A New Interactive Map Shows Who Lives Where in Michigan

The United States is a land of immigrants. Whether that was from your ancestors sailing the ocean blue or boarding a flight, there's a reason the US is called a "salad bowl". of cultures.

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This is very obvious if you live in Grand Rapids, where, depending on which area of the city you're in, you can see the influences all over. Southwest GR is predominantly Latino; Southeast is African American; west of the Grand River, you'll find a large Polish population; and east of GR, you'll find a strong German population.

The State of Michigan, viewed based on ancestry. / The New York Times

We're a salad bowl of our own, and thanks to a new map from the New York Times, we can now take a bird's-eye view of the state and see who lives where and how each county compares nationally. Here are three unique takeaways about our state.

1) Mackinac Island's Jamaican Population

Jamaicans are relatively few in Michigan, but surprisingly, Mackinac Island has one of Michigan's largest Jamaican hubs. This is mainly because much of the island's service industry is supported by Jamaicans who work there seasonally.

white concrete building during daytime — Photo by Steve Saunders on Unsplash

2) West Michigan is the Dutch Capital of the US

Here in West Michigan, we're aware of the Dutch population in Kent County and Ottawa County. There is no bigger indication than Holland's acclaimed Tulip Time festival each year.

3) Detroit Has A Large Polish Population

Cook County, IL (406,000) and Erie County, NY (152,000) are the two largest Polish counties in the country. However, the next three largest counties are all on the East side of Michigan. Macomb (123,000), Wayne (120,000), and Oakland (120,000) round out the top 5 Polish populations in the US.

20 Small Towns Around Michigan You've Never Heard Of

Michigan is the 11th largest state in the US, and while large cities like Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Ann Arbor are well known, much of the state's population comes from towns you've never heard of, and likely have never been to.

All population information courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Gallery Credit: Tommy McNeill

50 Birds Around Michigan You Know But Don't Know

Michigan is known for its wildlife, especially its many unique birds. However, you might not know the name of the bird you're looking at. List of birds from Animal Spot and Where's Wildlife.

Gallery Credit: Tommy McNeill

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