Editing Heath Township, Michigan

{{redirect|Hamilton, Michigan|other places with similar names|Hamilton Township, Michigan (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Heath Township, Michigan
|settlement_type          = [[Township (United States)|Township]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = 
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
||pushpin_map             = Michigan
|pushpin_label            = Heath Township
|pushpin_label_position   = left <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
|pushpin_map_caption      = Location within the state of Michigan
|pushpin_mapsize          =
|image_map                =  
|mapsize                  = 
|map_caption              = 
|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        = [[Allegan County, Michigan|Allegan]]

<!-- 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           = 93.0
|area_land_km2            = 91.6
|area_water_km2           = 1.4
|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         = 3937
|population_density_km2   = 42.97
|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              = 209
|elevation_ft             = 686
|coordinates              = {{coord|42|38|58|N|85|58|0|W|region:US-MI|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = 
|postal_code              = 
|area_code                = 
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 26-37460<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              = 1626459<ref>{{gnis|1626459}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|www.heathtownship.net}}
|footnotes                = 
}}
'''Heath Township''' is a [[civil township]] of [[Allegan County, Michigan|Allegan County]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Michigan]].  As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the township population was 3,937.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/0600000US2600537460| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212143304/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/0600000US2600537460| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Heath township, Allegan County, Michigan| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=June 6, 2013}}</ref>

==Communities==
'''Dunningville''' is a historic locale in the southern part of the township at {{Coord|42|36|46|N|85|56|55|W|}}.<ref>{{gnis|1617533|Dunningville, Michigan}}</ref> 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 Railway]]) was named "Dunning", but the post office used the name Dunningville.<ref name="Romig" />

'''Gilchrist''' was a station on the [[Michigan Lake Shore Railroad]] located between Dunningville and Hamilton in 1873 and on successor railways.<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><ref>{{cite book |last=Lake |first=D. J. |title=Atlas of Allegan County Michigan |orig-year=1873 |url=http://name.umdl.umich.edu/2897686.0001.001 |access-date=2008-04-01 |year=2005 |publisher=University of Michigan Library |location=Ann Arbor, Mich. |pages=23 |chapter=Heath Township |chapter-url=http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=micounty;cc=micounty;idno=2897686.0001.001;didno=2897686.0001.001;view=image;seq=00000028 }}</ref>

'''Hamilton''' is an [[unincorporated community]] in the northwest corner of the township, where [[M-40 (Michigan highway)|M-40]] crosses the [[Rabbit River (Michigan)|Rabbit River]] at {{Coord|42|40|38|N|86|00|22|W|}}.<ref>{{gnis|627672|Hamilton, Michigan}}</ref> The first white settler was Charles Butler, who purchased the entirety of [[section (land)|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 [[plat]]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 code]] is 49419 and serves much of the township and surrounding areas.<ref name="Romig"/>

Hamilton High School and Middle School are located in Hamilton.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the township has a total area of {{convert|93.0|km2|disp=flip}}, of which {{convert|91.6|km2|disp=flip}} is land and {{convert|1.4|km2|disp=flip}}, or 1.51%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1960 = 1283
| 1970 = 1450
| 1980 = 1962
| 1990 = 2297
| 2000 = 3100
| 2010 = 3317
| 2020 = 3937
| 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 3,100 people, 1,035 households, and 865 families residing in the township.  The population density was {{convert|87.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 1,084 housing units at an average density of {{convert|30.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the township was 96.48% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.32% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.16% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.45% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.03% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.13% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.42% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|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 [[Marriage|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.

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.heathtownship.net/ Heath Township official website]

{{Allegan County, Michigan}}

{{authority control}}

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