The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 27 local governments in Clare County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.
Kind of government
Census count (2022)
Listed on this page
County government
1
1
Cities, towns, villages and townships (3 municipal, 16 township)
19
0
School districts (school boards)
4
0
Special districts (elected boards)
3
1
Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).
About these counts
The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments, though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.
Who lives in Clare County
31,218people
49median ageU.S.: 38.9
$49,384 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
21.6%below the U.S.: 12.5%
12.9%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$133,800median home valueU.S.: $332,700
9.5%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
0.9%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
9.5%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
10.2%U.S.: 8.4%
49.4%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
32.5%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%
Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 2.3% · White 92.8% · Black 0.9% · Asian 0.3% · Other or more than one race 3.6% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)
Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).
About these figures
The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.
Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.
Jobs in Clare County
5.4%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 6.1%. Michigan: 4.8%.
619people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
10,821people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
11,440in the September 2026, preliminary.
Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.
Every month, last two years
Month
Rate
Unemployed
Employed
Labor force
September 2026 (preliminary)
5.4%
619
10,821
11,440
August 2026
6.1%
710
10,894
11,604
July 2026
6.3%
724
10,841
11,565
June 2026
6.1%
698
10,755
11,453
May 2026
6.7%
787
10,988
11,775
April 2026
6.2%
731
10,976
11,707
March 2026
7.5%
900
11,060
11,960
February 2026
7.8%
933
11,045
11,978
January 2026
8.8%
1,057
11,022
12,079
December 2025
7.1%
846
10,994
11,840
November 2025
6.5%
777
11,261
12,038
October 2025
not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 2025
6.1%
745
11,565
12,310
August 2025
6.8%
843
11,474
12,317
July 2025
7.7%
954
11,392
12,346
June 2025
7.6%
934
11,332
12,266
May 2025
7.3%
919
11,603
12,522
April 2025
7.9%
988
11,454
12,442
March 2025
8.9%
1,117
11,442
12,559
February 2025
9.4%
1,182
11,348
12,530
January 2025
8.8%
1,103
11,381
12,484
December 2024
7.8%
957
11,267
12,224
November 2024
6.8%
845
11,491
12,336
October 2024
6.5%
792
11,471
12,263
Yearly averages
Year
Rate
Unemployed
Employed
Labor force
2025 (11 months)
7.7%
946
11,386
12,332
2024
7.3%
890
11,281
12,171
2023
6.6%
761
10,834
11,595
2022
7.0%
773
10,213
10,986
2021
8.1%
861
9,827
10,688
2020
12.6%
1,414
9,776
11,190
2019
6.2%
724
10,915
11,639
2018
6.2%
723
10,910
11,633
2017
6.9%
817
10,948
11,765
2016
7.4%
869
10,931
11,800
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. Michigan's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 5.0% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.
Crime reported in Clare County
218.6 per 100,0002025. Michigan: 416.2.
630.6 per 100,0002025. Michigan: 1,258.5.
1murders2025, 78 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
Year
Violent
Rate
Property
Rate
2025
78
218.6
225
630.6
2024
97
269.1
282
782.5
2023
75
208.8
352
980.1
2022
102
287.2
307
864.4
2021
88
251.3
411
1,173.6
2020
75
214.9
334
957.0
2019
39
112.4
189
544.5
2018
84
242.0
308
887.3
2017
89
259.3
428
1,246.9
2016
96
278.4
460
1,334.0
By police agency (2)
Agency
Year
Violent
Property
People served
Clare County Sheriff's Office
2025
73
189
28,231
Clare Police Department
2025
5
36
3,301
Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in Michigan · the U.S.
Police staffing
1.08 per 1,000 residents2025, 2 agencies serving 31,532 people.
34sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
42civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (2), 2025
Agency
Officers
Civilians
People served
Clare County Sheriff's Office
27
42
28,231
Clare Police Department
7
0
3,301
Earlier years
Year
Officers
Per 1,000
Civilians
Agencies
2025
34
1.08
42
2
2024
31
0.97
50
2
2022
27
0.86
5
2
2021
30
0.97
6
2
2020
30
0.97
6
2
2019
34
1.11
6
2
2017
34
1.12
6
2
2016
29
0.95
10
2
Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.
Quick answers
Who is the Clare County County Clerk/Register of Deeds?
Lori Mott (Republican) is the County Clerk/Register of Deeds of Clare County, Michigan.
Who is the Clare County Drain Commissioner?
William Faber (Republican) is the Drain Commissioner of Clare County, Michigan.
Who is the Clare County Prosecuting Attorney?
Andrew J. Santini (Republican) is the Prosecuting Attorney of Clare County, Michigan.
Who is the Clare County Sheriff?
John S. Wilson (Republican) is the Sheriff of Clare County, Michigan.
Who is the Clare County County Surveyor?
Tim Lapham (Republican) is the County Surveyor of Clare County, Michigan.
Who is the Clare County County Treasurer?
Jenny Beemer-Fritzinger (Republican) is the County Treasurer of Clare County, Michigan.
Who are the Clare County commissioners?
Marlene M. Housler (District 1); Dale Majewski (District 2); Jacob Gross (District 3); Jeff Haskell (District 4); David A. Hoefling (District 5); Jack Kleinhardt (District 6); Gabe Ambrozaitis (District 7); George Gilmore (District 8); Rickie Fancon (District 9).
What is the population of Clare County?
About 31,218 people, with a median age of 49; the median household income is $49,384 and 21.6% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Clare County?
5.4% in September 2026 (preliminary): 619 people unemployed in a labor force of 11,440, against 6.1% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Clare County?
27 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 3 municipal, 16 township, 4 school district and 3 special district governments.
Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from each county clerk's official results of the November 5, 2024 general election (certified by the county board of canvassers); officials appointed since then may differ; each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.
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