Heath Township, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Heath Township is a civil township
of Allegan County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. As of the 2000 census
, the township population was 3,100.
, the township has a total area of 35.9 square miles (93 km²), of which, 35.5 square miles (91.9 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1 km²) of it (1.22%) is water.
of 2000, there were 3,100 people, 1,035 households, and 865 families residing in the township. The population density
was 87.4 per square mile (33.7/km²). There were 1,084 housing units at an average density of 30.6 per square mile (11.8/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.48% White, 0.32% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.13% from other races
, and 1.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.58% of the population.
There were 1,035 households out of which 48.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.4% were married couples
living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.4% were non-families. 13.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.99 and the average family size was 3.31.
In the township the population was spread out with 32.8% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 34.0% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 5.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 104.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.3 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $54,545, and the median income for a family was $59,100. Males had a median income of $40,247 versus $26,864 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $20,248. About 3.5% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.6% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.
Civil township
A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to, and geographic divisions of, a county. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary based on each state. Civil townships are distinct from survey townships, but in states that have both,...
of Allegan County
Allegan County, Michigan
-Interstates:* I-196* I-196 Business Loop serves the city of Holland.-US highways:* US-31* US-131-Michigan State Trunklines:* M-40* M-89* M-179* M-222-Allegan County Intercounty Highways:* A-2* A-37* A-42* A-45-Demographics:...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. As of the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, the township population was 3,100.
Communities
- Gilchrist was a station on the Michigan Lake Shore RailroadMichigan Lake Shore RailroadThe Michigan Lake Shore Railroad is a defunct railroad which operated in the state of Michigan between 1869 and 1878, and as the Grand Haven Railroad until 1881....
located between Dunningville and Hamilton in 1873 and on successor railways. - Hamilton is an unincorporated community in the northeast corner of the township, where M-40M-40 (Michigan highway)M-40 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. The highway runs from US Highway 12 near the Indiana state line in Porter Township north through Paw Paw and Allegan to end in the outskirts of Holland...
crosses the Rabbit RiverRabbit RiverThe Rabbit River is a tributary of the Kalamazoo River within Allegan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The river's watershed covers of land and drains most of north-central and northeast Allegan County as well as small portions of Barry, Kent and Ottawa counties.The river rises in farmland...
at 42°40′38"N 86°00′22"W. The first white settler was Charles Butler, who purchased the entirety of section 6 in 1835. It was at first known as Rabbit River, with a post office operating from May 1851 to September 1852. Aaron Willards platPlatA plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
ted a village named Rabbit River in 1862, with a second post office opening in July 1864. The post office was renamed "Hamilton" in May 1870. The ZIP codeZIP CodeZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
is 49419 serves much of the township and surrounding areas. - Dunningville is a historic locale in the southern part of the township at 42°36′46"N 85°56′55"W. Andrew Whistler built a sawmill here in 1855, that was operated by persons named Dunning and Hopkins. A station on the Chicago and West Michigan Railroad (later part of the Pere Marquette RailwayPere Marquette RailwayThe Pere Marquette Railway was a railroad that operated in the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada. The railroad had trackage in the states of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and the Canadian province of Ontario. Its primary connections included Buffalo; Toledo; and Chicago.The company was...
) was named "Dunning", but the post office used the name Dunningville.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the township has a total area of 35.9 square miles (93 km²), of which, 35.5 square miles (91.9 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1 km²) of it (1.22%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 3,100 people, 1,035 households, and 865 families residing in the township. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 87.4 per square mile (33.7/km²). There were 1,084 housing units at an average density of 30.6 per square mile (11.8/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.48% White, 0.32% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.13% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.58% of the population.
There were 1,035 households out of which 48.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.4% were non-families. 13.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.99 and the average family size was 3.31.
In the township the population was spread out with 32.8% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 34.0% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 5.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 104.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.3 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $54,545, and the median income for a family was $59,100. Males had a median income of $40,247 versus $26,864 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the township was $20,248. About 3.5% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.6% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.