Coldwater is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 12,697. It is the county seat of Branch County[3].
The city is located at the center of Coldwater Township, though it is politically independent. Coldwater is at 41°56′25″N 85°00′02″W / 41.94028°N 85.00056°W / 41.94028; -85.00056. The ZIP code is 49036 and the FIPS place code is 17020. The elevation is 969 feet above sea level.
Geography and Climate
The Coldwater River flows into the city from the south, originating from Coldwater Lake. The Coldwater chain of lakes also has an outlet called the Sauk River, which flows from its north end (near Quincy) and then through the south side of the city of Coldwater. Both combine to form a series of shallow, connected lakes on the city's west side.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.4 square miles (21.6 km²), of which, 8.1 square miles (21.1 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.6 km²) of it (2.63%) is water.
National Weather Service records show that average January temperatures are a maximum of 28.9°F and a minimum of 14.3°F. Average July temperatures are a maximum of 81.4°F and a minimum of 59.9°F. There are an average of 8.5 days with highs of 90°F (32°C) or higher and an average of 145.2 days with lows of 32°F (0°C) or lower. The record high temperature of 108°F was on July 24, 1934, and the record low temperature was -23°F on January 4, 1981.
Precipitation averages 35.66 inches annually. There is measurable precipitation on an average of 142.1 days. The wettest year was 1905 with 46.12 inches and the dryest year was 1930 with 18.01 inches. The most precipitation in one month was 10.90 in May 1989. The most precipitation in 24 hours was 5.37 inches on June 26, 1978.
Snowfall averages 54.5 inches annually. There is measurable snowfall on an average of 34.6 days. The snowiest season was 1977-78 when 84.8 inches fell, including 50.7 inches in January 1978. A blizzard that month included 17.0 inches of snow on January 26, 1978.[4]
Transportation
Air
Memorial Airport serves general aviation only.
Major Highways
Mass Transit
Coldwater public bus transportation is provided by Branch Area Transit Authority (BATA).
Rail
Coldwater has an east-west railroad, but this is practically a relic of one that led to Chicago and Toledo, Ohio.
Education
- Coldwater Community Schools, public school district for Coldwater
- Pansophia Academy, charter school, grades K-12
- St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School, grades K-5
- Branch Area Career Center, vocational training to high school students
Aside from the usual public and parochial schools, Coldwater has a branch of Kellogg Community College and Baker College.
Notable residents
- Aviation pioneer Harriet Quimby, who was the first US woman to receive a pilot's license.
- Dan Severn, mixed martial artist and professional wrestler
Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 12,697 people, 4,058 households, and 2,520 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,562.5 per square mile (603.0/km²). There were 4,370 housing units at an average density of 537.8/sq mi (207.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.35% White, 8.42% African American, 0.75% Native American, 0.92% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.52% from other races, and 3.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.52% of the population.
There were 4,058 households out of which 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.9% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 35.4% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 101.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,913, and the median income for a family was $41,107. Males had a median income of $31,577 versus $22,088 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,833. About 6.0% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
Sister cities
References
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_County&Template=/cffiles/counties/usamap.cfm. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ http://mcc.sws.uiuc.edu/climate_midwest/historical/temp/mi/201675_tsum.html
External links
