Editing Muskegon Township, Michigan

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Muskegon Charter Township, Michigan
|settlement_type          = [[Charter township]]
|image_skyline            = 
|imagesize                = 
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|image_seal               =

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|motto                    =

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<!-- Location -->
|pushpin_map              = Michigan#USA
|pushpin_label            = Muskegon Charter Township
|pushpin_label_position   = left <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
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|coordinates              = {{coord|43|15|38|N|86|11|00|W|region:US-MI_type:adm2nd_source:GNIS|display=inline,title}}
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Michigan|County]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Michigan]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Muskegon County, Michigan|Muskegon]]

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<!-- 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=December 12, 2023}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 
|area_land_km2            = 
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|area_total_sq_mi         = 23.84
|area_land_sq_mi          = 23.47
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.37

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|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 196
|elevation_ft             = 643
|population_total         = 17596
|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=0600000US2612156340&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1| title=P1. Race – Muskegon charter township, Michigan: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| access-date=December 12, 2023}}</ref>
|population_density_km2   = 
|population_density_sq_mi = 749.6

<!-- General information -->
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s
|postal_code              = 49442, 49445 ([[Muskegon, Michigan|Muskegon]])<br/>49457 ([[Twin Lake, Michigan|Twin Lake]])
|area_code                = [[Area code 231|231]]
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 26-56340<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1626784<ref>{{gnis|1626784}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|muskegontwpmi.gov}}
|footnotes                = 
}}
'''Muskegon Charter Township''' is a [[charter township]] of [[Muskegon County, Michigan|Muskegon County]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Michigan]]. The population was 17,596 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="Census 2020"/> The [[Muskegon, Michigan|city of Muskegon]] borders the township to the southwest and is administratively autonomous.

The township was organized in 1837. The township claims to be the "oldest township in the State of Michigan", as it was the first township officially recognized in the newly created state of Michigan.<ref>[http://www.muskegontwp.org/ The History of Muskegon Township], accessed 2008-03-09</ref> However, many other townships were created earlier than Muskegon Township.

==Geography==
The township is in central Muskegon County and is bordered to the southwest by the city of Muskegon and to the west by the city of [[North Muskegon, Michigan|North Muskegon]]. According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the township has a total area of {{convert|23.8|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|23.5|sqmi}} are land and {{convert|0.4|sqmi|1}}, or 1.54%, are water.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2023"/> Most of the township is drained by the [[Muskegon River]] and its tributaries, while the southernmost portion is drained by Black Creek and its tributary, Little Black Creek.

==Major highways==
*{{jct|state=MI|M|46}} runs through the southern part of the township, leading west into Muskegon city and east to [[Cedar Springs, Michigan|Cedar Springs]].
*{{jct|state=MI|M|120}} crosses the northwest part of the township, leading southwest into North Muskegon and northeast toward [[Fremont, Michigan|Fremont]].
*{{jct|state=MI|US|31}}, a freeway, crosses the northern part of the township and runs along the western edge of the southern part of the township. It leads north toward [[Ludington, Michigan|Ludington]] and south to [[Holland, Michigan|Holland]].

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1850= 
|1860= 1450
|1870= 401
|1880= 924
|1890= 1498
|1900= 1316
|1910= 1248
|1920= 3427
|1930= 10232
|1940= 6067
|1950= 12757
|1960= 17537
|1970= 13754
|1980= 14557
|1990= 15302
|2000= 17737
|2010= 17840
|2020= 17596
|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=December 19, 2023}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 17,737 people, 6,581 households, and 4,771 families residing in the township.  The population density was {{convert|743.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 6,850 housing units at an average density of {{convert|287.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the township was 91.46% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 4.63% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.95% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.28% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.79% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.87% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 3.21% of the population.

There were 6,581 households, out of which 38.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.1% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.5% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the township the population was spread out, with 29.1% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.2 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.2 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $38,634, and the median income for a family was $45,178. Males had a median income of $36,111 versus $24,627 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the township was $16,623.  About 8.2% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 12.7% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.

== Schools ==
* [[Muskegon Technical Academy]]
* [[Orchard View Schools]]
* [[Reeths-Puffer Schools]]
* [[Timberland Academy]] ([[National Heritage Academy]])

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|www.muskegontwp.org}}

{{Muskegon County, Michigan}}

[[Category:Charter townships in Michigan]]
[[Category:Townships in Muskegon County, Michigan]]