Byron Township, Michigan

There is also the village of Byron, Michigan in Shiawassee County.

Byron Township, Michigan
—  Township  —
Byron Township, Michigan Location within the state of Michigan
Coordinates: 42°48′45″N 85°43′26″W / 42.8125°N 85.72389°W / 42.8125; -85.72389Coordinates: 42°48′45″N 85°43′26″W / 42.8125°N 85.72389°W / 42.8125; -85.72389
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	Kent
Area
– Total	36.6 sq mi (94.7 km2)
– Land	36.6 sq mi (94.7 km2)
– Water	0.0 sq mi (0.1 km2)
Elevation	738 ft (225 m)
Population (2000)
– Total	17,553
– Density	480.1/sq mi (185.4/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
– Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes	49315 (Byron Center), 49418 (Grandville), 49509 (Wyoming),49548 (Grand Rapids/Kentwood)
Area code(s)	616
FIPS code	26-12240[1]
GNIS feature ID	1626016[2]
Website	http://www.byrontownship.org/

Byron Township is a civil township of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 17,553.

Communities

Exterior of the Byron Township branch of the Kent District Library

• Byron Center is an unincorporated community and census-designated place at the center of the township. The Byron Center ZIP code 49315 serves most of the Byron township.^[3]
• Carlisle or West Carlisle is an unincorporated, mostly historical locale in the township at 42°49′35″N 85°41′00″W / 42.82639°N 85.6833333°W / 42.82639; -85.6833333.^[4] Carlisle was a station on the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad. A post office named "West Carlisle" operated here from March 1884 until September 1910.^[5]
• Corinth is an unincorporated community in the southeast part of the township on the boundary with Gaines Township.
• Cutlerville is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in the northeast of the township, straddling the boundary with Gaines Township.
• North Byron is an unincorporated community near the northern boundary of the township at 42°50′42″N 85°43′58″W / 42.845°N 85.73278°W / 42.845; -85.73278.^[6] It began as a settlement named "Scudderville" on Rush Creek with a station on the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway. It was named for Henry W. Scudder, a local landowner. A post office named "North Byron" operated from October 1862 to December 1879 and from March 1894 to September 1903.^[5]
• North Dorr is a tiny hamlet straddling the boundary between Byron Township and Dorr Township in Allegan County.^[7]
• Ross is an unincorporated, mostly historical community in the southeast part of the township at 42°46′57″N 85°41′40″W / 42.7825°N 85.69444°W / 42.7825; -85.69444.^[8] Ross began as a depot on the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad and was first named "Ross Station". It was platted by William Thornton for William Ross in 1871. A post office was established in June 1871 with Daniel Ross as the first postmaster.^[5]
• The city of Wyoming is to the north, and the Wyoming ZIP code 49509 serves areas in the northern part of Byron Township.^[9]
• The cities of Grand Rapids and Kentwood are to the northeast, and the Grand Rapids/Kentwood ZIP code 49548 also serves an area in the northeast part of Byron Township.^[10][11]
• The city of Grandville is to the northwest, and the Grandville ZIP code 49418 serves areas in the northwest part of Byron Township.^[12]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 36.6 square miles (95 km²), of which, 36.6 square miles (95 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km²) of it (0.05%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 17,553 people, 6,454 households, and 4,711 families residing in the township. The population density was 480.1 per square mile (185.4/km²). There were 6,712 housing units at an average density of 183.6 per square mile (70.9/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 94.79% White, 1.21% African American, 0.32% Native American, 1.06% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.17% from other races, and 1.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.77% of the population.

There were 6,454 households out of which 36.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.2% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the township the population was spread out with 29.0% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.7 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $49,672, and the median income for a family was $56,701. Males had a median income of $42,664 versus $26,449 for females. The per capita income for the township was $24,206. About 2.5% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.4% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Michigan grocery distributor and retail operator Spartan Stores is headquartered in the township.^[13][14]

Township Officials

• Supervisor Audrey Nevins Weiss
• Clerk Joel Hondorp
• Treasurer Carol Houseman
• Trustee Paul Houseman
• Trustee Randall Jonker
• Trustee Tim Slot
• Trustee John VanSingel

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
2. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Byron Township, Michigan
3. ^ 49315 5-Digit ZCTA, 493 3-Digit ZCTA - Reference Map - American FactFinder, U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 census
4. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Carlisle, Michigan
5. ^ ^{a b c} Romig, Walter (1986) [1973]. Michigan Place Names. Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-1838-X. 
6. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: North Byron, Michigan
7. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: North Dorr, Michigan
8. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Ross, Michigan
9. ^ 49509 5-Digit ZCTA, 495 3-Digit ZCTA - Reference Map - American FactFinder, U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 census
10. ^ 49548 5-Digit ZCTA, 495 3-Digit ZCTA - Reference Map - American FactFinder, U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 census
11. ^ ZIP Code Lookup, United States Postal Service
12. ^ 49418 5-Digit ZCTA, 494 3-Digit ZCTA - Reference Map - American FactFinder, U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 census
13. ^ "Contact Us." Spartan Stores. Retrieved on July 13, 2009.
14. ^ "Byron township, Kent County, Michigan." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on July 13, 2009.

External links

• Byron Township official website