Fair Plain, Michigan

Not to be confused with Fairplain Township, Michigan.

Fair Plain, Michigan
Census-designated place (CDP) & unincorporated community
Location within Berrien County
Fair Plain Location within the state of Michigan Show map of Michigan Fair Plain Fair Plain (the United States) Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 42°05′13″N86°27′21″W / 42.08694°N 86.45583°W / 42.08694; -86.45583
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	Berrien
Townships	Benton and St. Joseph
Area [1]
• Total	4.54 sq mi (11.75 km2)
• Land	4.30 sq mi (11.13 km2)
• Water	0.24 sq mi (0.63 km2)
Elevation	702 ft (214 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	7,402
• Density	1,722.60/sq mi (665.10/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code(s)	49022
Area code	269
FIPS code	26-27160 [2]
GNIS feature ID	625742 [3]

Fair Plain (also "Fairplain" ^[4] ) is an unincorporated community in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a census-designated place (CDP) for statistical purposes and has no legal status as a municipality. The population was 7,402 at the 2020 census. ^[5]

History

The community was named for the scenic character of the original town site. ^[6]

Fairplain Plaza, ^[7] located on M-139 on the east edge of Fair Plain, was the first shopping center in the area, opening in 1958. ^[8] The original Fairplain Plaza was largely demolished by the late 1990s, but was subsequently rebuilt and expanded using different architecture techniques. ^[9]

There was a failed proposal to incorporate Fair Plain as a city in 1975. ^[10]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 4.4 square miles (11.5 km²), of which 4.2 square miles (10.9 km²) is land and 0.23 square miles (0.6 km²), or 5.22%, is water. ^[11]

The Fair Plain CDP consists of the portion of St. Joseph Charter Township lying northeast of the St. Joseph River and a portion of Benton Charter Township. The CDP's boundaries are the city of Benton Harbor to the north, the St. Joseph River to the west and south, and M-139 to the east.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
2020	7,402		—
U.S. Decennial Census [12]

As of the census ^[2] of 2000, there were 7,828 people, 3,287 households, and 2,116 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,860.2 inhabitants per square mile (718.2/km²). There were 3,436 housing units at an average density of 816.5 per square mile (315.3/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 49.08% White, 47.42% Black or African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.66% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.88% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.67% of the population.

There were 3,287 households, out of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.2% were married couples living together, 17.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 24.5% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $37,154, and the median income for a family was $45,950. Males had a median income of $34,524 versus $24,043 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $20,344. About 10.8% of families and 16.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.5% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
2. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
3. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Fair Plain, Michigan
4. Romig, Walter (October 1, 1986) [1973]. Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the Naming of More Than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities (Paperback). Great Lakes Books Series. Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press. p. 190. ISBN   978-0-8143-1838-6. ...locally it is spelled Fairplain….
5. "Fair Plain CPD, Michigan - Census Bureau Profile". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
6. "Origins - Old Place Names". Berrien County Genealogical Society. Archived from the original on March 13, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
7. "Fairplain Plaza". Lormax Stern. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
8. "Huge Plaza Shopping Center Opens Tomorrow". The News-Palladium . Benton Harbor, MI. June 17, 1958. p. 18.
9. Dodson, Paul (February 25, 1999). "Fairplain gets new lease on life". South Bend Tribune . Retrieved August 25, 2009.
10. MacIntyre, Larry (November 3, 1977). "Would City of Fairplain Have Aided BH Schools?". The Herald-Palladium . p. 1. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
11. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Fair Plain CDP, Michigan". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
12. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.