California Township, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
California Township, Michigan
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Location within Branch County
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 California Township, Michigan
Location in Michigan
California Township, Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Branch |
| Area | |
| • Total | 21.3 sq mi (55.2 km2) |
| • Land | 21.3 sq mi (55.1 km2) |
| • Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.1 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,060 ft (323 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,181 |
| • Density | 55.41/sq mi (21.395/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| FIPS code | 26-12560 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1626022 |
California Township is a type of local government area called a civil township. It is located in Branch County in the U.S. state of Michigan. In 2020, about 1,181 people lived there.
Contents
History of California Township
California Township was officially started in 1846. It got its name from the California Territory. This was a large area in the western United States before California became a state.
Communities in the Township
California Township is mostly farmland. It does not have any big cities or towns within its borders. Instead, it has two smaller places known as unincorporated communities. This means they are not officially governed as a city or village.
- California is one of these communities. You can find it at these coordinates: 41°48′N 84°53′W / 41.800°N 84.883°W.
- Ray is the other community. It sits right on the border with the state of Indiana. Part of Ray is actually in Indiana.
Geography and Land Area
The United States Census Bureau keeps track of land areas. They say that California Township covers a total area of about 55.2 square kilometers (or 21.3 square miles).
Most of this area is land, about 55.1 square kilometers (21.3 square miles). Only a tiny part, about 0.1 square kilometers (0.04 square miles), is water. This means water makes up only about 0.20% of the township's total area.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2000 | 909 | — | |
| 2010 | 1,040 | 14.4% | |
| 2020 | 1,181 | 13.6% | |
In 2000, there were 909 people living in California Township. By 2020, the population had grown to 1,181 people. This shows that more people have moved to the township over time.
In 2000, there were 274 households. A household is like a home where people live together. Many of these households (63.1%) were married couples living together. About 42.7% of households had children under 18 living with them.
The people in the township were of different ages. About 40.5% were under 18 years old. About 10.5% were 65 years or older. The average age in the township was 25 years old. This means it was a fairly young community.
