Backus township, Michigan
Backus township profile, demographic data, and geographic information.
Backus township is a geographic entity located in Roscommon County, Michigan. As of official census estimates, it has a reported population of 299. The land area covers 34.37 sq mi. [1]
Demographics & Population
| Demographic Metric | Estimate / Count | Margin of Error | Survey Period / Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Population (2025 PEP Estimate) | 299 | — | 2025 / Census |
| Median Age | 53.3 yrs | ±6.7 | 2020-2024 / Census ACS 5-Year 2024 |
| Total Households | 176 | ±48 | 2020-2024 / Census ACS 5-Year 2024 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (PEP, ACS 5-Year).
Housing & Real Estate Profile
| Housing Metric | Estimate / Value | Margin of Error |
|---|---|---|
| Total Housing Units | 305 | ±56 |
| Occupied Housing Units | 176 | ±48 |
| Vacant Housing Units | 129 | ±36 |
| Median Home Value | $167,900 | ±$40,320 |
| Median Gross Rent | Suppressed | — |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2020-2024).
Economy & Workforce
| Economic Metric | Estimate / Value | Margin of Error |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $62,500 | ±$14,905 |
| Per Capita Income | $32,850 | ±$7,138 |
| Poverty Rate | 14.4% | ±8% |
| Population Below Poverty Level | 54 | ±33 |
| Unemployment Rate | 9% | ±9.5% |
| Civilian Labor Force, Employed | 172 | ±68 |
| Broadband Internet Rate | 92.6% | ±6.7% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2020-2024).
Local Government & Public Administration
Authoritative general-purpose local government units serving this area
U.S. Census Bureau GUS (2026) / GMAF
| Government Unit | Unit Type | Jurisdiction Role | Contact / Address |
|---|---|---|---|
|
GUS Population: 301 (2024)
ID: 167260
|
Township | Official Local Government |
Contact: CLERK
2360 S MAPLE VALLEY RD, SAINT HELEN MI 48656
|
|
GUS Population: 23,932 (2024)
ID: 106301
|
County | Official County Government |
Contact: HR PAYROLL CLERK
500 LAKE ST, ROSCOMMON MI 48653-7690
|
Education
Listing 10 local institutions (NCES 2024-2025)
External reference via K12Guides
| Institution | Type | Grades | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular School Nearby | PK-12 | SAINT HELEN, MI | |
| Regular School Nearby | PK-06 | HOUGHTON LAKE, MI | |
| Alternative School Nearby | 09-12 | HOUGHTON LAKE, MI | |
| Regular School Nearby | 07-12 | HOUGHTON LAKE, MI | |
| Regular School Nearby | 07-12 | ROSCOMMON, MI | |
| Regular School Nearby | PK-04 | WEST BRANCH, MI | |
| Regular School Nearby | 05-08 | WEST BRANCH, MI | |
| 4 Nearby | 3-16 | ROSCOMMON, MI | |
| 6 Nearby | 6-13 | GLADWIN, MI | |
| 2 Nearby | 2-13 | PRUDENVILLE, MI |
Source: k12guides.com.
Community Facilities & Infrastructure
Displaying 10 civic institutions across 2 datasets queried
CMS • IPEDS • IMLS
| Facility Name | Category | Relationship | Address / Location | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mid Michigan College
|
College | 23.8 mi away | 1375 S Clare Ave, Harrison, MI, 48625-9447 |
9893866622
|
|
RICHFIELD TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
|
Library | 8.4 mi away | 1410 NORTH SAINT HELEN ROAD, SAINT HELEN, MI, 48656 |
(989) 389-7630
|
|
Kirtland Community College
|
College | 24.2 mi away | 4800 W 4 Mile Road, Grayling, MI, 49738 |
9892755000
|
|
HOUGHTON LAKE PUBLIC LIBRARY
|
Library | 9.6 mi away | 4431 WEST HOUGHTON LAKE DRIVE, HOUGHTON LAKE, MI, 48629 |
(989) 366-9230
|
|
WEST BRANCH DISTRICT LIBRARY
|
Library | 14.7 mi away | 119 NORTH FOURTH STREET, WEST BRANCH, MI, 48661 |
(989) 345-2235
|
|
ROSCOMMON AREA DISTRICT LIBRARY
|
Library | 15.1 mi away | 106 LAKE ST., ROSCOMMON, MI, 48653 |
(989) 281-1305
|
|
LYON TOWNSHIP BRANCH LIBRARY
|
Library | 18.0 mi away | 7851 WEST HIGGINS LAKE DRIVE, HIGGINS LAKE, MI, 48627 |
(989) 821-9111
|
|
GLADWIN COUNTY DISTRICT LIBRARY
|
Library | 20.2 mi away | 402 JAMES ROBERTSON DRIVE, GLADWIN, MI, 48624 |
(989) 426-8221
|
|
HARRISON DISTRICT LIBRARY
|
Library | 21.9 mi away | 125 W. BEECH STREET, HARRISON, MI, 48625 |
(989) 539-6711
|
|
OGEMAW DISTRICT LIBRARY
|
Library | 23.1 mi away | 107 WEST MAIN STREET, ROSE CITY, MI, 48654 |
(989) 685-3300
|
Distances calculated from authoritative source coordinates. Source: CMS, IMLS, NCES IPEDS.
Climate & Weather Observations
NOAA Monthly Climate Normals
Observation Station: Climate data reflects NOAA 1991–2020 standard normals recorded at HOUGHTON LK ROSCOMMON AP, MI US, located 9.0 miles from Backus township. Local microclimates, topography, and elevation may cause municipal conditions to differ.
| Month | High (°F) | Low (°F) | Mean (°F) | Precip (in) | Snow (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 26.9° | 11.4° | 19.1° | 1.70" | 16.4" |
| February | 29.6° | 11.0° | 20.3° | 1.41" | 13.6" |
| March | 40.4° | 19.1° | 29.7° | 1.78" | 8.3" |
| April | 53.8° | 30.7° | 42.2° | 3.10" | 4.4" |
| May | 67.2° | 42.3° | 54.7° | 3.15" | 0.1" |
| June | 76.7° | 51.1° | 63.9° | 3.22" | 0.0" |
| July | 80.5° | 55.0° | 67.8° | 2.74" | 0.0" |
| August | 78.3° | 53.3° | 65.8° | 2.86" | 0.0" |
| September | 70.6° | 46.1° | 58.3° | 2.59" | 0.0" |
| October | 56.8° | 36.8° | 46.8° | 3.08" | 0.5" |
| November | 43.1° | 27.9° | 35.5° | 2.20" | 7.5" |
| December | 32.1° | 19.0° | 25.6° | 1.76" | 15.1" |
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020).
Local Weather Forecast
Weather forecast data is currently unavailable in the local cache.
Nearby Cities & Communities
Listing adjacent communities by spatial proximity (miles)
Proximity discovery
| Community Name | Classification | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prudenville CDP | CDP | 6.7 mi | — |
| St. Helen CDP | CDP | 8.5 mi | — |
| Houghton Lake CDP | CDP | 10.7 mi | — |
| West Branch city | City | 14.8 mi | — |
| Roscommon village | Village | 15.0 mi | — |
| Gladwin city | City | 20.1 mi | — |
Sources & Data Provenance
- Geographic Classification & Identifiers: U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer (2026) and TIGER/Line Shapefiles. GEOID: 2614304720. • Official Source Dataset →
- Socioeconomic & Housing Metrics: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates and Population Estimates Program (PEP). Margin of Error (MOE) intervals are reported where published; suppressed values are never estimated or replaced with false zeros.
- Civic Directory Datasets: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS Hospital Directory), National Center for Education Statistics (NCES IPEDS Postsecondary Directory), and Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS Public Libraries Survey). Airport landing facilities are provided by airport-data.com.
- Weather & Climate Observations: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 and National Weather Service (NWS) point forecasts.