Charter township · Michigan
Gaines Charter Township, Michigan
Gaines Charter Township, charter township, in Kent County, Michigan. Gaines Charter Township had 30,659 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 6.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 28,812 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 29,469 (±35). GEOID 2608131240.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
30,659
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 28,812 · ACS 2020-2024: 29,469 ±35
Median household income
$82,738
±$6,919 (90% margin)
Michigan: $72,875
Median home value
$325,200
±$15,173 (90% margin)
Michigan: $231,600
Median gross rent
$1,314
±$60 (90% margin)
Michigan: $1,129
Where is Gaines Charter Township and what county is it in?
Gaines Charter Township is a charter township in Kent County, Michigan. It covers 35.7 square miles of land, 807 residents per square mile in 2020.
Part of Cutlerville (CDP) also lies in it.
Gaines Charter Township is in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 5 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Gaines Charter Township, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 30,659 people lived in Gaines Charter Township on July 1, 2025, up 6.5% since 2020, faster than Michigan (+0.5%). The 2020 Census counted 28,812 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 29,469 (±35).
| Measure | Gaines Charter Township | Kent County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 29,469±35 | 663,150 | +2,563 |
| Households | 11,343±450 | 256,648 | +1,859 |
| Average household size | 2.57±0.10 | 2.54 | −0.24 |
| Housing units | 11,923±468 | 269,136 | +2,124 |
Gaines Charter Township's population since 2000
From 20,112 in 2000 to 30,659 in 2025: up 52.4%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Gaines Charter Township as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Gaines Charter Township?
The median resident of Gaines Charter Township is 36.9 years old; 26.4% are under 18 and 14.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 64.5%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 12.2%. 14.6% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Gaines Charter Township | Kent County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.9±1.6 | 35.9 | +2.9 |
| Under 18 years | 26.4%±2.0 pts | 23.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 14.2%±1.8 pts | 14.9% | – |
| Male | 50.3%±1.8 pts | 49.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 12.2%±3.7 pts | 11.7% | +6.0 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 64.5%±3.2 pts | 70.4% | −10.5 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 9.9%±3.2 pts | 9.4% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 8.7%±2.7 pts | 3.2% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.2%±1.7 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.3%±0.4 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 14.6%±2.4 pts | 8.9% | +6.4 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 19.3%±3.1 pts | 13.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.9%±1.1 pts | 4.9% | – |
| With a disability | 10.8%±1.7 pts | 11.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.0%±1.5 pts | 4.8% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.4%±1.9 pts | 92.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 35.5%±3.0 pts | 40.8% | +4.4 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 10.5%±1.7 pts | 14.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 88.5%±2.8 pts | 87.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.0%±0.5 pts | 1.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Gaines Charter Township earn?
Half of Gaines Charter Township's 11,343 households earn less than $82,738 a year (±$6,919), against $82,631 in Kent County and $72,875 in Michigan. In 2015-2019 it was $83,616 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 7.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Gaines Charter Township | Kent County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $82,738±$6,919 | $82,631 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $108,492±$7,680 | $109,612 | – |
| Per capita income | $42,260±$2,613 | $42,992 | +$4,244 |
| People below the poverty line | 7.9%±2.1 pts | 10.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 10.4%±4.1 pts | 13.0% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.3%±3.4 pts | 10.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.8%±1.0 pts | 95.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.5%±1.8 pts | 92.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Gaines Charter Township?
Owners occupy 72.1% of Gaines Charter Township's occupied homes and renters 27.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $325,200 by its owner (±$15,173). The median renter pays $1,314 a month including utilities, and 36.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Gaines Charter Township | Kent County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $325,200±$15,173 | $289,900 | +$82,876 |
| Median gross rent | $1,314±$60 | $1,243 | +$177 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 36.9%±7.4 pts | 39.9% | +20.3 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,744±$91 | $1,603 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 72.1%±2.8 pts | 70.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 27.9%±2.8 pts | 29.7% | – |
| Housing units | 11,923±468 | 269,136 | +2,124 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.2%±0.3 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.1%±2.6 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 52.3%±3.5 pts | 64.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 12.6%±2.3 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 3.2%±1.5 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 12.5%±2.6 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 3.8%±1.7 pts | 16.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.1%±0.9 pts | 6.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Gaines Charter Township building?
Builders took permits for 183 new housing units in Gaines Charter Township in 2025 (75 in single-family houses), 6.0 per 1,000 residents against 2.3 across Michigan.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Gaines Charter Township work and get to work?
76.8% of Gaines Charter Township's workers drive alone and 11.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 20.9 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 2.4%.
| Measure | Gaines Charter Township | Kent County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 70.6%±2.2 pts | 68.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.4%±1.0 pts | 4.2% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 76.8%±2.6 pts | 73.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.4%±2.1 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.3%±1.1 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Walked | 0.8%±0.5 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 11.6%±1.8 pts | 14.3% | +8.7 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 20.9 min±1.6 | 21.0 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Gaines Charter Township?
6 census tracts lie mostly in Gaines Charter Township (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $59,007 (Tract 147.03) to $141,389 (Tract 148.03).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 148.05Kent County | 7,834 | $131,129 |
| Tract 148.09Kent County | 6,050 | $66,826 |
| Tract 148.03Kent County | 5,064 | $141,389 |
| Tract 147.03Kent County | 4,922 | $59,007 |
| Tract 147.04Kent County | 3,453 | $74,661 |
| Tract 148.08Kent County | 2,146 | $69,773 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Gaines Charter Township) · Census block assignment files
How does Gaines Charter Township compare with other places in Michigan?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Gaines Charter Township is the 348th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 27th-most populous of 1,240 in Michigan.
Gaines Charter Township ranks 412th of 1,354 places in Michigan with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 27th | 1,240 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 46th | 1,281 |
| Residents per square mile | 398th | 1,356 |
| Median household income | 412th | 1,354 |
| Per capita income | 400th | 1,355 |
| Median home value | 180th | 1,354 |
| Median gross rent | 169th | 1,212 |
| Poverty rate | 817th | 1,213 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 280th | 1,350 |
| Median age | 1,141st | 1,356 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,062nd | 1,356 |
| Work from home | 449th | 1,062 |
| Travel time to work | 1,057th | 1,356 |
Gaines Charter Township's figures with every place in Michigan (CSV)
Every place in Michigan, sortable · Compare Gaines Charter Township with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Gaines Charter Township?
6 of the 57 figures for Gaines Charter Township on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Gaines Charter Township are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.