Michigan Map with Cities, Counties and Roads Network

Reading the Michigan county map from Lake Superior to the Ohio line

This detailed map foregrounds Michigan’s 83 counties and their county seats across the Upper Peninsula and the Lower Peninsula. Light, unobtrusive highway cues (I-75, I-94, I-96, US-31, US-131, US-2, US-41, M-28) help with bearings while keeping the county grid and lake shorelines readable. Use this best map style for study, teaching, and trip planning.

Framing the peninsulas

Our map places Wisconsin to the west, Indiana and Ohio to the south, Ontario, Canada to the east across the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair, and the St. Clair River, and the Great Lakes all around: Lake Superior on the Upper Peninsula, Lake Michigan on the west, Lake Huron to the northeast, plus the Straits of Mackinac between peninsulas. County fills are bright and legible; the roads are thin, so the coastlines, islands, and county seats are easy to follow.

Upper Peninsula sweep (west to east)

Gogebic County – seat Bessemer. The far west edge on the Wisconsin line shows Bessemer and the ski-and-woods towns Ironwood and Wakefield along the Montreal River highlands. A light US-2 cue tracks the southern shore of Superior here.

Ontonagon County – seat Ontonagon. East along Lake Superior, Ontonagon anchors this large, forested county. The Porcupine Mountains and the long shoreline explain why county borders follow water and ridge lines.

Houghton County – seat Houghton. The Keweenaw Waterway splits Houghton and Hancock; the map shades the base of the Keweenaw Peninsula, with Calumet and Laurium labeled up the spine. A fine US-41 line heads to Copper Harbor at the tip.

Keweenaw County – seat Eagle River. The northernmost county is a thin pastel wedge. The seat Eagle River appears on the Lake Superior side with Copper Harbor at the point. The road cues stay subtle so harbor names and capes remain readable.

Baraga County – seat L’Anse. Across Keweenaw Bay, L’Anse and Baraga sit opposite each other. The county border follows the bay and hardwood ridges; light road threads show the connection to US-41 without clutter.

Iron County – seat Crystal Falls. Inland, Crystal Falls and Iron River mark the mining belt; the Wisconsin state line meanders along headwaters and lakes.

Dickinson County – seat Iron Mountain. Our map highlights Iron Mountain and Kingsford near the Menominee River corridor, with Norway to the east.

Menominee County – seat Menominee. The southernmost UP county along Green Bay shows Menominee on the bay, opposite Marinette, Wisconsin. A light US-41 cue continues north toward the Escanaba area.

Delta County – seat Escanaba. The pastel fan around Little Bay de Noc displays Escanaba and Gladstone along the shore, with Rapid River near the Hiawatha National Forest boundary.

Marquette County – seat Marquette. The UP’s most populous county shows Marquette on the Superior shore with Ishpeming and Negaunee inland. A subtle US-41/M-28 multiplex line provides orientation from Michigamme to Munising.

Alger County – seat Munising. Munising anchors Pictured Rocks country. Lake names and bays take priority, so the shoreline reads cleanly with only a thin road line.

Schoolcraft County – seat Manistique. Manistique sits on the northern rim of Lake Michigan. Inland wetlands and the Manistique River shape the county borders on the map.

Luce County – seat Newberry. A pastel block north of Newberry reaches to Whitefish Bay. Light M-28 hints link west-east across the forest.

Chippewa County – seat Sault Ste. Marie. Sault Ste. Marie and the St. Marys River locks jump off the page. Kincheloe and Rudyard appear along the faint I-75 cue, while Drummond Island is implied just off the county edge.

Mackinac County – seat St. Ignace. The Mackinac Bridge area is labeled with St. Ignace as seat and Mackinac Island noted offshore. The straits separate Superior and Michigan waters; our road-light layout keeps the bridge recognizable without overpowering the county name.

Crossing the Straits into the Northern Lower Peninsula

Emmet County – seat Petoskey. Along Little Traverse Bay, Petoskey leads with Harbor Springs, Alanson, and Mackinaw City at the county corner. A soft US-31 line follows the shore.

Cheboygan County – seat Cheboygan. Cheboygan lies on the river to Lake Huron, with Indian River and Wolverine inland. A light I-75 line runs south from the bridge.

Presque Isle County – seat Rogers City. The long Huron shoreline marks Rogers City and Onaway, with natural harbor insets showing limestone country.

Alpena County – seat Alpena. Alpena and Thunder Bay shape this coastal county; the offshore islands and bays are the orientation device instead of thick road strokes.

Montmorency County – seat Atlanta. Forest country with Atlanta central on the map; thin road cues connect to Hillman and Lewiston.

Otsego County – seat Gaylord. Gaylord sits astride the light I-75 axis; the county shading leaves the Alpine Village name readable from any zoom.

Charlevoix County – seat Charlevoix. Charlevoix between Lake Charlevoix and Little Traverse Bay pops; Boyne City and East Jordan sit inland. The South Arm shoreline does the locational work.

Antrim County – seat Bellaire. Bellaire is tucked into Chain-of-Lakes country; Elk Rapids, Mancelona, and Central Lake are labeled with delicate lake shapes taking precedence.

Leelanau County – seat Leland. The peninsula’s pastel shows Leland as seat, Suttons Bay, Northport, and the dunes near Glen Arbor. The map keeps the coastlines crisp; a soft M-22 impression follows the loop.

Grand Traverse County – seat Traverse City. Traverse City dominates Grand Traverse Bay. Acme and Kingsley appear; a light US-31 line is visible but secondary to county tint.

Benzie County – seat Beulah. Small coastal county with Beulah inland and Frankfort on Lake Michigan; river mouths and Crystal Lake outline the area.

Manistee County – seat Manistee. Manistee appears at the harbor with Onekama nearby; a subtle US-31 cue continues down the coast.

Wexford County – seat Cadillac. Cadillac and Manton sit along light US-131 orientation north–south.

Missaukee County – seat Lake City. Lake City and McBain anchor this lakes region; the county block is clear and clean.

Kalkaska County – seat Kalkaska. Kalkaska lies between Traverse City and Grayling; thin crossroads are enough for bearings.

Crawford County – seat Grayling. Grayling and the Au Sable headwaters define this county. A soft I-75 line passes through the pines.

Oscoda County – seat Mio. Mio appears central with river bends doing the orientation.

Ogemaw County – seat West Branch. West Branch and Rose City are labeled; a light I-75 cue skirts the western fringe.

Roscommon County – seat Roscommon. Roscommon and the Houghton Lake basin stand out; shoreline curves make the map readable without heavy road ink.

Iosco County – seat Tawas City. Tawas City and East Tawas show on Tawas Bay, with Oscoda up the coast.

Alcona County – seat Harrisville. Harrisville and Lincoln sit on the pastel Huron shore.

Arenac County – seat Standish. At the Saginaw Bay mouth, Standish and Au Gres are labeled with marsh insets; a faint US-23 traces the coast.

Bay County – seat Bay City. Bay City spans the Saginaw River mouth; Essexville appears on the east bank. Thin lines suggest bridge connections.

Midland County – seat Midland. Midland and Sanford are noted among rivers and reservoirs; the county is shown adjacent to Bay and Saginaw.

Saginaw County – seat Saginaw. Saginaw and Birch Run are labeled, with I-75 shown faintly between Flint and the Tri-Cities.

Tuscola County – seat Caro. Thumb country begins; Caro, Vassar, Cass City, and Reese are labeled.

Huron County – seat Bad Axe. At the tip of the Thumb, Bad Axe, Harbor Beach, Port Austin, and Caseville appear. Lakeshore lines do most of the orientation.

Sanilac County – seat Sandusky. Sandusky, Marlette, Lexington, and Port Sanilac define the central Thumb.

Lapeer County – seat Lapeer. Lapeer, Imlay City, and Almont show on the Detroit fringe with very light highway hints.

Genesee County – seat Flint. Flint anchors the county with Grand Blanc, Davison, Mt. Morris, and Fenton shown; a thin I-69/I-475 mesh orients without clutter.

Shiawassee County – seat Corunna. Corunna and Owosso sit between Flint and Lansing, with a light I-69 cue.

Clinton County – seat St. Johns. St. Johns, DeWitt, and Bath appear north of Lansing.

Ionia County – seat Ionia. Ionia and Portland sit along the Grand River corridor.

Montcalm County – seat Stanton. Stanton, Greenville, and Howard City show between Grand Rapids and the central counties.

Gratiot County – seat Ithaca. Ithaca and Alma are labeled along US-127’s light north–south line.

Isabella County – seat Mount Pleasant. Mount Pleasant leads with Shepherd; central Michigan’s college town sits clearly in the county tint.

Mecosta County – seat Big Rapids. Big Rapids and Mecosta show on the subtle US-131 alignment.

Osceola County – seat Reed City. Reed City, Evart, and Hersey appear between Cadillac and Big Rapids.

Clare County – seat Harrison. Harrison and Clare mark the county crossing where US-127 and US-10 meet lightly on the map.

Gladwin County – seat Gladwin. Gladwin and Beaverton are shown along the Tittabawassee watershed.

Newaygo County – seat White Cloud. White Cloud, Fremont, and Newaygo sit along river valleys; roads remain quiet to keep the names crisp.

Lake County – seat Baldwin. Baldwin and Idlewild appear in forest and lakes country.

Mason County – seat Ludington. Ludington and Scottville appear on the Lake Michigan shoreline; harbor geometry guides the eye.

Oceana County – seat Hart. Hart, Shelby, and Pentwater line the fruit belt coast.

Muskegon County – seat Muskegon. Muskegon, Norton Shores, and Whitehall are labeled with Muskegon Lake and dune line as primary cues.

Ottawa County – seat Grand Haven. Grand Haven, Holland (western part), Zeeland, and Coopersville sit along a faint US-31/I-196 corridor.

Allegan County – seat Allegan. Allegan, Saugatuck, Plainwell, Otsego, and inland townships fill the Lake Michigan to Kalamazoo span.

Kent County – seat Grand Rapids. Grand Rapids stands out with Wyoming, Kentwood, Walker, Rockford, and Lowell. A soft I-96/I-196/US-131 mesh provides bearings without crowding labels.

Barry County – seat Hastings. Hastings and Middleville appear between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo.

Eaton County – seat Charlotte. Charlotte, Grand Ledge, and Eaton Rapids ring the Lansing metro.

Ingham County – seat Mason (state capital Lansing shown). Lansing is labeled prominently as capital; Mason is the seat. East Lansing, Okemos, Williamston, and Holt show inside the county tint with a gentle I-96/US-127 pattern.

Livingston County – seat Howell. Howell and Brighton appear along a light I-96 line between Lansing and metro Detroit.

Washtenaw County – seat Ann Arbor. Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti are bold; Saline, Chelsea, and Milan are clear with delicate highway hints.

Jackson County – seat Jackson. Jackson sits on a faint I-94 east–west line with Michigan Center and Grass Lake nearby.

Calhoun County – seat Marshall. Marshall is the seat, with Battle Creek labeled as the metro anchor; Albion appears on the county’s east side.

Kalamazoo County – seat Kalamazoo. Kalamazoo and Portage are central with Galesburg; a light I-94 line orients between Battle Creek and Van Buren County.

Van Buren County – seat Paw Paw. Paw Paw, South Haven, Hartford, and Bangor appear; the shoreline and the Paw Paw Lake forms guide the eye.

Berrien County – seat St. Joseph. St. Joseph and Benton Harbor sit at the mouth of the St. Joseph River, with Niles, Bridgman, New Buffalo along the lake. A light I-94/US-31 cue heads to Indiana.

Cass County – seat Cassopolis. Cassopolis, Dowagiac, and Edwardsburg show near the Indiana line among lake clusters.

St. Joseph County – seat Centreville. Centreville, Three Rivers, and Sturgis line a faint US-131 axis.

Branch County – seat Coldwater. Coldwater and Bronson appear on the Ohio-Indiana tier.

Hillsdale County – seat Hillsdale. Hillsdale, Jonesville, and Reading sit along quiet county roads on the southern border.

Lenawee County – seat Adrian. Adrian, Tecumseh, Hudson, and Blissfield fill this Toledo-frontier county.

Monroe County – seat Monroe. Monroe, Temperance, Luna Pier, and Carleton occupy the Lake Erie and River Raisin shore; a thin I-75 line ties to Detroit and Ohio.

Wayne County – seat Detroit. The map labels Detroit prominently with Dearborn, Livonia, Westland, Taylor, Wyandotte, Grosse Pointe communities and the airport area. Light I-75/I-94/I-96/M-10 cues are kept minimal to preserve county readability and riverfront detail.

Oakland County – seat Pontiac. Pontiac is central with Troy, Royal Oak, Southfield (border), Farmington Hills, Bloomfield, Rochester, Novi, Oxford, Clarkston. Lakes texture, not roads, does most of the orientation.

Macomb County – seat Mount Clemens. Mount Clemens, Warren, Sterling Heights, Clinton Township, St. Clair Shores, Shelby Township, and New Baltimore hug the Lake St. Clair shore with a faint I-94 cue.

St. Clair County – seat Port Huron. Port Huron gateway to Canada is labeled with Marysville, St. Clair, and Marine City, where the St. Clair River forms the border.

This read-through mirrors exactly what our map emphasizes: county boundaries first, county seats and major cities second, and thin highway hints as the third layer so users can orient without losing the county structure.

Michigan county directory that matches the labels on our map

Below is a quick index by county with seat and principal labels visible on the artwork. Use it while your eyes follow the map from west to east and south to north.

Upper Peninsula

• Gogebic — seat Bessemer; Ironwood, Wakefield.

• Ontonagon — seat Ontonagon.

• Houghton — seat Houghton; Hancock, Calumet, Laurium.

• Keweenaw — seat Eagle River; Copper Harbor.

• Baraga — seat L’Anse; Baraga.

• Iron — seat Crystal Falls; Iron River.

• Dickinson — seat Iron Mountain; Norway, Kingsford.

• Menominee — seat Menominee.

• Delta — seat Escanaba; Gladstone, Rapid River.

• Marquette — seat Marquette; Ishpeming, Negaunee.

• Alger — seat Munising; Au Train.

• Schoolcraft — seat Manistique.

• Luce — seat Newberry.

• Chippewa — seat Sault Ste. Marie; Kincheloe, Rudyard.

• Mackinac — seat St. Ignace; Mackinac Island, Bois Blanc Island.

Northern Lower Peninsula (Lake Michigan side downward)

• Emmet — seat Petoskey; Harbor Springs, Alanson.

• Charlevoix — seat Charlevoix; Boyne City, East Jordan.

• Antrim — seat Bellaire; Elk Rapids, Mancelona.

• Leelanau — seat Leland; Northport, Suttons Bay, Glen Arbor.

• Grand Traverse — seat Traverse City; Kingsley, Acme.

• Benzie — seat Beulah; Frankfort.

• Manistee — seat Manistee; Onekama.

• Mason — seat Ludington; Scottville.

• Oceana — seat Hart; Shelby, Pentwater.

• Muskegon — seat Muskegon; Norton Shores, Whitehall.

• Ottawa — seat Grand Haven; Holland (west side), Zeeland, Coopersville.

• Allegan — seat Allegan; Plainwell, Otsego, Saugatuck.

• Van Buren — seat Paw Paw; South Haven, Hartford, Bangor.

• Berrien — seat St. Joseph; Benton Harbor, Niles, Bridgman, New Buffalo.

Interior north–central

• Cheboygan — seat Cheboygan; Indian River, Wolverine.

• Presque Isle — seat Rogers City; Onaway.

• Alpena — seat Alpena.

• Montmorency — seat Atlanta; Hillman, Lewiston.

• Otsego — seat Gaylord.

• Crawford — seat Grayling.

• Oscoda — seat Mio.

• Kalkaska — seat Kalkaska.

• Antrim and Charlevoix listed above connect via lakes and soft US-31/US-131 cues.

• Wexford — seat Cadillac; Manton.

• Missaukee — seat Lake City; McBain.

• Roscommon — seat Roscommon; Houghton Lake Heights area implied by shoreline.

• Ogemaw — seat West Branch; Rose City.

• Iosco — seat Tawas City; East Tawas, Oscoda.

• Alcona — seat Harrisville; Lincoln.

• Arenac — seat Standish; Au Gres.

• Gladwin — seat Gladwin; Beaverton.

• Clare — seat Harrison; Clare (junction).

• Mecosta — seat Big Rapids; Morley, Mecosta.

• Osceola — seat Reed City; Evart, Hersey.

• Newaygo — seat White Cloud; Fremont, Newaygo.

• Lake — seat Baldwin; Idlewild.

Tri-Cities, Thumb, and Saginaw Valley

• Bay — seat Bay City; Essexville.

• Midland — seat Midland; Sanford.

• Saginaw — seat Saginaw; Birch Run, Bridgeport.

• Tuscola — seat Caro; Vassar, Cass City.

• Huron — seat Bad Axe; Port Austin, Caseville, Harbor Beach.

• Sanilac — seat Sandusky; Marlette, Lexington, Port Sanilac.

• Lapeer — seat Lapeer; Imlay City, Almont.

• Genesee — seat Flint; Grand Blanc, Davison, Fenton, Mt. Morris.

• Shiawassee — seat Corunna; Owosso, Durand.

Grand Rapids–Lansing corridor and neighbors

• Kent — seat Grand Rapids; Wyoming, Kentwood, Rockford, Lowell.

• Ionia — seat Ionia; Portland.

• Montcalm — seat Stanton; Greenville, Howard City.

• Gratiot — seat Ithaca; Alma, St. Louis.

• Clinton — seat St. Johns; DeWitt, Bath.

• Eaton — seat Charlotte; Grand Ledge, Eaton Rapids.

• Ingham — seat Mason; Lansing (capital), East Lansing, Okemos, Holt, Williamston.

• Livingston — seat Howell; Brighton.

Detroit metro, St. Clair, and the Ohio line

• Washtenaw — seat Ann Arbor; Ypsilanti, Saline, Chelsea, Milan.

• Jackson — seat Jackson; Michigan Center, Grass Lake.

• Calhoun — seat Marshall; Battle Creek, Albion.

• Kalamazoo — seat Kalamazoo; Portage, Galesburg.

• Oakland — seat Pontiac; Troy, Rochester, Novi, Farmington Hills, Southfield fringe, Royal Oak, Clarkston, Oxford.

• Macomb — seat Mount Clemens; Warren, Sterling Heights, Clinton Twp., St. Clair Shores, Shelby Twp., New Baltimore.

• Wayne — seat Detroit; Dearborn, Livonia, Westland, Taylor, Wyandotte, Grosse Pointe communities, Romulus (airport).

• St. Clair — seat Port Huron; Marysville, St. Clair, Marine City.

• Lenawee — seat Adrian; Tecumseh, Hudson, Blissfield.

• Monroe — seat Monroe; Temperance, Luna Pier, Carleton.

• Hillsdale — seat Hillsdale; Jonesville, Reading.

• Branch — seat Coldwater; Bronson.

• St. Joseph — seat Centreville; Three Rivers, Sturgis.

• Cass — seat Cassopolis; Dowagiac, Edwardsburg.

• Van Buren — seat Paw Paw; South Haven, Bangor, Hartford.

• Berrien — seat St. Joseph; Benton Harbor, Niles, Bridgman, New Buffalo.

Orientation cues that stay in the background

• I-75: Detroit to Flint, Saginaw, Bay City, Grayling, Gaylord, Cheboygan, St. Ignace, Sault Ste. Marie.

• I-94: from Detroit west through Ann Arbor, Jackson, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, to Benton Harbor/St. Joseph.

• I-96: Detroit–Lansing–Grand Rapids, ending at Muskegon; I-196 to Holland and South Haven.

• US-131: Kalamazoo–Grand Rapids–Big Rapids–Cadillac–Petoskey.

• US-31: Lake Michigan shoreline Muskegon–Ludington–Manistee–Traverse City corridors.

• US-2 and US-41 with M-28: the UP cross-state spines. These are purposefully thin on the map so county names, seats, lakes and bays stay clear for residents, travelers, and geography students.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Michigan County Map

How many counties does the Michigan county map display.

Eighty-three counties, each shaded with a clear label and county seat.

What does the map emphasize first.

County borders and county seats, with a road-light network for orientation.

Which city is the state capital and where is it shown.

Lansing in Ingham County, with Mason indicated as the county seat.

Which counties make up the Tri-Cities area.

Bay County (Bay City), Midland County (Midland), Saginaw County (Saginaw).

Where are the Straits of Mackinac labeled and which counties meet there.

They lie between Mackinac County and Emmet/Cheboygan Counties at the bridge.

Which county includes Detroit.

Wayne County.

Which counties border Lake Michigan in the Lower Peninsula.

Berrien, Van Buren, Allegan, Ottawa, Muskegon, Oceana, Mason, Manistee, Benzie, Leelanau.

Which counties line the Lake Huron Thumb.

Huron, Sanilac, St. Clair, Tuscola, Lapeer (inland), with coastal labels Harbor Beach, Port Austin, Port Huron.

Which county contains Grand Rapids.

Kent County.

Where are Flint and its county seat shown.

Flint in Genesee County; Flint is the seat.

Which county contains Ann Arbor.

Washtenaw County.

Which county contains Kalamazoo and Portage.

Kalamazoo County.

Which county contains Traverse City.

Grand Traverse County.

Which counties occupy the Keweenaw Peninsula.

Houghton County at the base and Keweenaw County at the tip, with Houghton, Hancock, and Copper Harbor labeled.

Which county includes Marquette.

Marquette County on Lake Superior.

What cities appear at the international crossings.

Detroit, Port Huron, and Sault Ste. Marie.

Which county includes Mackinac Island and St. Ignace.

Mackinac County.

Which county includes the city of Saginaw.

Saginaw County.

Which county includes the city of Bay City.

Bay County.

Which county includes Midland.

Midland County.

Which route runs the length of the Lower Peninsula north–south and is shown lightly.

I-75.

Which route follows the Lake Michigan shoreline and appears quietly for orientation.

US-31.

Which route crosses the Upper Peninsula from Ironwood to Sault Ste. Marie.

M-28 with US-2 on the southern UP.

Which county includes Petoskey and Harbor Springs.

Emmet County.

Which county includes Alpena on Thunder Bay.

Alpena County.

Which county includes Jackson along I-94.

Jackson County.

Which counties border Ohio.

Monroe, Lenawee, Hillsdale, Branch.

Which counties border Indiana.

Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph, Branch, Hillsdale.

Which counties in metro Detroit are shown with county seats Pontiac and Mount Clemens.

Oakland County (seat Pontiac) and Macomb County (seat Mount Clemens).

What is the best way to study this Michigan county map.

Memorize county seats by lake and river position, then use the thin highway cues to understand how regions connect.