Sand Lake, Michigan Explained

Sand Lake, Michigan
Official Name:Village of Sand Lake
Settlement Type:Village
Pushpin Map:Michigan#USA
Pushpin Label Position:right
Pushpin Label:Sand Lake
Pushpin Map Caption:Location within the state of Michigan##Location within the United States
Mapsize:250
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Michigan
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Kent
Government Type:Village council
Leader Title:President
Leader Name:Mollie Doerr
Leader Title1:Clerk
Leader Name1:Donna Westerbrink
Established Title:Founded
Established Date:1869
Area Footnotes:[1]
Area Total Km2:1.92
Area Land Km2:1.84
Area Water Km2:0.08
Area Total Sq Mi:0.74
Area Land Sq Mi:0.71
Area Water Sq Mi:0.03
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:522
Population Density Km2:284.08
Population Density Sq Mi:736.25
Timezone:Eastern (EST)
Utc Offset:-5
Timezone Dst:EDT
Utc Offset Dst:-4
Elevation M:279
Elevation Ft:915
Coordinates:43.2919°N -85.5183°W
Postal Code Type:ZIP code(s)
Postal Code:49343
Area Code:616
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:26-71360[2]
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:1675442[3]
Unit Pref:Imperial

Sand Lake is a village in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 522 at the 2020 census.

History

The village of Sand Lake was founded in 1869 in northern Kent County and has long served as a bedroom community about 25miles northeast of the city of Grand Rapids. In 2009, the village had the highest tax rates of the five villages in Kent County, and some residents petitioned for a vote to have the village disincorporated in order to lower taxes. This proposal was defeated, and Sand Lake continued as an incorporated village.[4] For years, the village operated its own police department, but the department was dissolved by the village council in 2019. This followed, among other things, complaints made by a police officer, alleging that internal misconduct was afoot. Simultaneously, the village maintained a fire department which also served a portion of Nelson Township, and Ensley Township in Newaygo County.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 0.74sqmi, of which 0.71sqmi is land and 0.03sqmi (4.05%) is water.[5]

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 500 people, 188 households, and 116 families living in the village. The population density was 625 per square mile. There were 211 housing units at an average density of 263.75 per square mile. The racial makeup of the village was 94.6% White, 0.80% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1% Asian, 1.4% from other races, and 2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.2% of the population.

There were 188 households, of which 34% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.9% were married couples living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.3% were non-families. 33% of all households were made up of individuals, and 26.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.34.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 33% under the age of 20, 7% from 20 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 65.29 males. For every 100 females age 20 and over, there were 95.91 males.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 492 people, 184 households, and 110 families living in the village. The population density was 670.5sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 207 housing units at an average density of 282.1sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the village was 96.34% White, 0.20% African American, 1.22% Native American, 0.81% Asian, 1.02% from other races, and 0.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.02% of the population.

There were 184 households, out of which 35.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.2% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.43.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 32.1% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 15.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.5 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $31,875, and the median income for a family was $46,250. Males had a median income of $27,500 versus $21,985 for females. The per capita income for the village was $14,184. About 9.3% of families and 14.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.0% of those under age 18 and 34.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Tri County Area Schools, which operates Tri County High School, serves Sand Lake. The district was a consolidation of the Sand Lake and Howard City school boards. It came into existence on April 3, 1962, the day members of those communities voted in favor of consolidating their schools. The consolidated schools began operation in fall 1962.[6]

Prior to the consolidation, Sand Lake High School, a K-12 school, served the community. Impetus for consolidation occurred when the State of Michigan adopted new standards for education which required school systems to spend additional funds. Some Sand Lake residents wished to consolidate with Cedar Springs Schools in Cedar Springs due to the strength of the Cedar Springs industrial economy and the good reputation of its school system, while others wished to consolidate with Howard City. Charles Northup, a former member of the Sand Lake school board, stated that Cedar Springs residents would have had primary control and naming of a consolidated school district including Sand Lake, while a consolidation with Howard City would result in joint control between the communities. According to a former principal of Sand Lake High, Earl Clegg, "community friction" occurred in the consolidation debate.[6] About 300 people went to a meeting in Sand Lake on proposed school consolidation on February 13, 1961.[6]

The Nelson Township Branch of the Kent District Library is located in Sand Lake.

Notable people

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files. United States Census Bureau. May 21, 2022.
  2. Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. January 31, 2008.
  3. Web site: US Board on Geographic Names. January 31, 2008. United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007.
  4. News: . MLive . Sand Lake civil war: Move to dissolve village comes down to taxes . April 3, 2019 . October 15, 2021 .
  5. Web site: Michigan: 2010 Population and Housing Unit Counts 2010 Census of Population and Housing . https://web.archive.org/web/20121019111423/http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/cph-2-24.pdf . October 19, 2012 . live. PDF . September 2012. United States Census Bureau. 2010 United States Census. October 1, 2021. 28 Michigan.
  6. Ransom, Kay. "Tri County Area Schools: Over 50 Years in the Making ." Tri County Area Schools. Retrieved on October 21, 2017.