Lake Township, Benzie County, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Lake Township is a civil township
of Benzie County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. The population was 635 at the 2000 census
. The township is irregularly shaped, following the shore of Lake Michigan
from Crystal Lake north to Leelanau County
. A portion of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
is located in the northern end of the township.
, the township has a total area of 35.1 square miles (90.9 km²), of which, 23.7 square miles (61.4 km²) of it is land and 11.5 square miles (29.8 km²) of it (32.64%) is water.
of 2000, there were 635 people, 318 households, and 227 families residing in the township. The population density
was 26.8 per square mile (10.4/km²). There were 1,106 housing units at an average density of 46.7 per square mile (18.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 98.43% White, 0.79% Native American, and 0.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.31% of the population.
There were 318 households out of which 10.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.9% were married couples
living together, 1.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.6% were non-families. 24.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.00 and the average family size was 2.32.
In the township the population was spread out with 9.4% under the age of 18, 2.4% from 18 to 24, 12.9% from 25 to 44, 35.9% from 45 to 64, and 39.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 61 years. For every 100 females there were 99.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.3 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $46,979, and the median income for a family was $53,194. Males had a median income of $46,250 versus $32,083 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $31,021. About 0.9% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 0.8% of those age 65 or over.
Civil township
A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to, and geographic divisions of, a county. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary based on each state. Civil townships are distinct from survey townships, but in states that have both,...
of Benzie County
Benzie County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 15,998 people, 6,500 households, and 4,595 families residing in the county. The population density was 50 people per square mile . There were 10,312 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. The population was 635 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
. The township is irregularly shaped, following the shore of Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
from Crystal Lake north to Leelanau County
Leelanau County, Michigan
-History:The county's name is said to be a Native American word meaning "delight of life", but it is a neologism made up by Indian agent and ethnographer Henry Schoolcraft, who sometimes gave the name "Leelinau" to Native American women in his tales. He created many faux Indian place names in...
. A portion of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a United States National Lakeshore located along the northwest coast of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan in Leelanau County and Benzie County....
is located in the northern end of the township.
Communities
- Aral Aral built at the mouth of Otter Creek on Lake Michigan in 1880. It was built around the Otter Creek Lumber Mill. It was named Aral after Aral, Ireland because Otter Creek was already the name of another place in Michigan. It had a post office from 1884 until 1900.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the township has a total area of 35.1 square miles (90.9 km²), of which, 23.7 square miles (61.4 km²) of it is land and 11.5 square miles (29.8 km²) of it (32.64%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 635 people, 318 households, and 227 families residing in the township. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 26.8 per square mile (10.4/km²). There were 1,106 housing units at an average density of 46.7 per square mile (18.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 98.43% White, 0.79% Native American, and 0.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.31% of the population.
There were 318 households out of which 10.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 1.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.6% were non-families. 24.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.00 and the average family size was 2.32.
In the township the population was spread out with 9.4% under the age of 18, 2.4% from 18 to 24, 12.9% from 25 to 44, 35.9% from 45 to 64, and 39.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 61 years. For every 100 females there were 99.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.3 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $46,979, and the median income for a family was $53,194. Males had a median income of $46,250 versus $32,083 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the township was $31,021. About 0.9% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 0.8% of those age 65 or over.