St. Joseph Charter Township, Michigan
Encyclopedia
St. Joseph Charter Township is a charter township
of Berrien County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. The population was 10,042 at the 2000 census
. The township is on the shores of Lake Michigan
in the west central portion of the county, south of and adjacent to the City of St. Joseph
. The Village of Shoreham
, on Lake Michigan south of St. Joseph city, is the only incorporated community within the boundaries of the township. Both the village and township are bedroom communities for the city of St. Joseph.
The St. Joseph River
flows through the township. Fair Plain
is an unincorporated census-designated place
that includes the portion of the township lying north of the St. Joseph River
.
The township was one of the original divisions of Berrien County, and was organized in 1832.
, the township has a total area of 7 square miles (18.1 km²), of which, 6.7 square miles (17.4 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (4.30%) is water.
of 2000, there were 10,042 people, 4,094 households, and 2,947 families residing in the township. The population density
was 1,507.1 per square mile (582.2/km²). There were 4,271 housing units at an average density of 641.0 per square mile (247.6/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 85.21% White, 11.47% African American, 0.32% Native American, 1.72% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.44% from other races
, and 0.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.05% of the population.
There were 4,094 households out of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.5% were married couples
living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the township the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $54,158, and the median income for a family was $60,743. Males had a median income of $49,410 versus $31,375 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $28,095. About 2.2% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.
Charter township
A charter township is a form of local government in the U.S. state of Michigan. Townships in Michigan are organized governments. A charter township is a township that has been granted a charter, which allows it certain rights and responsibilities of home rule that are generally intermediary in...
of Berrien County
Berrien County, Michigan
Berrien County is a county located in the extreme southwest of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is included in the Niles-Benton Harbor, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 156,813. The county seat is St. Joseph....
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 10,042 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 on the shores 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...
in the west central portion of the county, south of and adjacent to the City of St. Joseph
St. Joseph, Michigan
St. Joseph is a city in the US state of Michigan. It was incorporated as a village in 1834 and as a city in 1891. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 8,789. It lies on the shore of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the St. Joseph River, about east-northeast of Chicago. It is the county...
. The Village of Shoreham
Shoreham, Michigan
Shoreham is a village in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 860 at the 2000 census. The village is located within St. Joseph Charter Township on the shore of Lake Michigan, just south of the City of St...
, on Lake Michigan south of St. Joseph city, is the only incorporated community within the boundaries of the township. Both the village and township are bedroom communities for the city of St. Joseph.
The St. Joseph River
St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan)
The St. Joseph River is a river, approximately long, in southern Michigan and northern Indiana in the United States. It drains a primarily rural farming area in the watershed of Lake Michigan...
flows through the township. Fair Plain
Fair Plain, Michigan
Fair Plain is an unincorporated community in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a census-designated place for statistical purposes and has no legal status as a municipality. The population of the CDP was 7,828 at the 2000 census....
is an unincorporated census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
that includes the portion of the township lying north of the St. Joseph River
St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan)
The St. Joseph River is a river, approximately long, in southern Michigan and northern Indiana in the United States. It drains a primarily rural farming area in the watershed of Lake Michigan...
.
The township was one of the original divisions of Berrien County, and was organized in 1832.
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 7 square miles (18.1 km²), of which, 6.7 square miles (17.4 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (4.30%) 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 10,042 people, 4,094 households, and 2,947 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 1,507.1 per square mile (582.2/km²). There were 4,271 housing units at an average density of 641.0 per square mile (247.6/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 85.21% White, 11.47% African American, 0.32% Native American, 1.72% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.44% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.05% of the population.
There were 4,094 households out of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.5% 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, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the township the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $54,158, and the median income for a family was $60,743. Males had a median income of $49,410 versus $31,375 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 $28,095. About 2.2% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.