Editing Bedford Charter Township, Michigan

{{Hatnote|There is also [[Bedford Township, Monroe County, Michigan]].}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Bedford Charter Township, Michigan
| settlement_type    = [[Charter township]]
| nickname           = 
| motto              = <!-- Images -->
| image_skyline      = 
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = 
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         = <!-- Maps -->
| image_map          = MIMap-doton-Bedford.PNG
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of Bedford Charter Township in Michigan
| image_map1         = 
| mapsize1           = 
| map_caption1       = <!-- Location -->
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Michigan]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Michigan|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Calhoun County, Michigan|Calhoun]]

<!-- Government -->| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = 
| leader_name        = 
| leader_title1      = 
| leader_name1       = 
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = <!-- Area -->
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = 
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 76.9
| area_land_km2      = 75.4
| area_water_km2     = 1.6
| area_total_sq_mi   = 
| area_land_sq_mi    = 
| area_water_sq_mi   = <!-- Population -->
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 9198
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_sq_mi = <!-- General information -->
| timezone           = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset         = -5
| timezone_DST       = EDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -4
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m        = 264
| elevation_ft       = 866
| coordinates        = {{coord|42|22|23|N|85|14|18|W|region:US-MI|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 49020
| area_code          = [[Area code 269|269]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 26-06720<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 1625905<ref>{{gnis|1625905}}</ref>
| website            = {{URL|bedfordchartertownship.gov}}
| footnotes          = 
}}
'''Bedford Charter Township''' is a [[charter township]] located in the northwest corner of [[Calhoun County, Michigan|Calhoun County]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Michigan]]. It is part of the [[Battle Creek, Michigan]] [[Metropolitan Statistical Area]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the township population was 9,198.<ref name="2020 census">{{cite web |title=Bedford charter township, Calhoun County, Michigan - Census Bureau Profile |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Bedford_charter_township,_Calhoun_County,_Michigan?g=060XX00US2602506720 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=22 March 2024}}</ref> Most of the township lies north of the [[Kalamazoo River]] and the city of [[Battle Creek, Michigan|Battle Creek]]. Three small noncontiguous areas of the township lie south of the [[Kalamazoo River]].

==History==
Bedford Township was first organized in 1839. As of 1910 it had a population of 2,076.<ref>{{cite book |title=History of Calhoun county, Michigan: a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests, Volume 1 |last=Gardner |first=Washington |author-link=Washington Gardner  |year=1913 |publisher=The Lewis publishing company |location=Chicago, New York |pages=173–175 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4hkVAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA173 |access-date=8 August 2011}}</ref>

==Communities==
*Much of the township is considered to be part of the Battle Creek urban area, and the township's economy is closely linked to the city. The township became a charter township in part to protect against further annexation by the city.
*[[Level Park-Oak Park, Michigan|Level Park-Oak Park]] is a [[census-designated place]], covering an area along [[M-89 (Michigan highway)|M-89]], just north of the [[Kalamazoo River]] and just northwest of Battle Creek. It includes the unincorporated communities of '''Level Park''' and '''Oak Park''' which are adjacent areas along M-89.
*'''Bedford''' is an [[Unincorporated area#United States|unincorporated community]] and downtown development area located on [[M-37 (Michigan highway)|M-37]] at {{Coord|42|23|43|N|85|13|56|W|}}, near the center of the township.<ref>{{gnis|620982|Bedford, Michigan}}</ref>
*'''Morgan Corners''' and '''Orchard Park''' are both settlements located along the eastern boundary with [[Pennfield Charter Township, Michigan|Pennfield Charter Township]]. Most of Orchard Park has been incorporated into Battle Creek.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the township has a total area of {{convert|76.9|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|75.4|km2|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|1.6|km2|order=flip}}, or 2.03%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/0600000US2602506720| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212161258/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/0600000US2602506720| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Bedford charter township, Calhoun County, Michigan| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=August 26, 2014}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1960 = 10486
| 1970 = 10817
| 1980 = 10157
| 1990 = 9810
| 2000 = 9517
| 2010 = 9357
| 2020 = 9198
| footnote = Source: Census Bureau. Census [http://www.michigan.gov/documents/MCD1960-1990C_33608_7.pdf 1960-] 2000, 2010. }}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 9,517 people, 3,667 households, and 2,651 families residing in the township.  The population density was {{convert|324.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 3,841 housing units at an average density of {{convert|130.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the township was 84.05% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 12.09% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.34% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.43% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.06% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.85% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.18% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.49% of the population.

There were 3,667 households, out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.7% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the township the population was spread out, with 24.1% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 27.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.8 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.7 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $44,462, and the median income for a family was $51,230. Males had a median income of $37,331 versus $26,435 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the township was $20,303.  About 4.3% of families and 5.8% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.

==Notable people==
* [[Eudora Stone Bumstead]] (1860–1892), poet, hymnwriter

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://bedfordchartertownship.com/ Bedford Charter Township official website]

{{Calhoun County, Michigan}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Townships in Calhoun County, Michigan]]
[[Category:Charter townships in Michigan]]
[[Category:1839 establishments in Michigan]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1839]]