Kalamazoo , city (1990 pop. 80,277), seat of Kalamazoo co., SW Mich., on the Kalamazoo River at its confluence with Portage Creek; inc. 1883. It is an industrial and commercial center in a fertile farm area that produces celery, peppermint, and fruit. Kalamazoo has an important paper industry, along with other manufactures including hydraulic equipment, meat products, furniture, motor vehicle parts, and pharmaceuticals. Kalamazoo is the seat of Western Michigan Univ., Kalamazoo College, and Nazareth College. The city has a natural history museum, an art institute, a planetarium, an aviation museum, and a symphony orchestra.

Kalamazoo

The City in Brief

Founded: 1829 (incorporated, 1883)

Head Official: Mayor Robert B. Jones (since 1998)

City Population

1980: 79,722

1990: 80,277

2000: 77,145

2003 estimate: 75,312

Percent change, 1990–2000: -3.9%

U.S. rank in 1980: 271st

U.S. rank in 1990: 322nd

U.S. rank in 2000: 390th

Metropolitan Area Population (MSA)

1980: 279,192 (SMSA)

1990: 429,453 (MSA)

2000: 452,851 (MSA)

Percent change, 1990–2000: 5.4%

U.S. rank in 1990: 82nd (MSA)

U.S. rank in 2000: 91st (MSA)

Area: 25.18 square miles (2000)

Elevation: Ranges from 700 to 1,000 feet above sea level

Average Temperatures: January, 24.7° F; July, 72.9° F

Average Annual Precipitation: 36.4 inches of rain, 70 inches of snow

Major Economic Sectors: Services, manufacturing, trade, government

Unemployment Rate: 6.5% (February 2005)

Per Capita Income: $16,897 (1999)

2004 ACCRA Average House Price: Not reported

2004 ACCRA Cost of Living Index: Not reported

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 6,315

Major Colleges and Universities: Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo College, Davenport University, Kalamazoo Valley Community College

Daily Newspaper: Kalamazoo Gazette

Kalamazoo, Michigan/USA Kee‐Kalamazoo Originally a fur trading post established in the 1820s, the Algonquian name means ‘Boiling Water’ or ‘Beautiful Water’, a reference to the rapids on the Kalamazoo River. However, it has also been claimed that the name comes from the local negikanamazo ‘otter tail’.