Clare County is a county in Michigan, United States, straddling the line between the state’s northern and central regions along US 10 and US 127. It had a population of 30,856 at the 2020 census and covers 575 square miles (1,490 km2) centred near 43°59′N 84°50′W.
Harrison is the county seat, and its postal code is 48625. The county holds two cities (one shared with a neighboring county), one incorporated village, sixteen civil townships and about sixteen unincorporated communities. Clare County sits in the Eastern time zone.
Towns & Villages in Clare County
Clare County has only two cities and one village; nearly everyone else lives in a civil township or an unincorporated community. The city of Clare straddles the Clare–Isabella county line, and Meredith is likewise split across a township boundary. Type key: City · seat = county seat, City = incorporated city, Village = incorporated village, Unincorp. = unincorporated community.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison | City · seat | 1,930 | 48625 |
| Clare | City | 3,111 | 48617 |
| Farwell | Village | 810 | 48622 |
| Lake | Unincorp. | — | 48632 |
| Lake George | Unincorp. | — | 48633 |
| Meredith | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Temple | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Colonville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cooperton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dover | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hatton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Leota | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Phelps | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Piney Woods | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rainbow Bend | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Allendale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ash Acres | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Buck Trails | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Long Lake Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Airport Forest | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Clarence | Ghost town | — | — |
Clare, the county’s largest city, is split between Clare County and Isabella County to the south — the population figure above is the whole city, not just the Clare County share. Meredith is likewise a small crossroads split across a township line. Three residential subdivisions from the old page — Harrison MH Estates, Meadows of Farwell MH Park and Pleasant Valley MH Park — are manufactured-home communities near Harrison and Farwell rather than separately platted places, so they are omitted here; see notes.md.
Townships
Clare County has sixteen civil townships. Population and settlement detail by individual township is not reliably available, so only the roster is given here.
| Township |
|---|
| Arthur Township |
| Franklin Township |
| Freeman Township |
| Frost Township |
| Garfield Township |
| Grant Township |
| Greenwood Township |
| Hamilton Township |
| Hatton Township |
| Hayes Township |
| Lincoln Township |
| Redding Township |
| Sheridan Township |
| Summerfield Township |
| Surrey Township |
| Winterfield Township |
ZIP Codes
- 48625 — Harrison (county seat, also serves surrounding Hayes and Surrey townships)
- 48617 — Clare (also serves the Clare County side of Grant and Sheridan townships)
- 48622 — Farwell (also serves Summerfield Township)
- 48632 — Lake
- 48633 — Lake George
The county’s smaller unincorporated communities generally share a ZIP code with the nearest post office town rather than having one of their own.
Geography
Clare County lies on the transition between Michigan’s northern hardwood-and-jack-pine country and the flatter farmland of the central Lower Peninsula, and state agencies classify it as belonging to both Northern and Central Michigan. Of its 575 square miles, 564 square miles are land and 11 square miles are water (1.9%). Public land includes part of the Au Sable State Forest, and the county has numerous small inland lakes used for paddling and fishing. US 10 crosses the southern part of the county east–west and US 127 runs north–south through Harrison and Clare, the two roads meeting near Clare.
Clare County borders Missaukee County to the northwest, Roscommon County to the northeast, Gladwin County to the east, Midland County to the southeast, Isabella County to the south, Mecosta County to the southwest, and Osceola County to the west.
Demographics
Clare County had 30,856 residents at the 2020 census, down slightly from 30,926 in 2010. Clare (3,111) and Harrison (1,930) are the largest communities; most of the rest of the population lives outside any incorporated place. About 24% of residents are 65 or older, well above the statewide share, and the county’s population density is roughly 56 people per square mile. Household income here runs well below the Michigan median of $69,183, reflecting the county’s rural, seasonal-tourism economy; the county has historically ranked among the poorer counties in the Lower Peninsula.
Economy & Local Life
Health care, tourism and government are the county’s main employers. MidMichigan Health operates a hospital campus in Clare, and Clare County government and the local school districts — Clare, Farwell and Harrison public schools — are major employers in their own right. The county’s lakes, state forest land and snowmobile/ORV trail network draw seasonal visitors for fishing, hunting, paddling and Nordic skiing. Clare is known locally as “Gateway to the North” and hosts the annual National Bavarian Festival. Clare County also has an established Amish and Mennonite farming community around Dover Township, which operates several of the county’s private schools.
History
Michigan’s legislature created the county from part of Michilimackinac County in 1840, first naming it Kaykakee County after a Sauk chief. It was renamed Clare County in 1843 after County Clare, Ireland. County government did not organize until 1871; Farwell served as the first county seat before it moved to Harrison in 1877. Logging drove the county’s early growth, and the population fell sharply after the pine was cut over, not recovering to 1900-era levels until the 1970s.
Getting There
- Mount Pleasant — 20 miles south
- Midland — 35 miles southeast
- Cadillac — 30 miles northwest
- Saginaw — 50 miles southeast
US 127 and US 10 are the county’s main highways, both passing through Clare. The nearest commercial airport is MBS International Airport near Saginaw/Midland/Freeland, roughly 50 miles southeast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Clare County, Michigan?
It sits in the north-central Lower Peninsula, about 100 miles north of Lansing, straddling US 10 and US 127.
What is the population of Clare County?
30,856 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Clare County?
575 square miles (1,490 km2), of which 11 square miles is water.
What is the county seat of Clare County?
Harrison is the county seat.
How many towns are in Clare County?
Two cities (Clare and Harrison), one village (Farwell), and about sixteen unincorporated communities spread across sixteen civil townships.
What ZIP codes are in Clare County?
Harrison is 48625, Clare is 48617 and Farwell is 48622, among others.
Where does the name Clare County come from?
It was renamed in 1843 after County Clare, Ireland, having briefly been called Kaykakee County.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Michigan.