Emmet County Information & Demographics

Emmet County is located in the northern part of the lower peninsula, northeast of Little Traverse Bay, southeast of Sturgeon Bay, east of Lake Michigan, and south of the Straits of Mackinac. It is traversed by US-31 and US-131. The county contains 468 square miles and is the 7th smallest in the state. The county seat is Petoskey. About 15 percent of the land is agricultural and little manufacturing takes place. The economic base is largely comprised of retail trade and services. Industrial parks and industrial sites are available, including airport locations. World-class medical care is found at Northern Michigan Regional Hospital in Petoskey, a regional facility with a large number of on-staff medical specialists, unequaled in Northern Michigan. Several assisted living facilities, nursing homes and Bay Bluffs, an Emmet county Medical Care Facility, are available. Excellent public and private schools, plus North Central Michigan College, which boasts a comprehensive curriculum, business assistance center, a University Center and a 71,000 sq. ft. student and community resources building. The county also has two local newspapers, a number of radio & television stations and churches of many denominations. Emmet County has 21 units of government, which includes two cities, three incorporated villages and 16 townships. Several city, county and state parks offer a variety of outdoor recreation opportunities.