Monroe County is a large demographic area covering 562 square miles. The county and its 160,000 residents are located in the lower, southeastern corner of Michigan, bordered by Wayne County to the north, Lucas County, Ohio, to the south and Lenawee County to the west.  The City of Monroe lies adjacent to I-75, and is about  halfway between Detroit and Toledo.  Monroe County is made up of 14 townships, five villages, and four cities.
 

Monroe County has nine public school districts.  Monroe Public Schools is the largest district in Monroe County, serving some 6,100 students. That is nearly 30 percent of the all students in the county.  Monroe Public Schools has buildings in the City of Monroe, Raisinville, Monroe Charter, and Frenchtown Townships.

According to the Monroe County Chamber of Commerce 2010 Community Profile, “Monroe is supported by a diverse economy, serving as a home to many industries and a nice mix of retail, agricultural and commercial businesses.  Monroe is home to La-Z-Boy Incorporated world headquarters and Tenneco Automotive world headquarters, as well as a very diverse mix of other business and industry.  Monroe’s proximity to the three major metropolitan centers of Detroit, Ann Arbor and Toledo positions it just 30 minutes away from world-class cultural, entertainment and sporting events. 

Monroe County’s top employers are:  Mercy-Memorial Hospital System, 1,600; DTE Energy, 1,530; Monroe Public Schools, 1,000; The Mall of Monroe, 909; and County of Monroe, 700.