Harrison is a city in and county seat of Clare County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,114 at the 2010 census.
The community was settled as early as 1879 and was named after William Henry Harrison. Harrison is near the junction of US 127 and M-61. US 127 bypasses the city to the east, while Bus. US 127 runs through the center of the city. Wilson State Park and Budd Lake are located within the city.
History
Harrison was settled as a lumber town in 1880, with sawmills located on the shores of Budd Lake. It was incorporated as a village in 1885 and a city in 1891. The lumber company of W.H. & F.A. Wilson donated the land which is now Wilson State Park. The City of Harrison attracts thousands of visitors from throughout the state, with its "twenty lakes in twenty minutes" and large amount of state land for recreational sports.
The biggest local events are the Clare County Fair and Frostbite Open Golf Tournament on Budd Lake.
There are several historic buildings and homes in the city of Harrison. The Surrey House, former restaurant and hotel is a relic of the lumber town days. The Clare County Cleaver, the county's oldest newspaper and business is located on Main St
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 2,114 people, 913 households, and 524 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 1,306 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 93.7% White, 1.7% African American, 0.8% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.5% of the population.
There were 913 households, of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.0% were married couples living together, 15.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.6% were non-families. 37.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.79.
The median age in the city was 42.1 years. 21% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.4% were from 25 to 44; 27.4% were from 45 to 64; and 18.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.1% male and 50.9% female.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,108 people, 857 households, and 526 families residing in the city. The population density was 563.3 per square mile (217.6/km2). There were 1,187 housing units at an average density of 317.2 per square mile (122.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.78% White, 2.04% African American, 0.62% Native American, 0.71% Asian, 0.43% from other races, and 1.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.47% of the population.
There were 857 households, out of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.6% were non-families. 35.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.3% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,392, and the median income for a family was $35,179. Males had a median income of $32,500 versus $20,909 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,443. About 14.1% of families and 18.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.8% of those under age 18 and 15.1% of those age 65 or over.
Colleges
Mid Michigan Community College-Harrison
Transportation
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serves local business traffic through the city.
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Public bus service is provided by the [http://clarecountytransit.org/Index.html Clare County Transit Corporation] with four daily round-trips between Harrison and Clare, MI.
