Reading Township, Michigan

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 35.01 square miles (90.7 km²), of which 33.98 square miles (88.0 km²) is land and 1.02 square miles (2.6 km²) (2.91%) is water. Part of that water mass includes the following lakes: Helmlock, Carpenter, Long, Round, Berry, PawPaw, Allen, Loon, Turner, Mead, Rebeck and others.

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 1,781 people, 711 households, and 524 families residing in the township. The population density was 52.3 per square mile (20.2/km²). There were 1,147 housing units at an average density of 33.7 per square mile (13.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 98.15% White, 0.17% African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.34% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.07% of the population.

There were 711 households, out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.1% were married couples living together, 5.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.2% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the township the population was spread out, with 23.9% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.8 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $40,938, and the median income for a family was $46,696. Males had a median income of $34,453 versus $22,500 for females. The per capita income for the township was $19,625. About 5.4% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.0% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.

Between 2010 and 2012, Reading Township was the site of a proposed wind farm, creating controversy within the area between supporters and opponents[3] of the Duke Energy project.[4] In October 2012, Duke Energy announced that it was indefinitely suspending the project, with no turbines constructed.[5]