Fenton, Michigan

Fenton is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan that lies mostly in Genesee County, with small portions in neighboring Oakland and Livingston Counties. It is part of the Flint Metropolitan statistical area.

As of the 2020 census, Fenton had a population of 12,050.

It was first established in 1834 and was originally named "Dibbleville" after Clark Dibble, one of the first settlers. It was platted in 1837 as "Fentonville" by William M. Fenton who later became lieutenant governor of Michigan. When the settlement was incorporated as a village in 1863 the name Fenton was used. The settlement's post office used the name Fentonville from 1837 until 1886, when it adopted the current name.

In the 1970s, the city leveled its downtown buildings and closed Leroy Street as part of an urban renewal plan. On August 24, 2007, an EF2 tornado hit Fenton, damaging several homes and a school, and almost completely destroying the soon to be opened Tractor Supply Company, tearing off its roof. This left many people without power, putting the city in a state of emergency. There were no fatalities or serious injuries. In July 2011, the first proposed building, Cornerstone, to restore the city's old downtown area was announced.

As of the 2010 census, the city population was 11,756. The city was incorporated from Fenton Township in Genesee County, and the city and township are administratively autonomous. Fenton includes several historic buildings. It was home to the first aviation school in Michigan and the A.J. Phillips Fenton Museum.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 7.00 square miles (18.13 km²), of which 6.68 square miles (17.30 km²) is land and 0.32 square miles (0.83 km²) (4.57%) is water.

Numerous municipalities in Michigan span two counties, but Fenton is one of two municipalities in Michigan to span three; the other is Lansing. The overwhelming majority of Fenton is in Genesee County, with a total area of 6.88 square miles (17.82 km²), of which 6.56 square miles (16.99 km²) is land and 0.32 square miles (0.83 km²) is water. The Genesee County portion represents 98.29% of Fenton's area and 99.99% of its population. Of Fenton's 11,747 residents, all but 10 live in Genesee County. The other 10 live in Fenton's Livingston County portion, which has a land area of 0.11 square miles (0.28 km²). A minuscule portion with no residents extends into Oakland County with a land area of 0.01 square miles (0.03 km²).

The Tipsico Lake Project is a brownfield redevelopment project to restore the land and surrounding area.