Walker, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Walker, Michigan
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| City of Walker | |
Location within Kent County
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 Walker, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Walker, Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Kent |
| Established | 1837 (Walker Township) |
| Incorporated | 1962 |
| Government | |
| • Type | City commission |
| Area | |
| • Total | 25.14 sq mi (65.12 km2) |
| • Land | 24.58 sq mi (63.66 km2) |
| • Water | 0.57 sq mi (1.47 km2) |
| Elevation | 709 ft (216 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 25,132 |
| • Density | 1,022.54/sq mi (394.81/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) |
49534, 49544
(Grand Rapids) |
| Area code(s) | 616 |
| FIPS code | 26-82960 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1627209 |
Walker is a city in Kent County, Michigan, in the United States. It is a suburb of Grand Rapids, located just north and west of the city. In 2020, about 25,132 people lived in Walker.
Walker started as Walker Township in 1837. It became a city in 1962. Two well-known companies, Meijer and Bissell, have their main offices in Walker.
Contents
History of Walker City
The area was first set up as Walker Township on December 30, 1837. It was the second township created in Kent County. At first, it included all the land in the county north of the Grand River.
In 1838, a part of the township was separated to form Ada Township. The first people to settle in Walker Township came from Canada. A township hall was built in 1867. However, the land where the hall stood later became part of Grand Rapids in 1959.
Walker became a city in 1962. This was done to stop Grand Rapids from taking over more of its land. When it became a city, Walker had about 11,000 people living there.
Geography and Location
Walker is located in Kent County. The U.S. Census Bureau says the city covers about 25.14 square miles (65.12 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.
Main Roads in Walker
Several important highways pass through or near Walker:
I-96 runs along the northern edge of the city.
US 131 goes through a small part of the northeastern city area.
M-11 (Wilson Avenue and Remembrance Drive) travels north and south along the western side of Walker.
M-37 (Alpine Avenue) enters from the north and then joins with I-96.
M-45 (Lake Michigan Drive) briefly runs east and west through the middle of the city.
Media and News
Local Newspapers
- The Grand Rapids Press used to print and distribute newspapers from a facility in Walker. This facility closed on October 5, 2020. Printing now happens in Cleveland, Ohio.
Television Stations
- WZZM Channel 13 has its studios located in Walker.
- WXSP-CD Channel 15 has its broadcast tower in Walker.
Radio Stations
- WTRV 100.5 MHz is officially licensed to Walker. However, its main studio is in downtown Grand Rapids.
Education in Walker
Public Schools
Several school districts serve the City of Walker. These include Comstock Park Public Schools, Grand Rapids Public Schools, Grandville Public Schools, and Kenowa Hills Public Schools.
Kenowa Hills schools within Walker city limits are:
- Kenowa Hills Early Childhood Center/Day Care & Learning Center (formerly Walker Station Elementary School).
- Kenowa Hills Central Elementary School (formerly Kenowa Hills Intermediate School).
- Zinser Elementary School.
Students living in the Kenowa Hills district usually go to Kenowa Hills Middle School and Kenowa Hills High School in Alpine Township.
One Grandville school, Cummings Elementary, is also located in Walker. Walker also has a National Heritage Academies charter school called Walker Charter Academy.
Private Schools
- Covenant Christian High School is in Walker.
- Hope Protestant Reformed Christian School is also located here.
Public Libraries
The Kent District Library Walker Branch provides library services to the community.
Sports and Recreation
The DeltaPlex Arena was a large event center in Walker. It used to be the home of the Grand Rapids Gold, a basketball team. This team is part of the NBA G League and is connected to the Denver Nuggets. The DeltaPlex has since closed and is now used for other businesses. The Grand Rapids Gold now play their home games at the Van Andel Arena.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1970 | 11,492 | — | |
| 1980 | 15,088 | 31.3% | |
| 1990 | 17,279 | 14.5% | |
| 2000 | 21,842 | 26.4% | |
| 2010 | 23,537 | 7.8% | |
| 2020 | 25,132 | 6.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Population in 2020
In 2020, the city of Walker had 25,139 people. Most residents, about 84.9%, were White. About 2.8% were Black or African American, and 3.2% were Asian. About 5.0% of the population identified as being of two or more races. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 5.2% of the population.
Population in 2010
In 2010, there were 23,537 people living in Walker. There were 9,684 households. The average number of people per household was 2.40.
About 22.9% of the residents were under 18 years old. About 12.1% were 65 years old or older. The population was almost evenly split between males (48.7%) and females (51.3%).
Sister City
Walker has a special connection with another city far away. It is the sister city of Colac, Victoria in Australia.
See also
In Spanish: Walker (Míchigan) para niños
