Vassar is a city in Tuscola County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Founded March 1, 1849. The population was 2,727 at the 2020 census and 2,697 in 2010 (an increase of about 1.1%). The city is located on the western edge of Vassar Township but is administratively autonomous.
History
Vassar was founded by four men who were led by James M. Edmunds and Townsend North in search of an area to build a dam and start a city. The city was named after Edmunds' uncle, Matthew Vassar, who later founded Vassar College.
It was the first county seat of Tuscola County. In 1860, the seat was moved to Caro. Vassar's growth for the next thirty years was based mainly on its lumbering and a handful of related industries.
The settlement became a village in 1871. Vassar was the crossing of the Michigan Central's Bay City Branch (from Detroit) and the Port Huron & Northwestern (from 1900 Pere Marquette) line running between Saginaw and Port Huron via Marlette.
The voters of the Village of Vassar elected to become a city on September 28, 1944. On February 19, 1945, the voters approved the charter for the City of Vassar.
Geography
- According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. The Cass River flows through the city.
- It is considered to be part of the Thumb of Michigan, which in turn is a subregion of the Flint/Tri-Cities.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Vassar had a population of 2,727. The median age was 35.2 years. 28.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 99.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93.8 males age 18 and over.
0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 1,076 households in Vassar, of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 38.6% were married-couple households, 20.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 32.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. of 2010, there were 2,697 people, 1,001 households, and 668 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 1,154 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 87.4% White, 8.8% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 1.1% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.0% of the population.
There were 1,001 households, of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.4% were married couples living together, 16.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.3% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.99.
The median age in the city was 32.5 years. 31.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23% were from 25 to 44; 24.5% were from 45 to 64; and 11.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.8% male and 50.2% female.
2000 census
As of the census
- Vassar High School
- Vassar Junior High School
- Central Elementary School
- Townsend North Elementary School
St. Luke's Lutheran School is a grade school of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod in Vassar.