Big Prairie township, Michigan
Big Prairie township profile, demographic data, and geographic information.
Big Prairie township is a geographic entity located in Newaygo County, Michigan. As of official census estimates, it has a reported population of 2,569. The land area covers 31.45 sq mi. [1]
Demographics & Population
| Demographic Metric | Estimate / Count | Margin of Error | Survey Period / Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Population (2025 PEP Estimate) | 2,569 | — | 2025 / Census |
| Median Age | 50.9 yrs | ±5.9 | 2020-2024 / Census ACS 5-Year 2024 |
| Total Households | 1,108 | ±98 | 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 | 1,600 | ±146 |
| Occupied Housing Units | 1,108 | ±98 |
| Vacant Housing Units | 492 | ±112 |
| Median Home Value | $143,500 | ±$26,390 |
| Median Gross Rent | $950 | ±$108 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2020-2024).
Economy & Workforce
| Economic Metric | Estimate / Value | Margin of Error |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $53,289 | ±$5,880 |
| Per Capita Income | $29,947 | ±$4,869 |
| Poverty Rate | 22.1% | ±6.9% |
| Population Below Poverty Level | 551 | ±173 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7% | ±3.6% |
| Civilian Labor Force, Employed | 899 | ±112 |
| Broadband Internet Rate | 79.1% | ±4.1% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
TOWNSHIP OF BIG PRAIRIE
GUS Population: 2,551 (2024)
ID: 167199
|
Township | Official Local Government |
Contact: TOWNSHIP CLERK
5160 S. CROTON-HARDY DR., NEWAYGO MI 49337-7108
|
|
GUS Population: 51,504 (2024)
ID: 166605
|
County | Official County Government |
Contact: COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
PO BOX 885, WHITE CLOUD MI 49349-0885
|
Education
Listing 10 local institutions (NCES 2024-2025)
External reference via K12Guides
| Institution | Type | Grades | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular School Nearby | 09-12 | BIG RAPIDS, MI | |
| Regular School Nearby | 05-08 | BIG RAPIDS, MI | |
| Alternative School Nearby | KG-12 | BIG RAPIDS, MI | |
| Regular School Nearby | PK-04 | BIG RAPIDS, MI | |
| Regular School Nearby | KG-12 | BIG RAPIDS, MI | |
| Regular School Nearby | KG-05 | BIG RAPIDS, MI | |
| Special Education School Nearby | PK | BIG RAPIDS, MI | |
| Regular School Nearby | PK-KG | BIG RAPIDS, MI | |
| Regular School Nearby | 02-04 | GRANT, MI | |
| Regular School Nearby | 09-12 | GRANT, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ferris State University
|
College | 13.5 mi away | 1201 S State St, Big Rapids, MI, 49307-2251 |
2315912000
|
|
CROTON TOWNSHIP LIBRARY
|
Library | 5.9 mi away | 8260 SOUTH CROTON-HARDY DRIVE, NEWAYGO, MI, 49337 |
(231) 652-1615
|
|
WALTON ERICKSON PUBLIC LIBRARY
|
Library | 8.2 mi away | 4808 NORTHLAND DRIVE, MORLEY, MI, 49336 |
(231) 856-4298
|
|
WHITE CLOUD COMMUNITY LIBRARY
|
Library | 9.1 mi away | 1038 WILCOX AVENUE, WHITE CLOUD, MI, 49349 |
(231) 689-6631
|
|
TIMOTHY C. HAUENSTEIN REYNOLDS TOWNSHIP LIBRARY
|
Library | 10.3 mi away | 117 WEST WILLIAMS STREET, HOWARD CITY, MI, 49329 |
(231) 937-5575
|
|
NEWAYGO AREA DISTRICT LIBRARY
|
Library | 11.8 mi away | 44 NORTH STATE ROAD, NEWAYGO, MI, 49337 |
(231) 652-6723
|
|
BIG RAPIDS COMMUNITY LIBRARY
|
Library | 13.9 mi away | 426 SOUTH MICHIGAN AVENUE, BIG RAPIDS, MI, 49307 |
(231) 796-5234
|
|
NELSON TOWNSHIP/ SAND LAKE BRANCH LIBRARY
|
Library | 15.7 mi away | 88 EIGHTH STREET, SAND LAKE, MI, 49343 |
(616) 784-2007
|
|
GRANT AREA DISTRICT LIBRARY
|
Library | 15.9 mi away | 122 ELDER STREET, GRANT, MI, 49327 |
(231) 834-5713
|
|
TAMARACK DISTRICT LIBRARY
|
Library | 17.3 mi away | 832 SOUTH LINCOLN AVENUE, LAKEVIEW, MI, 48850 |
(989) 352-6274
|
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 BIG RAPIDS WTP, MI US, located 14.7 miles from Big Prairie township. Local microclimates, topography, and elevation may cause municipal conditions to differ.
| Month | High (°F) | Low (°F) | Mean (°F) | Precip (in) | Snow (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28.2° | 12.7° | 20.4° | 2.43" | 17.8" |
| February | 31.4° | 12.2° | 21.8° | 1.97" | 16.0" |
| March | 42.0° | 19.8° | 30.9° | 2.57" | 7.7" |
| April | 54.8° | 30.9° | 42.9° | 3.95" | 1.5" |
| May | 67.6° | 43.2° | 55.4° | 3.76" | 0.0" |
| June | 77.2° | 53.0° | 65.1° | 3.36" | 0.0" |
| July | 81.3° | 57.1° | 69.2° | 3.48" | 0.0" |
| August | 79.0° | 55.0° | 67.0° | 4.24" | 0.0" |
| September | 71.6° | 46.9° | 59.3° | 3.02" | 0.0" |
| October | 58.1° | 36.3° | 47.2° | 3.76" | 0.2" |
| November | 44.1° | 27.5° | 35.8° | 3.05" | 3.8" |
| December | 33.2° | 19.3° | 26.3° | 2.33" | 14.3" |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morley village | Village | 8.0 mi | — |
| Stanwood village | Village | 9.0 mi | — |
| White Cloud city | City | 9.2 mi | — |
| Howard City village | Village | 10.7 mi | — |
| Newaygo city | City | 11.9 mi | — |
| Big Rapids city | City | 14.3 mi | — |
Sources & Data Provenance
- Geographic Classification & Identifiers: U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer (2026) and TIGER/Line Shapefiles. GEOID: 2612308280. • 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.