Demographics

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey 3-year estimates, the population of Chippewa County is 38,724 with 55.1% being male and 44.9% female. Median age is 38.5. Percentage of the population over the age of sixty-five is 13.5. The racial makeup of the city was 79.9% White, 5.9% African American, 12.7% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.47% from other races, and 4.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.1% of the population.

There were 14,663 households out of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50% were married couples living together. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size is 2.75. Families make up 65% of households, which includes both married couple families and other families (15%). Nonfamily households make up 35% of all households. Most of the nonfamily households were people living alone, but some composed of people living in households which no one was related to the householder. From a mobility perspective, 89% of those living in Chippewa county (at the time of the survey) lived in Chippewa County the prior year.

From 2005-07, 88% of people 25 years and over had at least graduated from high school and 19 percent had a bachelor’s degree or higher. The total school enrollment in Chippewa County was 10,000. Nursery school and kindergarten enrollment was 880 and elementary or high school enrollment was 5,400 children. College or graduate school enrollment was 3,900.

The median income of households was $37,735. Seventy-six percent of the households received earnings and 22% received retirement income other than Social Security.

Chippewa County had a total of 21,000 housing unites, 29% of which were vacant. Of the total housing units, 78% was in single-unit structures, 12% in multi-unit structures and 11% were mobile homes. Twenty-four percent of housing units were built since 1990.

The median monthly housing costs of mortgaged owners was $968, nonmortgaged owners $334 and renters $569. Twenty-five percent of owners with mortgages, 13% of owners without mortgages, and 47% percent of renters spent 30% or more of household income on housing.