Grand Rapids Charter Township is a

charter township A charter township is a form of Local government in the United States, local government in the U.S. state of Michigan. While all townships in Michigan are organized governments, a charter township has been granted a charter, which allows it cert ...

of Kent County in the U.S. state of

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

. The population was 18,905 at the 2020 census. The township is bordered by

Grand Rapids Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...

to the west and

East Grand Rapids East Grand Rapids is a city in Kent County, Michigan, Kent County in the United States, U.S. state of Michigan. , the population was 11,371. The city is part of the Grand Rapids metropolitan area, including Grand Rapids, Michigan, Grand Rapids ...

to the southwest, but the township is administered autonomously.

Communities

* Northview is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...

and

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...

(CDP) with a very small portion located within Grand Rapids Township. The majority of the CDP is to the north in Plainfield Township.

History

The township was first organized in 1834 under the name Kent Township. The village of

was within the township, and the state renamed the township as Grand Rapids Township in 1842. The village incorporated as an autonomous city from portions of the township in 1850. Grand Rapids Township became a

in 1979.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...

, the township has a total area of , of which is land and (1.41%) is water.

Major highways

* runs diagonally to the northwest through portions of the township. * runs east–west through the southern portion of the township. * runs south–north through the center of the township.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, the township had a population of 18,905 people. The racial makeup was 84.9%

Non-Hispanic White Non-Hispanic Whites, also referred to as White Anglo Americans or Non-Latino Whites, are White Americans who are classified by the United States census as "White" and not of Hispanic or Latino origin. According to annual estimates from the Unit ...

, 2.5% Black or African American, 6.6% Asian, 0.1% Native American, and 3.7% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino people of any race were 2.8% of the population.

2000 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 14,056 people, 4,852 households, and 3,779 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 5,000 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 95.80%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.99%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.18% Native American, 1.44% Asian, 0.01%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.53% from other races, and 1.05% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.30% of the population. There were 4,852 households, out of which 40.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.4% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.1% were non-families. 19.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.22. In the township the population was spread out, with 29.0% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males. The median income for a household in the township was $66,250, and the median income for a family was $76,021. Males had a median income of $52,135 versus $36,011 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the township was $30,531. About 2.6% of families and 3.2% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 4.1% of those age 65 or over. There has also been development recently in the township. Mostly along the M-44 corridor stretching from just north of the intersection of lake drive and M-44 on the south end and M-44 and 4 mile. New Developments include The Grove by watermark at M-44 and 4 mile, Evergreen Townhomes adjacent to the Evergreen office complex, and the springs at knapp crossing just north of knapps corner. New neighborhoods include Arbor hills at the corner of 3 mile and Maguire avenue. Balsam Waters also off of Maguire avenue.

References

External links

Grand Rapids Township official website
{{Authority control Townships in Kent County, Michigan Charter townships in Michigan Grand Rapids metropolitan area Populated places established in 1834 1834 establishments in Michigan Territory