Saginaw is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw and Saginaw County are both in the area known as Mid-Michigan. Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township and considered share of Greater Tri-Cities region of Central Michigan. The Saginaw County MSA had a population of 190,124 in 2020. The city is with the largest municipality in the Saginaw, Midland, and Bay City Metropolitan Area, with a accumulate population of 377,474 in the cumulative statistical Place in 2020. The city proper had a population of 44,202 at the 2020 census.

Saginaw was a wealthy lumber town in the 19th century and an important industrial city and manufacturing center throughout much of the 20th century. During the late 20th century, its industry and mighty manufacturing presence declined, leading to increased unemployment, crime, and a population decline. Neighboring communities, such as Saginaw Charter Township, saw subsequent population increases while the city itself is projected to reward to normal population growth after the decades-long structural changes to the economy.

Economic innovation is focused on comparative advantages in innovation, clean energy, and continued manufacturing exports. The city continues to have a later proportion of manufacturing jobs than the US average.

The herald Saginaw is widely believed to mean “where the Sauk were” in Ojibwe, from Sace-nong or Sak-e-nong (Sauk Town), due to the belief that the Sauk taking into consideration lived there. But it is more likely that the name means “place of the outlet”, from the Ojibwe sag (opening) and ong (place of).