Cass County is located in southwestern Michigan,
just north of South Bend and Elkhart, Indiana, and southwest of Kalamazoo
County. The county contains 496 square miles and is the 10th smallest
in the state. The county seat is the Village of Cassopolis.
More than 50,000 residents call Cass County home. With 60 percent
of its land being farmed, it ranks 15th in the state in agricultural
receipts. Service and manufacturing industries are also an important
element of its economy. The county is comprised of the City of Dowagiac,
four villages and 15 townships.
For further demographic information on Cass County, the Greater Dowagiac
Chamber of Commerce suggests you visit the Michigan Economic Development
Corporation on the web at www.medc.michigan.org/miinfo/places/.
| Driving
Distances |
| Location |
Miles |
| Chicago |
90 |
| Lansing |
100 |
| Detroit |
160 |
| Cleveland |
180 |
| Indianapolis |
225 |
| Climate |
| Month |
Avg. Min. Temp. |
Avg. Max. Temp. |
| January |
15 F / -9 C |
31 F / -1 C |
| July |
59 F / 15 C |
84 F / 29 C |
| Precipitation |
Rainfall |
Snowfall |
| Average Annual |
37 in. / 94 cm. |
73 in. / 185 cm. |
|
Growing Season Days
|
Days Above 90 F / 32 C |
Days Below Zero F or -18 C |
|
144
|
16
|
9
|
|
Source:
NOAA Climate Summary 1995
|
| Population |
Year |
| 43,312 |
1970 |
| 49,499 |
1980 |
| 49,477 |
1990 |
| 51,104 |
2000 |
|
Source:
Michigan Economic Development Corporation 2003
|
| Workforce |
| Labor |
Year: 2001
|
| Total Workforce |
26,625
|
| Number Employed |
25,250
|
| Number Unemployed |
1,375
|
| Unemployment Rate |
5.2
|
|
Source:
Michigan Employment Service Agency 2001
|
| Transportation:
Access to Markets |
| Main Highways |
US-12, M-62, M-152, M-60, M-40, M-103,
M-51 |
| Bus Lines |
None |
| Truck Lines |
42 |
| Rail Lines |
Norfolk Southern, Amtrak |
| Ports |
Benton Harbor: Located on Lake Michigan,
approximately 25 miles from Dowagiac, Cass County |
| Airports |
Dowagiac Municipal Airport, Michiana
Regional in South Bend, IN |
|
Source:
Michigan State Transportation Commission
|
| Personal
Income: In Thousands of Dollars |
| Components By Type |
1997
|
1998
|
1999
|
2000
|
| Personal Income |
1,011,867
|
1,057,424
|
1,106,309
|
1,154,822
|
| Non-farm Personal Income |
998,463
|
1,056,065
|
1,104,330
|
1,138,903
|
| Farm Income |
13,404
|
1,359
|
1,979
|
15,919
|
| Population |
50,449
|
50,711
|
50,852
|
51,148
|
| Per Capita Personal Income (Dollars) |
20,057
|
20,852
|
21,755
|
22,578
|
|
Source:
US Department of Commerce, Economic and Statistics Administration,
Bureau of Economic Analysis, May 2002
|
| Personal
Income: In Thousands of Dollars |
| Components by Industry |
1997
|
1998
|
1999
|
2000
|
| Farm Earnings |
13,404
|
1,359
|
1,979
|
15,919
|
| Non-Farm Earnings |
353,137
|
382,793
|
405,679
|
407,640
|
| Private Earnings |
279,481
|
307,738
|
327,987
|
327,558
|
| Ag. Service, Forestry,
Fishing |
4,071
|
4,645
|
4,708
|
4,330
|
| Mining |
471
|
523
|
707
|
618
|
| Construction |
23,927
|
23,398
|
26,728
|
27,987
|
| Manufacturing |
125,294
|
139,377
|
142,884
|
136,622
|
| Durable Goods |
106,109
|
121,439
|
127,340
|
121,648
|
| Transportation &
Public Utilities |
17,931
|
20,504
|
21,872
|
21,629
|
| Wholesale |
14,126
|
14,213
|
16,066
|
18,313
|
| Retail |
29,760
|
32,697
|
34,350
|
35,195
|
| Finance, Insurance, Real
Estate |
15,271
|
18,027
|
20,670
|
21,078
|
| Service |
48,684
|
54,354
|
60,002
|
61,786
|
| Government |
73,656
|
75,055
|
77,692
|
80,082
|
| Federal, Civilian |
4,351
|
4,377
|
4,656
|
5,259
|
| Military |
1,304
|
1,251
|
1,304
|
1,378
|
| State & Local |
68,001
|
69,427
|
71,732
|
73,445
|
|
Source:
US Department of Commerce, Economic and Statistics Administration,
Bureau of Economic Analysis, May 2002
|
| Employment
by Industry: Number of Jobs |
| Component by Type |
1997
|
1998
|
1999
|
2000
|
| Total Employment |
15,560
|
16,281
|
16,850
|
16,697
|
| Wage & Salary Employment |
11,002
|
11,320
|
11,779
|
11,532
|
| Proprietor's Employment |
4,558
|
4,961
|
5,071
|
5,165
|
| Farm Employment |
1,054
|
1,030
|
1,064
|
1,038
|
| Non-Farm Employment |
14,506
|
15,251
|
15,786
|
15,659
|
|
Source:
US Department of Commerce, Economic and Statistics Administration,
Bureau of Economic Analysis, May 2002
|
| Employment
by Industry: Number of Jobs |
| Components by Industry |
1997
|
1998
|
1999
|
2000
|
| Private |
12,209
|
12,898
|
13,387
|
13,179
|
| Ag. Service, Forestry, Fishing |
348
|
338
|
349
|
341
|
| Mining |
34
|
32
|
36
|
31
|
| Construction |
848
|
954
|
1,030
|
1,066
|
| Manufacturing |
3,653
|
3,835
|
3,908
|
3,547
|
| Transportation, Public Utilities |
505
|
524
|
550
|
544
|
| Wholesale |
480
|
475
|
505
|
568
|
| Retail |
2,405
|
2,434
|
2,384
|
2,453
|
| Finance, Insurance, Real Estate |
848
|
972
|
1,044
|
1,085
|
| Service |
3,088
|
3,334
|
3,581
|
3,544
|
| Government |
2,297
|
2,353
|
2,399
|
2,480
|
| Federal, Civilian |
91
|
89
|
97
|
116
|
| Military |
107
|
99
|
99
|
99
|
| State, Local |
2,099
|
2,165
|
2,203
|
2,265
|
|
Source:
US Department of Commerce, Economic and Statistics Administration,
Bureau of Economic Analysis, May 2002
|
| Housing:
Year 2000 |
| Owner Occupied |
Median Value |
Renter Occupied |
Median Rent |
| 11,431 |
$91,800 |
3,341 |
$471 |
|
Source:
US Bureau of the Census, Census of Population and Housing
2000
|
| Property
Tax: Year 2000 |
| Agricultural |
Commercial |
Industrial |
Residential |
Other |
| 10.50% |
9.80% |
7.00% |
68.20% |
4.40% |
|
Source:
Michigan Department of Treasury 2002
|
|
