The land Kingsley sits on today was originally owned by its founders, Judson Kingsley and Myron S. Brownson. In 1872, the Pennsylvania Railroad was completed between Cadillac and Traverse City. Kingsley built a station for the new railroad, which happened to run through his property. Kingsley also opened a post office, known as Kingsley Station. In 1876, Judson Kingsley platted Kingsley Station as a new village under the name of Kingsley. In 1874, Brownson, a practicing medic from Steuben County, New York, bought land adjacent to that of Kingsley. In July 1882, Brownson platted his land into a new settlement he called Paradise. In 1893, the villages of Kingsley and Paradise united under the name of Kingsley.
The village president of Kingsley is Rodney Bogart. The president pro tempore is Dan Walton. The five village trustees are Chris McPherson, Nate Alger, Eric Weger, Jason Hamilton, and Jim King.
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,480 people, 519 households, and 380 families living in the village. The population density was. There were 568 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the village was 95.6% White, 0.7% African American, 1.1% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 0.1% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.4% of the population. There were 519 households of which 45.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couplesliving together, 17.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 26.8% were non-families. 21.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.26. The median age in the village was 32.6 years. 31.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.7% were from 25 to 44; 22.1% were from 45 to 64; and 9.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 48.1% male and 51.9% female.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,469 people, 501 households, and 375 families living in the village. The population density was 1,324.8 per square mile. There were 524 housing units at an average density of 472.6 per square mile. The racial makeup of the village was 97.28% White, 0.27% African American, 0.82% Native American, 0.75% from other races, and 0.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.77% of the population. There were 501 households out of which 47.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.3% were married couples living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.1% were non-families. 19.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.31. In the village, the population was spread out with 33.9% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 33.6% from 25 to 44, 15.5% from 45 to 64, and 7.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males. The median income for a household in the village was $40,229, and the median income for a family was undetermined. Males had a median income of more than females. The per capita income for the village was $16,508. About 17.3% of the population were below the poverty line.
