Leighton Township, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leighton Township, Michigan
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Township
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 Leighton Township, Michigan
Location in Michigan
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Allegan |
| Area | |
| • Total | 35.6 sq mi (92.2 km2) |
| • Land | 34.9 sq mi (90.3 km2) |
| • Water | 0.7 sq mi (1.9 km2) |
| Elevation | 879 ft (268 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 7,001 |
| • Density | 200.8/sq mi (77.52/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| FIPS code | 26-46760 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1626602 |
Leighton Township is a community located in Allegan County, in the state of Michigan, United States. A "township" is a type of local government area. In 2020, about 7,001 people lived here. This was a big increase from 4,934 people in 2010.
Contents
Discovering Leighton Township's Communities
Leighton Township is home to a few smaller communities. These places are not officially separate cities or towns. They are called "unincorporated communities."
Corning: A Small Historic Spot
Corning is a very small community near the center of the township. It once had its own post office, which operated from 1882 to 1902. The township hall is also located nearby.
Green Lake: From Resort to Homes
Green Lake was once a popular summer resort. It is located on a lake of the same name. The lake's water flows into Green Lake Creek, which then goes into the Rabbit River. A post office was open here from 1899 to 1901. Today, many people live around the lake all year round.
Moline: On the Township Border
Moline is another unincorporated community. It is found just east of U.S. Highway 131 exit 68. Most of Moline is in Dorr Township, but some parts extend into Leighton Township. The local mail code for Moline is 49335.
Wayland: A Neighboring City
The city of Wayland is right next to the southwest corner of Leighton Township. A small part of the township's land has become part of Wayland.
Leighton Township Fire Department
The Leighton Township Fire Department helps keep the community safe. It has 32 firefighters who work part-time. They operate from two different fire stations. On average, the department responds to about 150 emergency calls each year.
Understanding Leighton Township's Geography
Leighton Township covers a total area of about 92.2 square kilometers (about 35.6 square miles). Most of this area, about 90.3 square kilometers (34.9 square miles), is land. The rest, about 1.9 square kilometers (0.7 square miles), is water. This means about 2% of the township's area is water.
Leighton Township's Population Over Time
The number of people living in Leighton Township has grown a lot over the years. Here's how the population has changed:
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1960 | 1,951 | — | |
| 1970 | 2,354 | 20.7% | |
| 1980 | 2,772 | 17.8% | |
| 1990 | 3,069 | 10.7% | |
| 2000 | 3,652 | 19.0% | |
| 2010 | 4,934 | 35.1% | |
| 2020 | 7,001 | 41.9% | |
| Source: Census Bureau. Census 1960- 2000, 2010. | |||
A "census" is an official count of the population. It helps us understand how many people live in an area.
Who Lives in Leighton Township?
In 2000, there were 3,652 people living in the township. These people lived in 1,246 homes, and 1,004 of these were families. The population density was about 104.7 people per square mile. This tells us how crowded an area is.
Most people in the township were White (about 97.75%). A small number of people were from other racial backgrounds. About 1.04% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
Families and Households
Many homes in Leighton Township had children under 18 living there (about 41.7%). Most families were married couples living together (70.4%). About 14.8% of all homes had just one person living there. The average home had about 2.93 people, and the average family had about 3.29 people.
Age Groups in the Township
The population in Leighton Township is made up of different age groups.
- About 30.9% of the people were under 18 years old.
- About 8.4% were between 18 and 24 years old.
- About 29.8% were between 25 and 44 years old.
- About 23.1% were between 45 and 64 years old.
- About 7.9% were 65 years old or older.
The average age in the township was 34 years.
Income in Leighton Township
In 2000, the average income for a household in the township was $51,743 per year. For families, the average income was $57,067 per year. A small number of families (about 5.2%) and people (about 5.3%) lived below the poverty line. This means their income was below a certain level set by the government.
