Colfax Township, Mecosta County, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Colfax Township, Michigan
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Township
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 Colfax Township, Mecosta County, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Colfax Township, Mecosta County, Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Mecosta |
| Area | |
| • Total | 35.8 sq mi (93 km2) |
| • Land | 35.1 sq mi (91 km2) |
| • Water | 0.7 sq mi (2 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,083 ft (330 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,962 |
| • Density | 55.9/sq mi (21.6/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes |
49342 (Rodney)
49307 (Big Rapids) |
| FIPS code | 26-107-17160 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1626113 |
Colfax Township is a community located in Mecosta County, in the U.S. state of Michigan. It's a type of local government area, similar to a town or a small city. In 2020, about 1,962 people lived in Colfax Township.
Contents
A Look at Colfax Township
A Bit of History
Colfax Township was officially created in 1869. This means it became an organized community with its own local government that year.
Communities in Colfax Township
Colfax Township is home to a couple of smaller communities.
Byers: A Historic Spot
The community of Byers started around 1870. It grew up around a shingle mill, which was a place where wooden shingles for roofs were made. Byers was also a stop on the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad. It even had its own post office for many years, from 1877 until 1902.
Rodney: Home of Frazz
Rodney is another community in Colfax Township. It's located in the southeastern part of the township. Rodney has its own ZIP code, 49342, which also covers parts of nearby townships.
Rodney is famous for being the setting of the comic strip Frazz. This comic strip is about a school janitor named Edwin "Frazz" Frazier. Many characters from the comic, like Caulfield, Jane Plainwell, and Coach Hacker, live in Rodney. They work at the fictional Bryson Elementary School in the town.
Where is Colfax Township?
Colfax Township is located right in the middle of Mecosta County. The city of Big Rapids, which is the main city of the county, is just a short distance west of the township's border.
A main road, M-20, goes through the center of Colfax Township. This road connects Big Rapids to the west with Rodney on the eastern side of the township. It then continues southeast towards the village of Mecosta.
The township covers an area of about 35.8 square miles (92.7 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water. The water in the township mostly flows into the Muskegon River, which crosses the southwestern corner of the area. A smaller river, the West Branch of the Little Muskegon River, drains the southeastern part of the township.
Who Lives in Colfax Township?
According to a count done in 2000, there were 1,975 people living in Colfax Township. These people lived in 734 households, and 566 of those were families. The average household had about 2.69 people.
The population in 2000 was spread out across different age groups. About 26.9% of the people were under 18 years old. About 12.3% were 65 years old or older. The average age of people living in the township was 39 years.
The median income for a household in the township was about $46,071. This means that half of the households earned more than this amount, and half earned less. For families, the median income was around $50,917.
