The community is located near the center of Crockery Township in Ottawa County, close to the junction of Interstate 96 (I-96) M-104 and M-231 at 43°04′47″N 86°04′02″W / 43.07972°N 86.06722°W / 43.07972; -86.06722 (Nunica, Michigan).

The name Nunica is derived from the Native American word menonica, meaning "clay earth", from which pottery was made.

European settlement in the area proceeded slowly until the mid-19th century, when zinc was discovered in nearby Crockery Creek in 1858.

[6] Nunica experienced rapid growth in population in the early 20th century as settlers came to the region to mine zinc and farm.

Coupled with a particularly severe influenza outbreak in 1927 that claimed the lives of nearly 800 people from the town, the population of Nunica declined.

M-231 has been built as a two-lane freeway so it can relieve traffic congestion at the U.S. Highway 31 drawbridge in Grand Haven.