Jackson

Formed August 1, 1832 (35^th county)

Jackson County (160,375), Jackson (31,314)                

The red brick and masonry Classical Revival courthouse was built in 1927 as the Elks Lodge at Jackson and Wesley streets.  United States Highway 127 Business is three blocks north of the site.  Claire Allen and Sons are the architects.  The county bought a 1929 bank building in 1975 as an Administration Center.  The county was established on August 1, 1832 from parts of Washtenaw County and Native American Territory as the 35^th county.  Jackson has always been the county seat.  The county and county seat are named for United States President Andrew Jackson.  There was an undated earlier courthouse in Jackson. 

Jackson County government consists of a sheriff, an administrator, an attorney, a treasurer and a clerk (executive).  It has 9 Commissioners (legislative.)  Four Circuit Court Judges, Four District Court Judges, Two Probate Court Judges and court clerk serve Jackson County (judicial.) Jackson County is in the southeast part of the southern peninsula.  Detroit, Michigan is east and Lansing, Michigan is northwest of the county.  The county center is in Jackson .5 miles South of the city center.  The county surrounded clockwise by Ingham, Livingston, Washtenaw, Lenawee, Hillsdale, Calhoun, and Eaton counties. 

The area of the county is 724 square miles.  It is 42 out of 83 in the state.  It ranks 14 out of 83 in population in the state.  It has a density of 221.5 persons per square mile making it 12 out of 83 in the state.  Jackson County has 23.1% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 94 crosses the county east to west from Washtenaw County to Calhoun County.  United States Highway 127 goes north to south from Ingham County to Lenawee County.  The county is a rectangle.  The City of Jackson is near the center of the county.  Jackson is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 19.5% of the county population.  This county is in the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.