COUNTY PROFILE - MUSKEGON, Michigan

 
LOCATION SERVICES
 
Muskegon Economic Growth Alliance
349 West Webster, PO Box 1087
Muskegon, Michigan 49443-1087
 
Contact:  Bill Moore
Phone:    616/722-3751
FAX:      616/728-7251
 
 
County Seat:  Muskegon
 
POPULATION
 
1970 Census                   157426
1980 Census                   157589
1990 Census                   158983
Median Age (as of 1990)         32.7 years
 
 
LABOR FORCE
(1992 average)
 
Total Labor Force            67300
Employed                     59300
Total Unemployment            8000
Unemployment Rate             11.9%
3-Year Average                11.1%
 
 
PRINCIPAL ECONOMIC BASE EMPLOYERS
 
Firm                                Employees         Product/Service
 
Howmet Turbine Components,Whitehall      2437  Gas turbine components
Sealed Power Technologies, Muskegon      1135  Automotive parts
SD Warren Div. Scott Ppr, Muskegon       1050  High grade paper
GTE North, Norton Shores                  763  Communication systems
Brunswick Bowling, Muskegon               500  Bowling equipment
Kaydon Corp., Norton Shores               500  Roller bearings
Knoll Group, Norton Shores                450  Office furniture
Teledyne Continental, Muskegon            350  Engines and parts
Lift Tech, Muskegon Heights               330  Hoists, cranes
Johnson Technology, Muskegon              300  Turbine components
SPX Corp., Muskegon                       300  Automotive Systems
CMI Dearborn, Montague                    257  Automotive manifolds
CWC Textron, Roosevelt Park               250  Camshaft castings
Sun Chemical, Egelston Twp.               230  Inorganic pigments
Neway Anchorlok Intl., Muskegon           225  Truck parts
American Coil Spring, Muskegon            222  Wireforms
Bennett Pump, Muskegon Heights            211  Gasoline pumps
Amstore, Muskegon                         200  Store display units
Thermodisc, Muskegon                      200  Ceramic controls
Standard Automotive Parts, Muskegon       165  Auto parts
Lomac, Egelston Twp.                      154  Chemicals
MSC, Roosevelt Park                       150  Springs, stampings
 
 
EARNING LEVELS
                                          Average Hourly Rate
Classification                           Minimum       Maximum
 
Assembler - Light                          $6.23        $10.19
Clerk, General Office                      $5.45         $7.34
Forklift Operator                          $8.32        $11.46
General Laborer                            $6.18         $7.56
Inspector                                  $7.62        $11.18
Machine Operator                          $10.64        $12.73
Maintenance Mechanic                      $11.46        $14.67
Maintenance, Building                      $6.01         $8.03
Secretary                                  $6.44         $8.88
Welder                                     $9.13        $13.06
 
Source:  Based on Bell Telephone Co. community survey, adjusted for
         inflation to 1991 using Consumer Price Index.
 
 
DISTANCE TO:
                   Miles    Kilometers
Chicago             180         289
Cleveland           310         498
Detroit             190         305
Indianapolis        260         418
Lansing             100         160
Toronto             390         627
 
 
TRANSPORTATION
 
Main Highways:  I-96, M-37, M-46, M-120, US-31
Bus Lines:      Greyhound
Truck Lines:    20
Rail Lines:     CSX Transportation; Michigan Shore Railroad
Ports:          Port of Muskegon
Airports:       Muskegon County
Airlines:       American Eagle; Midwest Express; Northwest
 
 
CLIMATE
As reported by weather station at Muskegon WSO.
 
January Average Minimum:   17 F./ -8 C.    Average Maximum:   29 F./ -2 C.
July Average Minimum:      60 F./ 16 C.    Average Maximum:   80 F./ 27 C.
Growing Season:       156 days
Days below 0 F or -18 C:    5      Average Annual Rainfall:   31 in./ 79 cm.
Days above 90 F or 32 C:    5      Average Annual Snowfall:  109 in./277 cm.
 
 
INDUSTRIAL SITES
(As of January 1993)
 
Community                  Sites    Acres    Hectares    Industrial Parks
 
Dalton Twp.                   2        80          32              0
Egelston Twp.                 7       311         126              0
Fruitport Twp.                6       101          41              0
Montague                      9        50          20              1
Muskegon                      6        40          16              2
Muskegon Heights              4        11           4              1
Norton Shores                41       419         170              2
Whitehall                    13        86          35              1
     COUNTY TOTAL            88      1098         444              7
 
Zero acres indicates less than half an acre or no information available.
 
 
CONSTRUCTION PERMITS
 
                   Residential   Industrial      Office      Mercantile
                  Units  Value  Units  Value  Units  Value  Units  Value
 
1991:              518   $38.57   11    $1.53   14    $3.67   10    $0.93
3-Year Average:    591   $42.52   16    $3.27   11    $4.68   22    $7.14
 
Values are reported in millions of dollars. A 3-year average value of 1 may
indicate no construction activity in one or more of the last three years.
 
 
NEW INCORPORATIONS
 
Incorporations in 1992:    275          State Median:   68
Incorporation Rate:        173          State Median:  183
 
Incorporation Rate = incorporations per 100,000 population.
 
 
PROPERTY TAX BASE
(As of 1992)
 
Agricultural    Residential   Industrial    Commercial    Other
     2%             64%           7%           14%         12%
 
County Total State Equalized Value:           $1,840,987,881.00
County Average Tax Millage Rate (in 1991):                59.84
 
 
UTILITIES
                   Electric           Gas                Telephone*
 
Montague           Consumers          MichCon            GTE
Muskegon           Consumers          MichCon            GTE, D
Muskegon Hts       Consumers          MichCon            GTE, EA
Muskegon Twp.      Consumers          MichCon            GTE
North Muskegon     Consumers          MichCon            GTE
Norton Shores      Consumers          MichCon            GTE
Roosevelt Park     Consumers          MichCon            GTE
Whitehall          Consumers          MichCon            GTE, D
 
* D=digital switching; EA=equal access to interexchange carriers;
  see Source List note.
 
 
WATER
                                 Gallons           Liters         Pressure
                 Source      Capacity   Use    Capacity   Use   (lbs./sq.in.)
 
Montague         Wells
Muskegon         Lake           260     220       984     833     50-55
Muskegon Hts     Lake           190     130       719     492     50-65
Muskegon Twp.    Muskegon       340     230      1287     871     80
North Muskegon   Muskegon
Norton Shores    Muskegon       190     130       719     492     65-75
Roosevelt Park   Musk. Hts.     160      62       606     235     50-65
Whitehall        Wells                   20                76
 
Capacity and maximum use in hundreds of thousands of gallons/liters per day.
 
 
SEWER
                                            Gallons            Liters
                     Type               Capacity   Load    Capacity   Load
 
Montague             Adv.                     3       2         11       8
Muskegon             Adv.                   108      61        409     231
Muskegon Hts         Adv.                    26      16         98      61
Muskegon Twp.        Adv.
N. Muskegon          Adv.                     5       4         19      15
Norton Shores        Adv.                    43      22        163      83
Roosevelt Park       Adv.                    11       9         42      34
Whitehall            Adv.                    11       9         42      34
 
Capacity and present load in hundreds of thousands of gallons/liters per day.
 
 
MUNICIPAL SERVICES
                                   1990               Master   Public Library
Community        Phone Number   Population    Zoning   Plan      (Volumes)
 
Montague         616-893-1155        2276       yes    yes     Br. of County
Muskegon         616-724-6721       40283       yes    yes     316,978
Muskegon Hts.    616-739-1331       13176       yes    yes     Br. of County
Muskegon Twp.    616-777-2555       15302       yes    yes     Br. of County
North Muskegon   616-744-1621        3919       yes    yes     Br. of County
Norton Shores    616-798-4391       21755       yes    yes     Br. of County
Roosevelt Park   616-755-3721        3885       yes    yes
Whitehall        616-894-4048        3027       yes    yes
 
 
                 ------- Fire Department -------    Police
Community        Class.    FT Paid    PT/Volunt.  (Full-Time)  Solid Waste
 
Montague          6                        24            5     Independent
Muskegon          4           44                        67     Municipal
Muskegon Hts.     6           16                        29     Independent
Muskegon Twp.     8/9          9           29           10     Independent
North Muskegon    7            2           11            6     Independent
Norton Shores     6            8           56           25     Independent
Roosevelt Park    6                                      6     Municipal
Whitehall         6                        24            5     Independent
 
 
County Sheriff Officers:    33      Licensed Landfills in County:    3
 
Other communities in Muskegon County (1990 population for incorporated
communities in parenthesis):
 
Bailey, Blue Lake Twp. (1235), Casnovia (376), Casnovia Twp. (2361), Cedar
Creek Twp. (2846), Dalton Twp. (6276), Deerfield, Egelston Twp. (7640),
Fruitland Twp. (4391), Fruitport (1090), Fruitport Twp. (11485), Holton Twp.
(2318), Laketon Twp. (6538), Lakewood Club (659), Montague Twp. (1429),
Moorland Twp. (1543), Ravenna (919), Ravenna Twp. (2354), Sullivan Twp. (2230),
Twin Lake, White River Twp. (1250), Whitehall Twp. (1464), Wolf Lake
 
 
EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES (1992-1993)
                                                  K-12    Instruc.     High
Community        School District                Students    Staff     Schools
 
Montague         Montague Area Public              1569        44         1
Muskegon         Muskegon City                     6461       260         2
Muskegon         Mona Shores                       3597       160         1
Muskegon Hts.    City Of Muskegon Heights          2597       129         1
North Muskegon   Reeths Puffer                     3980       173         1
Whitehall        Whitehall                         1829        70         1
 
 
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
(As of Fall 1991)
 
Name and Location                                               Enrollment
 
Aquinas College Extension, Muskegon
Baker College of Business, Muskegon                                   1947
Calvin College Extension, Muskegon
Grand Valley State University, Allendale (20 mi.)                    12565
Muskegon Community College, Muskegon                                  5231
Western Michigan University Extension, Muskegon
 
 
MEDICAL FACILITIES
 
Hospitals in County:           3     Total Beds:    499
Nearest Large Medical Center:  Muskegon
Extended Care Facilities:     10     Total Beds:    944
Physicians (MDs and DOs) in County:    291
 
 
HOUSING AND CHURCHES
(Housing as of 1990)
 
Owner occupied:    43011 (74.4%)     Median Home Value:   $46,300.00
Renter occupied:   14787 (25.6%)     Median Contract Rent:   $294.00
Churches:      Catholic:   13    Protestant:  209
Synagogues:    1
 
 
RECREATION, ATTRACTIONS, AND EVENTS
 
3 State Parks; 26 miles of Lake Michigan sandy beaches; 20 inland lakes; 40
charter fishing services; 25 modern marinas; two amusement parks;
recreational harbor facilities - Muskegon, Whitehall on Lake Michigan.
Muskegon Museum of Art; Great Lakes Maritime Museum - USS Silversides
Submarine Display. Muskegon Summer Celebration; CHL Professional Hockey
Team (Muskegon Fury); Muskegon Air Fair; Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.
 
 
COMMERCIAL SERVICES
(As of 1989)
 
General Building Contractors                   41
Metalworking Machinery                         28
Commercial Printing                            15
Advertising                                     8
Personnel Supply Services                      10
Computer and Data Processing Services           4
Legal Services                                 46
Accounting, Auditing and Bookkeeping           26
Retail Establishments                         845
Wholesale Establishments                      184
 
Hotel/Motel Rooms (as of 1993):              1400
Television Channels:    1 plus cable
Radio Stations:         10
Newspapers:     Fruitport Area News, Muskegon Chronicle, Muskegon County
                Outlook, Muskegon Today, The Examiner, White Lake Beacon
 
 
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
(As of 1993)                                                       Offices
                                            Main Office           in County
 
AmeriBank Federal Savings Bank              Muskegon                   5
Comerica Bank                               Detroit                    9
First of America Bank-West Michigan         Grand Rapids              11
FMB-Lumberman's Bank                        Muskegon                   6
Kent City State Bank                        Kent City                  2
Mutual Savings Bank, F.S.B.                 Bay City                   1
NBD Bank, NA                                Detroit                    1
Old Kent Bank of Grand Haven                Grand Haven                4
The Shelby State Bank                       Shelby                     2
 
EMPLOYMENT AND EARNINGS BY INDUSTRY
                                                               Earnings
                                   Employment                ($ millions)
                                1985        1990            1985          1990
 
Total Employment                66702       70375
Total Income                                            $1,820.00     $2,352.87
 
Earnings by Place of Work                               $1,322.15     $1,604.86
 
  Components by Type:
  Wage and Salary               58650       61426       $1,096.23     $1,318.06
  Proprietors                    8052        8949         $104.02       $147.73
    Farm                          548         473           $8.56        $10.32
    Nonfarm                      7504        8476          $95.47       $137.41
 
  Components by Industry:
  Farm                            914         766          $11.62        $13.79
  Nonfarm                       65788       69609       $1,310.53     $1,591.07
    Private                     57320       60457       $1,143.78     $1,359.90
      Agric./For./Fish.           194         281           $1.78         $3.27
      Mining                      148         123           $6.10         $4.69
      Construction               2934        3400          $66.86        $88.00
      Manufacturing             19047       16872         $568.81       $583.88
        Non-Durable Goods         ---         ---          $82.95       $114.72
        Durable Goods             ---         ---         $485.86       $469.17
      Transp. & Utilities        2900        2490          $79.09        $84.59
      Wholesale Trade            2129        2285          $48.87        $63.44
      Retail Trade              11562       14032         $121.44       $163.42
      Fin./Ins./Real Est.        2730        3032          $25.44        $40.80
      Services                  15676       17942         $225.38       $327.81
    Government                   8468        9152         $166.75       $231.17
      Federal                     405         446          $11.36        $15.07
      Military, Civilian          413         369           $3.13         $2.48
      State and Local            7650        8337         $152.26       $213.62
 
Earnings by Place of Residence                          $1,207.51     $1,492.78
 
Zero values indicate confidential information or fewer than 10 employees
or less than $50,000.
 
Per Capita Income:      1985:    $11,781.00      1990:    $14,767.00