Editing Ronald Township, Michigan

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Ronald Township, Michigan
| settlement_type    = [[Township (United States)|Township]]
| nickname           = 
| motto              = <!-- Images -->
| image_skyline      = 
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = 
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         = <!-- Maps -->
| pushpin_map        = Michigan#USA
| pushpin_label      = Ronald Township
| pushpin_label_position = bottom <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
| pushpin_map_caption = 
| 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  = [[Ionia County, Michigan|Ionia]]

<!-- 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     = 94.5
| area_land_km2      = 94.1
| area_water_km2     = 0.4
| area_total_sq_mi   = 36.5
| area_land_sq_mi    = 36.3
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.2

<!-- Population -->| population_as_of   = [[United States Census, 2020|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 1861
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_sq_mi = auto

<!-- General information -->| timezone           = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset         = -5
| timezone_DST       = EDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -4
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m        = 253
| elevation_ft       = 830
| coordinates        = {{coord|43|4|44|N|85|1|13|W|region:US-MI_type:adm3rd_source:GNIS|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = 
| postal_code        = 
| area_code          = 
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 26-69440<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        = 1627001<ref>{{gnis|1627001}}</ref>
| website            = 
| footnotes          = 
}}
'''Ronald Township''' is a [[civil township]] of [[Ionia County, Michigan|Ionia County]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Michigan]]. The population was 1,861 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Ronald_township,_Ionia_County,_Michigan?g=060XX00US2606769440 |access-date=2024-04-25 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref>

Ronald Township was formed in 1845 from parts of [[Lyons Township, Michigan|Lyons]] and [[Ionia Township, Michigan|Ionia]] townships, and given its name by state representative A. L. Roof, who said he was inspired by the lead character in a novel he was reading at the time.  (This may have been Sir [[Walter Scott]]'s narrative poem ''[[The Lord of the Isles]]'', in which the protagonist is named Ronald.)

== Communities ==
* '''Palo''' is an [[unincorporated community]] in the northern part of the township at {{coord|43|06|45|N|84|59|08|W|region:US-MI_type:city_scale:30000_source:GNIS|name=Palo}}.<ref>{{gnis|634332|Palo, Michigan}}</ref> It began on land owned by Matthew and John Van Vleck. The name "Palo" [pronounced  Pay-Low, locally] was suggested by John in honor of the victory by General [[Zachary Taylor]] at the [[Battle of Palo Alto]], the first major battle of the [[Mexican–American War]] fought on May 8, 1846. A post office was established on July 14, 1857, with Dr. Orla H. Taylor as the first postmaster. The community was first [[plat]]ted and recorded on March 12, 1867 by William H. Freeman.<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> The Palo post office was discontinued on February 4, 1995,<ref>[http://webpmt.usps.gov/pmt007.cfm Post Offices by County]{{dead link|date=April 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Postmaster Finder, United States Postal Service</ref> although the Palo ZIP code 48870 continues to provide P.O. Box only service through use of the local store Joe's Market and a postal contract.<ref>[http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/citytown_zip.jsp ZIP Code Lookup], United States Postal Service</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the township has a total area of {{convert|36.5|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|36.3|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|0.2|sqmi|km2}} (0.44%) is water.

==Demographics==
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 1,903 people, 651 households, and 514 families residing in the township.  The population density was {{convert|52.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 708 housing units at an average density of 19.5 per square mile (7.5/km{{sup|2}}).  The racial makeup of the township was 96.79% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.68% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.53% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.11% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.74% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.16% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.79% of the population.

There were 651 households, out of which 38.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.9% were non-families. 15.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.5% 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 29.6% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.6 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.3 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $45,952, and the median income for a family was $49,620. Males had a median income of $36,989 versus $24,792 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the township was $17,826.  About 6.4% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 20.5% of those age 65 or over.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Ionia County, Michigan}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Townships in Ionia County, Michigan]]
[[Category:Grand Rapids metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Townships in Michigan]]