{"id":4778,"date":"2023-06-28T22:28:45","date_gmt":"2023-06-28T22:28:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/?p=4778"},"modified":"2026-08-08T15:49:23","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T15:49:23","slug":"mason-county-michigan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/mason-county-michigan\/","title":{"rendered":"Mason County, Michigan"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mason County is a county in Michigan, United States, on the Lake Michigan shore about 85 miles northwest of Grand Rapids. It had a population of 29,052 at the 2020 census, an estimated 29,207 by 2024, and covers 1,242 square miles (3,220 km2) — most of it open water — centred near 44°01′N 86°30′W.<\/p>\n

Ludington is the county seat and the county’s largest city; its postal code is 49431. The county holds 2 cities, 3 incorporated villages and 7 unincorporated communities across 15 townships, and it runs on Eastern Time. Its FIPS code is 26105.<\/p>\n

Towns & Villages in Mason County<\/h2>\n

Mason County has 12 named places on record: 2 incorporated cities, 3 incorporated villages and 7 unincorporated communities with no local government of their own. The county has no census-designated places; Unincorp. covers crossroads and hamlets with no formal boundary. Michigan cities sit outside any township, while villages are chartered inside the township that surrounds them.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Place<\/th>\nType<\/th>\nTownship<\/th>\nPop.<\/th>\nZIP<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Ludington<\/td>\nCity · seat<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n7,655<\/td>\n49431<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Scottville<\/td>\nCity<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n1,356<\/td>\n49454<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Custer<\/td>\nVillage<\/td>\nCuster<\/td>\n272<\/td>\n49405<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fountain<\/td>\nVillage<\/td>\nSherman<\/td>\n170<\/td>\n49410<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Free Soil<\/td>\nVillage<\/td>\nFree Soil<\/td>\n158<\/td>\n49411<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Branch<\/td>\nUnincorp.<\/td>\nBranch<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n49402<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Walhalla<\/td>\nUnincorp.<\/td>\nBranch<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n49458<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tallman<\/td>\nUnincorp.<\/td>\nBranch<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chapple Corners<\/td>\nUnincorp.<\/td>\nVictory<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fairview<\/td>\nUnincorp.<\/td>\nSummit<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fern<\/td>\nUnincorp.<\/td>\nEden<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ferryville<\/td>\nUnincorp.<\/td>\nEden<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Branch, the hamlet that gives Branch Township its name, sits mostly across the county line: most of its houses are in Lake County’s Sweetwater Township, and only a small edge of the settlement reaches into Mason County. The two Eden Township hamlets, Fern and Ferryville, are separate crossroads a few miles apart and are sometimes confused with each other on older maps.<\/p>\n

Townships<\/h2>\n

Mason County has 14 civil townships plus Pere Marquette Charter Township, which surrounds Ludington on three sides. Populations below are 2020 census counts for the township area outside any incorporated city.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Township<\/th>\nPop. (2020)<\/th>\nMain settlements<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Hamlin<\/td>\n3,711<\/td>\nHamlin Lake, Ludington State Park<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Amber<\/td>\n2,529<\/td>\nrural, borders Scottville<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pere Marquette (Charter)<\/td>\n2,416<\/td>\nPere Marquette Lake shoreline<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Victory<\/td>\n1,406<\/td>\nChapple Corners<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Branch<\/td>\n1,405<\/td>\nBranch, Tallman, Walhalla<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Custer<\/td>\n1,321<\/td>\nvillage of Custer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Riverton<\/td>\n1,232<\/td>\nrural, US 10 corridor<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sherman<\/td>\n1,127<\/td>\nvillage of Fountain<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sheridan<\/td>\n1,044<\/td>\nrural, southeast county<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Summit<\/td>\n995<\/td>\nFairview<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Grant<\/td>\n925<\/td>\nrural, southeast county<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Free Soil<\/td>\n842<\/td>\nvillage of Free Soil<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Eden<\/td>\n580<\/td>\nFern, Ferryville<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Logan<\/td>\n329<\/td>\nrural, southeast corner<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Meade<\/td>\n179<\/td>\nrural, least populous township<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

ZIP Codes<\/h2>\n