COUNTY PROFILE - SAINT JOSEPH, Michigan

LOCATION SERVICES
 
Three Rivers Chamber of Commerce
103 S. Douglas Avenue
Three Rivers, Michigan 49093
 
Contact:  Chris Byrnes
Phone:    616/278-8193
FAX:    616/273-1832
 
 
County Seat:  Centreville
 
POPULATION
 
1970 Census                    47392
1980 Census                    56083
1990 Census                    58913
Median Age (as of 1990)         32.8 years
 
 
LABOR FORCE
(1992 average)
 
Total Labor Force            27000
Employed                     24350
Total Unemployment            2625
Unemployment Rate              9.7%
3-Year Average                10.2%
 
 
PRINCIPAL ECONOMIC BASE EMPLOYERS
 
Firm                                Employees         Product/Service
 
Kirsch, Sturgis                           818  Drapery hardware/home products
Grummon Olson, Sturgis                    652  Aluminum truck bodies
Lear Siegler, Mendon                      480  Plastics - auto and appliances
Ross Laboratories, Sturgis                461  Similac; hosp., dietary prod.
GM/Saginaw Div., Three Rivers             300  Steering gear parts
Burr Oak Tool & Gauge, Sturgis            280  Tools, dies, special machinery
Armstrong Intern'l, Three Rivers          199  Traps, humidifiers
Sturgis Molded Products, Sturgis          193  Injection molding
Vanguard Industries, Colon                160  Palomino campers
Continental Accessories, Sturgis          152  After-market auto products
Sturgis Iron & Metal                      150  Process scrap steel
Weyerhaeuser, Three Rivers                150  Corrugated boxes
Owens-Illinois, Constantine               149  Crowns and closures
Bleyco Paper, Burr Oak                    135  Wax paper processing
Sturgis Foundry, Sturgis                  135  Gray iron castings
Arch Workshop, Sturgis                    132  Assemble pallets, signs
LASCO Bath Fixtures, Three Rivers         130  Fiberglass tub & shower units
Johnson, Three Rivers                     129  Rotary steam joints
Centurion Vehicles                        120  Truck and van conversion
Rood Industries, Sturgis                  115  Fabricated metal tubing
 
 
EARNING LEVELS
                                          Average Hourly Rate
Classification                           Minimum       Maximum
 
Assembler                                  $8.04        $10.44
Computer Operator                          $4.96        $10.15
Drafter                                   $11.03        $15.40
Forklift Operator                          $7.67        $11.08
Machine Operator                           $7.67         $9.62
Maintenance                               $10.80        $14.82
Maintenance Mechanic                      $12.40        $14.82
Office Manager                             $8.43        $11.22
Production Supervisor                     $11.22        $14.64
Secretary                                  $7.67        $11.80
 
Source:  Based on Consumers Power community survey, adjusted for inflation
         to 1991 using Consumer Price Index.
 
 
DISTANCE TO:
                   Miles    Kilometers
Chicago             140         225
Cleveland           200         321
Detroit             130         209
Indianapolis        150         241
Lansing              90         144
Toronto             380         611
 
 
TRANSPORTATION
 
Main Highways:  M-60, M-66, M-86, M-103, M-216; US-12, US-131
Bus Lines:      Greyhound
Truck Lines:    36
Rail Lines:     Conrail; Grand Trunk Western
Ports:          None
Airports:       Kalamazoo (40 miles)
Airlines:       Air Wisconsin, Allegheny Commuter, Northwest, Piedmont,
                Simmons
 
 
CLIMATE
As reported by weather station at Three Rivers.
 
January Average Minimum:   15 F./ -9 C.    Average Maximum:   31 F./ -1 C.
July Average Minimum:      60 F./ 16 C.    Average Maximum:   84 F./ 29 C.
Growing Season:       146 days
Days below 0 F or -18 C:    9      Average Annual Rainfall:   34 in./ 86 cm.
Days above 90 F or 32 C:   15      Average Annual Snowfall:   46 in./117 cm.
 
 
INDUSTRIAL SITES
(As of January 1993)
 
Community                  Sites    Acres    Hectares    Industrial Parks
 
Centreville                   2         0           0              0
Colon                         1        60          24              0
Constantine                  22        82          33              2
Fabius Twp.                   2       140          57              0
Florence Twp.                 1       150          61              0
Lockport Twp.                 3       132          53              0
Mendon                        1         0           0              0
Mottville Twp.                6        60          24              0
Park Twp.                     2       291         118              0
Sturgis                      19        81          33              1
Three Rivers                  7        45          18              1
White Pigeon                  2        10           4              0
White Pigeon Twp.             3       418         169              0
     COUNTY TOTAL            71      1469         595              4
 
Zero acres indicates less than half an acre or no information available.
 
 
CONSTRUCTION PERMITS
 
                   Residential   Industrial      Office      Mercantile
                  Units  Value  Units  Value  Units  Value  Units  Value
 
1991:              122    $9.69   16    $3.47    4    $0.64   17    $4.49
3-Year Average:    141   $10.61   12    $2.66    6    $1.09   11    $2.17
 
Values are reported in millions of dollars. A 3-year average value of 1 may
indicate no construction activity in one or more of the last three years.
 
 
NEW INCORPORATIONS
 
Incorporations in 1992:     84          State Median:   68
Incorporation Rate:        143          State Median:  183
 
Incorporation Rate = incorporations per 100,000 population.
 
 
PROPERTY TAX BASE
(As of 1992)
 
Agricultural    Residential   Industrial    Commercial    Other
    15%             55%           6%           10%         15%
 
County Total State Equalized Value:             $742,043,639.00
County Average Tax Millage Rate (in 1991):                53.51
 
 
UTILITIES
                   Electric           Gas                Telephone*
 
Burr Oak           Consumers          Mich. Gas Util.    GTE
Centreville        Consumers          Michigan Power     GTE, D
Colon              Consumers          Mich. Gas Util.    GTE
Constantine        Michigan Power     Michigan Power     GTE
Sturgis            Local              Mich. Gas Util.    GTE, D
Three Rivers       Michigan Power     Michigan Power     GTE, D
White Pigeon       Michigan Power     Michigan Power     GTE
 
* D=digital switching; EA=equal access to interexchange carriers;
  see Source List note.
 
 
WATER
                                 Gallons           Liters         Pressure
                 Source      Capacity   Use    Capacity   Use   (lbs./sq.in.)
 
Burr Oak         Wells
Centreville      Wells
Colon            Wells
Constantine      Wells                    5                19
Sturgis          Wells           95      50       360     189     35-75
Three Rivers     Wells           46      27       174     102     49-70
White Pigeon     Wells           27      27       102     102
 
Capacity and maximum use in hundreds of thousands of gallons/liters per day.
 
 
SEWER
                                            Gallons            Liters
                     Type               Capacity   Load    Capacity   Load
 
Centreville
Colon
Constantine          Sec. Tr.                 6       5         23      19
Sturgis              Ter Trklng Fltr         30      20        114      76
Three Rivers         Sec w/Act. Sl.          28      13        104      49
White Pigeon
 
Capacity and present load in hundreds of thousands of gallons/liters per day.
 
 
MUNICIPAL SERVICES
                                   1990               Master   Public Library
Community        Phone Number   Population    Zoning   Plan      (Volumes)
 
Burr Oak                              882       yes    no      12,583
Centreville      616-467-4855        1516       no     no      17,421
Colon                                1224       yes    no      7,312
Constantine      616-435-2085        2032       no     no      12,368
Sturgis          616-651-2321       10130       yes    yes     48,290
Three Rivers     616-273-1075        7413       yes    yes     49,390
White Pigeon     616-483-7044        1458       yes    no      14,502
 
 
                 ------- Fire Department -------    Police
Community        Class.    FT Paid    PT/Volunt.  (Full-Time)  Solid Waste
 
Burr Oak          7            1           17            1     Independent
Centreville       8                        27            2
Colon             7                        22            2     Municipal
Constantine       7                        25            4
Sturgis           6           14            8           16     Municipal
Three Rivers      6            7           24           14     Independent
White Pigeon      7                        25            3     Independent
 
 
County Sheriff Officers:    23      Licensed Landfills in County:    3
 
Other communities in Saint Joseph County (1990 population for incorporated
communities in parenthesis):
 
Burr Oak Twp. (2542), Colon Twp. (3217), Constantine Twp. (4152), Fabius Twp.
(3187), Fawn River Twp. (1571), Findley, Florence Twp. (1518), Flowerfield Twp.
(1418), Howardsville, Leonidas Twp. (1171), Lockport Twp. (3395), Mendon (920),
Mendon Twp. (2695), Moorepark, Mottville Twp. (1501), Nottawa Twp. (3637), Park
Twp. (2769), Parkville, Sherman Twp. (2978), Sturgis Twp. (1965), White Pigeon
Twp. (3654)
 
 
EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES (1992-1993)
                                                  K-12    Instruc.     High
Community        School District                Students    Staff     Schools
 
Centreville      Centreville Public                 867        46         1
Colon            Colon Community                   1028        51
Constantine      Constantine Public                1601        75         1
Sturgis          Sturgis Public                    2926       135         1
Three Rivers     Three Rivers Community            2966       132         1
White Pigeon     White Pigeon Comm                 1209        60         1
 
 
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
(As of Fall 1991)
 
Name and Location                                               Enrollment
 
Glen Oaks Community College, Centreville                              1433
Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo (40 mi.)                                 1268
Nazareth College, Kalamazoo (40 mi.)                                   292
Notre Dame University, South Bend, Indiana (35 mi.)
Southwestern Michigan College, Dowagiac (25 mi.)                      2779
Tri-State College, Angola, Indiana (45 mi.)
Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo (40 mi.)                      27901
 
 
MEDICAL FACILITIES
 
Hospitals in County:           2     Total Beds:    154
Nearest Large Medical Center:  Kalamazoo (40 miles)
Extended Care Facilities:      4     Total Beds:    369
Physicians (MDs and DOs) in County:     47
 
 
HOUSING AND CHURCHES
(Housing as of 1990)
 
Owner occupied:    16143 (74.8%)     Median Home Value:   $44,800.00
Renter occupied:    5436 (25.2%)     Median Contract Rent:   $278.00
Churches:      Catholic:    4    Protestant:   70
Synagogues:    0   Nearest synagogue is in Kalamazoo (32 miles)
 
 
RECREATION, ATTRACTIONS, AND EVENTS
 
Fishing and camping, St. Joseph River. Langley Covered Bridge, Centreville;
Abbot Magic Factory, Colon; Nottawa School, Nottawa; St. Gregory's Abbey,
Three Rivers; Historic Business District, Three Rivers.
 
 
COMMERCIAL SERVICES
(As of 1989)
 
General Building Contractors                   17
Metalworking Machinery                         18
Commercial Printing                             8
Advertising                                     3
Personnel Supply Services                       3
Computer and Data Processing Services           3
Legal Services                                 15
Accounting, Auditing and Bookkeeping           13
Retail Establishments                         329
Wholesale Establishments                       78
 
Hotel/Motel Rooms (as of 1986):               518
Television Channels:    6 plus cable
Radio Stations:         5
Newspapers:     St. Joseph County News, Sturgis Journal, Three Rivers
                Commercial
 
 
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
(As of 1993)                                                       Offices
                                            Main Office           in County
 
Ameritrust National Bank, Michiana          Sturgis                    5
BANK ONE, STURGlS                           Sturgis                    5
Century Bank and Trust                      Coldwater                  5
First of America Bank-Michigan, NA          Kalamazoo                  1
First Savings Bank, FSB                     Three Rivers               2
Michigan National Bank                      Farmington Hills           1
Old Kent Bank-Southwest                     Kalamazoo                  3
Sturgis Federal Savings Bank                Sturgis                    4
The First National Bank of Three Rivers     Three Rivers               4
 
EMPLOYMENT AND EARNINGS BY INDUSTRY
                                                               Earnings
                                   Employment                ($ millions)
                                1985        1990            1985          1990
 
Total Employment                24724       27439
Total Income                                              $664.69       $878.69
 
Earnings by Place of Work                                 $425.38       $584.99
 
  Components by Type:
  Wage and Salary               19890       22159         $341.36       $453.20
  Proprietors                    4834        5280          $45.09        $75.82
    Farm                         1156         999           $6.31        $13.93
    Nonfarm                      3678        4281          $38.78        $61.89
 
  Components by Industry:
  Farm                           1476        1255           $8.77        $16.63
  Nonfarm                       23248       26184         $416.61       $568.36
    Private                     19973       22773         $361.03       $496.40
      Agric./For./Fish.           285         396           $6.59        $10.34
      Mining                       19          18           $1.15         $0.81
      Construction                769        1104          $15.20        $22.65
      Manufacturing              8211        9054         $208.95       $283.47
        Non-Durable Goods         ---         ---          $73.16       $104.08
        Durable Goods             ---         ---         $135.79       $179.39
      Transp. & Utilities         835         965          $20.62        $29.29
      Wholesale Trade             612        1276          $11.50        $20.14
      Retail Trade               4287        4180          $44.97        $43.21
      Fin./Ins./Real Est.        1082        1152           $7.08        $10.04
      Services                   3873        4628          $44.97        $76.45
    Government                   3275        3411          $55.58        $71.96
      Federal                     124         148           $2.96         $4.04
      Military, Civilian          132         135           $0.67         $0.86
      State and Local            3019        3128          $51.95        $67.07
 
Earnings by Place of Residence                            $445.78       $578.81
 
Zero values indicate confidential information or fewer than 10 employees
or less than $50,000.
 
Per Capita Income:      1985:    $11,605.00      1990:    $14,883.00