorp. | — | — |
Two pairs of names overlap with neighbors: Holland and South Haven are cities that straddle the county line, with most of each city’s population outside Allegan County. Overisel and Watson are both unincorporated hamlets and the names of the townships that contain them.
ZIP Codes
- 49010 — Allegan (also serves surrounding Allegan Township)
- 49406 — Douglas
- 49408 — Fennville
- 49078 — Otsego
- 49080 — Plainwell
- 49453 — Saugatuck
- 49348 — Wayland
- 49328 — Hopkins
- 49070 — Martin
- 49323 — Dorr
- 49311 — Bradley
- 49314 — Burnips
- 49416 — Glenn
- 49419 — Hamilton
- 49048 — New Richmond
- 49329 — Overisel
- 49450 — Pullman
- 49344 — Shelbyville
Smaller unincorporated communities without their own post office share a ZIP code with the nearest listed town.
Geography
Allegan County sits on Michigan’s Lake Michigan shoreline, with the Kalamazoo River crossing the county west to the lake through Allegan, Otsego and Plainwell. Much of the county’s official area is Lake Michigan open water, giving it a land share of only 45%. Inland terrain is a mix of farmland, orchards and the sandy, forested Allegan State Game Area, a 50,000-acre state-managed tract used for hunting and recreation.
The county borders Ottawa County to the north, Kent County to the northeast, Barry County to the east, Kalamazoo County to the southeast, and Van Buren County to the south, with Lake Michigan forming its entire western edge.
Demographics
Allegan County had 120,502 residents at the 2020 census, giving it a density of roughly 146 people per square mile of land. Holland and Wayland are among its largest population centers, though most of Holland’s residents live across the line in Ottawa County. Allegan County’s median household income runs above the Michigan median of $69,183, reflecting its mix of manufacturing jobs and Lake Michigan second-home wealth in townships like Saugatuck and Laketown.
Economy & Local Life
Manufacturing anchors the county economy, led by Perrigo, the pharmaceutical maker founded in the city of Allegan in 1887 and still headquartered there today. Agriculture remains significant across the county’s inland townships, particularly fruit orchards and vegetable farms supplying west Michigan processors. The Saugatuck-Douglas area on Lake Michigan draws a large seasonal tourism economy built on beaches, galleries and marinas, while Holland’s Tulip Time Festival each May pulls visitors from across the region into the county’s northwest corner.
History
Allegan County was set off in 1831 and organized as a county government in 1835. Explorer and Indian agent Henry Rowe Schoolcraft coined its name to sound like a Native American word, following the same practice he used for several other Michigan county names of the era. Dutch immigrants settled the Holland and Overisel areas in the 1840s, a heritage still visible in Tulip Time and the county’s Dutch-surnamed townships.
Getting There
US-131 runs north-south through the county’s eastern half and I-196 parallels the Lake Michigan shore through the northwest corner, both feeding US-31.
- Grand Rapids — 25 miles northeast
- Kalamazoo — 25 miles southeast
- Holland — 10 miles north of Saugatuck
- South Haven — 15 miles south along the lakeshore
The nearest commercial airport is Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Allegan County, Michigan?
It sits in southwestern Michigan on the Lake Michigan shoreline, between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo.
What is the population of Allegan County?
120,502 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Allegan County?
1,833 square miles (4,750 km2) in total, including a large share of Lake Michigan; 825 square miles (2,140 km2) of land.
What is the county seat of Allegan County?
Allegan is the county seat.
How many towns and villages are in Allegan County?
Nine cities, two villages, one census-designated place and dozens of unincorporated communities across 24 townships.
What ZIP codes are in Allegan County?
Major ZIP codes include 49010 (Allegan), 49078 (Otsego), 49080 (Plainwell), 49453 (Saugatuck) and 49406 (Douglas), among others listed above.
Why is it called Allegan County?
Henry Rowe Schoolcraft coined the name in the 1830s to sound like a Native American word, rather than adapting an existing local place name.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Michigan.