Editing Fairplain Township, Michigan

{{Distinguish|text=[[Fair Plain, Michigan]] in Berrien County}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Fairplain Township, Michigan
|settlement_type          = [[Township (United States)|Township]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

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<!-- Maps -->
|pushpin_map              = Michigan#USA
|pushpin_label            = Fairplain Township
|pushpin_label_position   = <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
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<!-- 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        = [[Montcalm County, Michigan|Montcalm]]

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|government_footnotes     = 
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|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2023">{{cite web |title=2023 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Michigan |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2023_Gazetteer/2023_gaz_cousubs_26.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=November 22, 2023}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 
|area_land_km2            = 
|area_water_km2           = 
|area_total_sq_mi         = 36.0
|area_land_sq_mi          = 35.2
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.7

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="Census 2020">{{Cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=&g=0600000US2611727180&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1| title=P1. Race – Fairplain township, Michigan: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| access-date=November 22, 2023}}</ref>
|population_total         = 1802
|population_density_km2   = 
|population_density_sq_mi = 51.2

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 256
|elevation_ft             = 840
|coordinates              = {{coord|43|09|45|N|85|7|49|W|region:US-MI_type:adm2nd_source:GNIS|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s
|postal_code              = 48834 (Fenwick)<br />48838 ([[Greenville, Michigan|Greenville]])<br />48884 ([[Sheridan, Michigan|Sheridan]])<br />48809 ([[Belding, Michigan|Belding]])
|area_code                = 
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 26-117-27180<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              = 1626267<ref>{{gnis|1626267}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|www.montcalm.us/390/Fairplain-Township}}
|footnotes                = 
}}

'''Fairplain Township''' is a [[civil township]] of [[Montcalm County, Michigan|Montcalm County]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Michigan]]. The population was 1,802 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="Census 2020"/>

==Communities==
*'''Fenwick''' is an unincorporated community in the southeast part of the township at {{coord|43|08|57|N|85|04|49|W|region:US-MI_type:city_scale:30000_source:GNIS|name=Fenwick}}.<ref>{{gnis|625898|Fenwick, Michigan}}</ref> The Fenwick post office, with ZIP code 48834, serves the southeastern portion of Fairplain Township as well as portions of surrounding townships.<ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ReferenceMapFramesetServlet?_bm=y&-geo_id=86000US48834&-_yp=Census%202000&-tree_id=420&-_lang=en ZCTA Reference Map for 48834]{{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20200212043906/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ReferenceMapFramesetServlet?_bm=y&-geo_id=86000US48834&-_yp=Census%202000&-tree_id=420&-_lang=en |date=2020-02-12 }}, U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 census</ref> Fenwick was founded in 1872 by B. C. Loree, who named it after his home town, [[Fenwick, Ontario]]. A post office opened on April 28, 1873, with James R. Hall as its first postmaster. It was [[plat]]ted and recorded on May 22, 1874, by S. C. Alderman for the proprietors Simon M., Sarah, and David Griswold. [[File:1897 cadastral map of Fenwick, Michigan.jpg|thumb|]]<ref name="Romig">{{cite book | last = Romig | first = Walter  | year = 1986 | title = Michigan Place Names | orig-year= 1973 | publisher = Wayne State University Press | location = Detroit, Michigan | isbn = 0-8143-1838-X}}</ref>

==Geography==
Fairplain Township is in southern Montcalm County and is bordered to the south by [[Ionia County, Michigan|Ionia County]]. State highway [[M-57 (Michigan highway)|M-57]] crosses the central part of the township, leading west to [[Greenville, Michigan|Greenville]] and east to [[Carson City, Michigan|Carson City]].

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the township has a total area of {{convert|36.0|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|35.2|sqmi|km2}} are land and {{convert|0.7|sqmi|1}}, or 2.05%, are water.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2023"/> The township is drained by Dickerson Creek, a tributary of the [[Flat River (Michigan)|Flat River]], except for small areas on the eastern border which drain to Prairie Creek. The Flat River and Prairie Creek are each south-flowing tributaries of the [[Grand River (Michigan)|Grand River]], flowing to [[Lake Michigan]].

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1850= 229
|1860= 491
|1870= 974
|1880= 1422
|1890= 1131
|1900= 1183
|1910= 1171
|1920= 961
|1930= 930
|1940= 877
|1950= 862
|1960= 932
|1970= 1087
|1980= 1380
|1990= 1575
|2000= 1826
|2010= 1836
|2020= 1802
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade/decennial-publications.html|title=Decennial Census Official Publications|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=November 22, 2023}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 1,826 people, 615 households, and 492 families residing in the township.  The population density was {{convert|51.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 664 housing units at an average density of {{convert|18.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the township was 95.78% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1.26% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.33% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.33% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.55% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.75% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.52% of the population.

There were 615 households, out of which 41.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.0% were non-families. 15.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the township the population was spread out, with 29.2% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.2% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.3 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.7 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $42,955, and the median income for a family was $46,830. Males had a median income of $32,632 versus $21,442 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the township was $15,833.  About 3.8% of families and 8.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 4.4% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|www.montcalm.us/390/Fairplain-Township}}

{{Montcalm County, Michigan}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Townships in Montcalm County, Michigan]]
[[Category:Townships in Michigan]]