Michigan County Map

Michigan County Maps

Michigan has 83 counties, which might seem like a lot for a state shaped like a mitten. It’s actually on the higher end compared to most other states.

Michigan Counties

The geography of Michigan is pretty cool. You’ve got two peninsulas surrounded by four of the five Great Lakes. There’s everything from sandy beaches to dense forests, and even some small mountains up north.

Wayne County is where most of the action is. It’s the most populous county, and that’s mostly because of Detroit. Now, if you want peace and quiet, head up to Keweenaw County in the Upper Peninsula. It’s the least populous county in Michigan. Why? Well, it’s pretty remote, and a big chunk of it is on a peninsula jutting into Lake Superior. Not exactly prime real estate for city folk, but perfect if you love nature and don’t mind long, snowy winters.

When it comes to size, Marquette County is the largest county in Michigan. It actually covers a good portion of the Upper Peninsula. There’s a lot of forest, some nice lakefront, and even some small mountains. The smallest county is Benzie County, down in the Lower Peninsula. It might be tiny, but it has some of the prettiest beaches on Lake Michigan.

Michigan’s counties have some interesting stories. For example, Schoolcraft County is named after Henry Schoolcraft, the guy who “discovered” the source of the Mississippi River. Or how about Kalamazoo County? Its name comes from a Native American word, though nobody’s quite sure what it means. Michigan started setting up counties pretty early on. Wayne County, for instance, was established in 1796, before Michigan was even a state.