Plainfield Township, Kent County, Michigan
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Plainfield Township is a charter township located in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township had a total population of 30,195. The township derives its name from the extinct lumbertown of Plainfield founded in 1838 by Andrew Stout at the intersection of the Rogue and Grand Rivers. (The town name was eventually changed to Austerlitz before its eventual disolution.) From the late 19th century through the mid 20th century the township, with its valleys and river bluffs, woodlands, orchards, cornfields, and river-flat vegetable farms, was enjoyed for its pleasant scenary by day trippers from adjacent Grand Rapids. Riverboats brought pleasure seekers up the Grand through North Park to Grand Island which boasted canoe rentals, a tavern, and a dance hall. Early auto traffic gave rise to fast food restaurants and drive-in theaters along Plainfield Avenue which served as a major connector from Grand Rapids to The East Beltline and old Northland Drive. This highway junction was puntuated in the 1950's and 1960's by the gas station/diner "Pritchards," an old false fronted general store "Two J's", and Q'pee's, a classic 1950's burger joint. The late 1970's, 80's and 90's saw the township's rapid transformation to a suburban shoulder comminity serving Grand Rapids. Plainfield township is boarderd to the west by Alpine, to the north by Algoma, to the East by Cannon, and the south by Grand Rapids townships.
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Communities
MIMap-doton-Belmont.PNG
Location of Belmont, Michigan
- Belmont is an unincorporated community in the township, situated at exit 95 off U.S. Highway 131 close to where the Rogue River joins the Grand River. Belmont is at Template:Coor dms. The ZIP code is 49306 and the FIPS place code is 07120. The elevation is 667 feet above sea level.
- Northview is a census-designated place within the township, defined for statistical purposes. It consists of the area north of the boundary with Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids Township and south of the Grand River.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 94.6 km² (36.5 mi²). 91.0 km² (35.1 mi²) of it is land and 3.6 km² (1.4 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 3.78% water.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 30,195 people, 11,038 households, and 8,168 families residing in the township. The population density is 331.8/km² (859.2/mi²). There are 11,456 housing units at an average density of 125.9/km² (326.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the township is 95.68% White, 1.22% African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.93% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.61% from other races, and 1.19% from two or more races. 1.75% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 11,038 households out of which 39.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.3% are married couples living together, 8.7% have a female householder with no husband present, and 26.0% are non-families. 21.7% of all households are made up of individuals and 6.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.73 and the average family size is 3.22.
In the township the population is spread out with 30.0% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 35 years. For every 100 females there are 98.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 94.1 males.
The median income for a household in the township is $55,181, and the median income for a family is $62,241. Males have a median income of $45,757 versus $30,122 for females. The per capita income for the township is $23,753. 4.2% of the population and 3.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 4.1% of those under the age of 18 and 5.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
External links
- Plainfield Township official website (http://www.plainfieldchartertwp.org/)
- Plainfield Township (http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=micounty;cc=micounty;sid=280757f7233b3a639d980747d1d7b290;q1=Plainfield%20Township;rgn=full%20text;idno=ARX2230.0001.001;view=image;seq=00000231) Chapter XII in Grand Rapids and Kent County, Michigan : historical account of their progress from first settlement to the present time / Ernest B. Fisher, editor. Chicago [Ill.]: Robert O. Law Company, 1918.