Hillsdale County is a county in Michigan, United States, on the state’s southern border where Michigan meets both Indiana and Ohio — the only Michigan county to touch both states. It had a population of 45,746 at the 2020 census and covers 598 square miles (1,550 km2) of land centred near 41°53′N 84°35′W.
Hillsdale is the county seat; its postal code is 49242. The county has 4 cities, 5 villages and 18 civil townships, plus a number of unincorporated communities, and sits in the Eastern time zone. Hillsdale County also holds the state’s southernmost point, created by an angle in Michigan’s southern border.
Towns & Villages in Hillsdale County
Hillsdale County’s 45,746 residents live across 4 incorporated cities, 5 incorporated villages, and a scatter of unincorporated crossroads communities inside its 18 civil townships. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no separate municipal government.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hillsdale | City · seat | Hillsdale Township | — | 49242 |
| Jonesville | City | Fayette Township | — | 49250 |
| Litchfield | City | Litchfield Township | — | 49252 |
| Reading | City | Reading Township | — | 49274 |
| Allen | Village | Allen Township | — | 49227 |
| Camden | Village | Camden Township | — | 49232 |
| Montgomery | Village | Amboy Township | — | — |
| North Adams | Village | Wright Township | — | 49262 |
| Waldron | Village | Wright Township | — | 49288 |
| Jerome | Unincorp. | Jefferson Township | — | 49249 |
| Osseo | Unincorp. | Wheatland Township | — | 49266 |
| Pittsford | Unincorp. | Pittsford Township | — | 49271 |
| Somerset Center | Unincorp. | Somerset Township | — | 49282 |
| Somerset | Unincorp. | Somerset Township | — | 49281 |
| Mosherville | Unincorp. | Somerset Township | — | 49258 |
| Moscow | Unincorp. | Moscow Township | — | 49257 |
| Frontier | Unincorp. | Amboy Township | — | 49239 |
| Amboy Center | Unincorp. | Amboy Township | — | — |
| Bankers | Unincorp. | Woodbridge Township | — | — |
| Austin | Unincorp. | Cambria Township | — | — |
| Betzer | Unincorp. | Cambria Township | — | — |
| Church’s Corners | Unincorp. | Adams Township | — | — |
| Prattville | Unincorp. | Scipio Township | — | — |
| Ransom | Unincorp. | Ransom Township | — | — |
The old list’s “Lake LeAnn” and “Locust Corners” (Somerset Township), “Lickly Corners” (Wright Township), “Steamburg” (Wright Township), “Shadyside,” “Cambria,” “Fountain Park,” “Evergreen Estates MH Park,” “Hillsdale Mobile Village” and “Hillside Acres MH Park” are real local place-names inside the townships above — mobile-home parks and lake subdivisions rather than distinct settlements with their own ZIP or municipal status, so they are folded into their township rather than tabled separately.
Townships
| Township | Main settlements |
|---|---|
| Hillsdale Township | Hillsdale (city) |
| Fayette Township | Jonesville (city) |
| Litchfield Township | Litchfield (city) |
| Reading Township | Reading (city) |
| Allen Township | Allen |
| Camden Township | Camden |
| Amboy Township | Montgomery, Frontier, Amboy Center |
| Wright Township | North Adams, Waldron, Lickly Corners |
| Jefferson Township | Jerome |
| Wheatland Township | Osseo |
| Pittsford Township | Pittsford |
| Somerset Township | Somerset Center, Somerset, Mosherville, Lake LeAnn |
| Moscow Township | Moscow |
| Woodbridge Township | Bankers |
| Cambria Township | Austin, Betzer, Cambria |
| Adams Township | Church’s Corners |
| Scipio Township | Prattville |
| Ransom Township | Ransom |
ZIP Codes
- 49242 — Hillsdale (also serves Hillsdale Township)
- 49250 — Jonesville
- 49274 — Reading
- 49252 — Litchfield
- 49227 — Allen
- 49232 — Camden
- 49249 — Jerome
- 49266 — Osseo
- 49271 — Pittsford
- 49288 — Waldron
- 49262 — North Adams
- 49282 — Somerset Center
- 49258 — Mosherville (PO Box only)
- 49281 — Somerset (PO Box only)
- 49257 — Moscow (PO Box only)
- 49239 — Frontier (PO Box only)
Montgomery, Amboy Center, Bankers, Austin, Betzer, Church’s Corners, Prattville and Ransom have no ZIP code of their own and share their township’s mail delivery.
Geography
Hillsdale County sits in Michigan’s south-central Lower Peninsula on gently rolling glacial terrain, part of the same moraine-and-outwash landscape that gives the county its many small kettle lakes, including Lake LeAnn. The county covers 598 square miles of land and 8.9 square miles (23 km2) of water. It borders Jackson County to the northeast, Calhoun County to the northwest, Lenawee County to the east, Branch County to the west, Fulton County, Ohio to the southeast, Williams County, Ohio to the south, and Steuben County, Indiana to the southwest.
Demographics
Hillsdale County had 45,746 residents at the 2020 census. Hillsdale, the county seat and largest city, and Jonesville, the second-largest, anchor the county’s population. Census-era median household income for the county trailed well behind the Michigan median of $69,183, reflecting the county’s largely rural, agricultural tax base. Population density works out to roughly 76 people per square mile of land.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture — row crops, dairy and livestock — remains a mainstay of the county’s economy, alongside light manufacturing centred in and around Hillsdale and Jonesville. The county’s best-known institution is Hillsdale College, a private liberal-arts college in the city of Hillsdale that draws students and visitors from well beyond the county. The Hillsdale County Fair, held each October, is a long-running local tradition.
History
The Michigan Territorial legislature laid out Hillsdale County in 1829, and it was formally organized in 1835. Its name is generally attributed to the county’s rolling, hilly terrain. Hillsdale, the county seat, grew up around an early mill site on the St. Joseph River and became the county’s commercial and educational center after Hillsdale College relocated there in 1855.
Getting There
US Highway 12 runs east–west across the northern part of the county, with M-99 and M-34 as the main north–south and secondary routes.
- Jackson, Michigan — 25 miles north
- Coldwater, Michigan — 20 miles west
- Fort Wayne, Indiana — 45 miles southwest
- Toledo, Ohio — 55 miles southeast
The nearest commercial airport is Toledo Express Airport, roughly an hour’s drive southeast; Detroit Metropolitan Airport is about 90 minutes northeast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Hillsdale County?
It is in south-central Michigan, on the Indiana and Ohio state lines — the only Michigan county that borders both states.
What is the population of Hillsdale County?
45,746 as of the 2020 census.
How big is Hillsdale County?
598 square miles (1,550 km2) of land, plus 8.9 square miles (23 km2) of water.
What is the county seat of Hillsdale County?
Hillsdale, home to Hillsdale College.
How many towns are in Hillsdale County?
4 cities, 5 villages and roughly a dozen unincorporated communities across 18 civil townships.
What ZIP codes are in Hillsdale County?
16 ZIP codes, led by 49242 (Hillsdale), 49250 (Jonesville), 49274 (Reading) and 49252 (Litchfield).
Which states does Hillsdale County border?
It is Michigan’s only county touching both Indiana (Steuben County) and Ohio (Fulton and Williams counties).
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Michigan.