Charter township · Michigan
Plainfield Charter Township, Michigan
Plainfield Charter Township, charter township, in Kent County, Michigan. Plainfield Charter Township had 34,770 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 3.7% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 33,535 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 34,040 (±29). GEOID 2608164660.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
34,770
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 33,535 · ACS 2020-2024: 34,040 ±29
Median household income
$94,218
±$7,315 (90% margin)
Michigan: $72,875
Median home value
$326,900
±$12,653 (90% margin)
Michigan: $231,600
Median gross rent
$1,269
±$125 (90% margin)
Michigan: $1,129
Where is Plainfield Charter Township and what county is it in?
Plainfield Charter Township is a charter township in Kent County, Michigan. It covers 35.0 square miles of land, 958 residents per square mile in 2020.
One place lies inside Plainfield Charter Township: Northview (CDP, 15,301 in 2020). Part of Comstock Park (CDP) also lies in it.
Plainfield 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 Plainfield Charter Township, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 34,770 people lived in Plainfield Charter Township on July 1, 2025, up 3.7% since 2020, faster than Michigan (+0.5%). The 2020 Census counted 33,535 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 34,040 (±29).
| Measure | Plainfield Charter Township | Kent County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 34,040±29 | 663,150 | +329 |
| Households | 13,186±399 | 256,648 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.58±0.08 | 2.54 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 13,528±431 | 269,136 | no clear change |
Plainfield Charter Township's population since 2000
From 30,195 in 2000 to 34,770 in 2025: up 15.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Plainfield 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 Plainfield Charter Township?
The median resident of Plainfield Charter Township is 40.9 years old; 23.5% are under 18 and 20.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 86.9%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 5.6%. 3.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Plainfield Charter Township | Kent County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.9±2.3 | 35.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 23.5%±2.0 pts | 23.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 20.5%±2.1 pts | 14.9% | – |
| Male | 50.3%±1.3 pts | 49.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.6%±1.6 pts | 11.7% | +2.1 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 86.9%±2.2 pts | 70.4% | −3.8 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.0%±0.8 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.9%±0.5 pts | 3.2% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.4%±0.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.1%±1.6 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.0%±0.8 pts | 8.9% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.3%±1.2 pts | 13.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.4%±1.3 pts | 4.9% | – |
| With a disability | 11.0%±1.3 pts | 11.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.7%±1.3 pts | 4.8% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.4%±1.1 pts | 92.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 41.2%±2.4 pts | 40.8% | +3.4 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 13.9%±1.6 pts | 14.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.1%±1.3 pts | 87.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.7%±0.4 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 Plainfield Charter Township earn?
Half of Plainfield Charter Township's 13,186 households earn less than $94,218 a year (±$7,315), against $82,631 in Kent County and $72,875 in Michigan. In 2015-2019 it was $88,429 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 6.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Plainfield Charter Township | Kent County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $94,218±$7,315 | $82,631 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $124,822±$7,602 | $109,612 | – |
| Per capita income | $48,511±$3,122 | $42,992 | +$3,870 |
| People below the poverty line | 6.5%±2.3 pts | 10.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 11.4%±6.3 pts | 13.0% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 4.9%±1.7 pts | 10.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.3%±2.4 pts | 95.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.9%±2.4 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 Plainfield Charter Township?
Owners occupy 87.8% of Plainfield Charter Township's occupied homes and renters 12.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $326,900 by its owner (±$12,653). The median renter pays $1,269 a month including utilities, and 36.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Plainfield Charter Township | Kent County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $326,900±$12,653 | $289,900 | +$92,576 |
| Median gross rent | $1,269±$125 | $1,243 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 36.9%±10.2 pts | 39.9% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,660±$53 | $1,603 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 87.8%±1.9 pts | 70.3% | +3.2 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 12.2%±1.9 pts | 29.7% | – |
| Housing units | 13,528±431 | 269,136 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.1%±0.1 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 7.2%±5.4 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 75.2%±2.3 pts | 64.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 6.9%±1.3 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.9%±0.5 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 8.9%±1.6 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 5.1%±1.6 pts | 16.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.2%±1.4 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 Plainfield Charter Township building?
Plainfield Charter Township last reported building permits to the Census Bureau for 2023.
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 Plainfield Charter Township work and get to work?
79.1% of Plainfield Charter Township's workers drive alone and 13.4% work from home. The average trip to work takes 20.2 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.1%.
| Measure | Plainfield Charter Township | Kent County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 67.3%±2.1 pts | 68.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1%±1.9 pts | 4.2% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 79.1%±2.3 pts | 73.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.7%±1.5 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.2%±0.2 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Walked | 1.0%±0.6 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 13.4%±1.9 pts | 14.3% | +8.0 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 20.2 min±1.0 | 21.0 min | −2.9 min |
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 Plainfield Charter Township?
7 census tracts lie mostly in Plainfield Charter Township (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $69,953 (Tract 112) to $130,938 (Tract 111.02).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 113.02Kent County | 6,965 | $109,375 |
| Tract 111.02Kent County | 5,587 | $130,938 |
| Tract 111.01Kent County | 4,641 | $90,652 |
| Tract 110.02Kent County | 4,639 | $103,875 |
| Tract 113.01Kent County | 4,395 | $79,250 |
| Tract 110.01Kent County | 4,141 | $119,063 |
| Tract 112Kent County | 3,908 | $69,953 |
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 Plainfield Charter Township) · Census block assignment files
How does Plainfield Charter Township compare with other places in Michigan?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Plainfield Charter Township is the 288th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 20th-most populous of 1,240 in Michigan.
Plainfield Charter Township ranks 230th 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 | 20th | 1,240 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 191st | 1,281 |
| Residents per square mile | 348th | 1,356 |
| Median household income | 230th | 1,354 |
| Per capita income | 215th | 1,355 |
| Median home value | 178th | 1,354 |
| Median gross rent | 201st | 1,212 |
| Poverty rate | 941st | 1,213 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 187th | 1,350 |
| Median age | 880th | 1,356 |
| Owner-occupied share | 601st | 1,356 |
| Work from home | 321st | 1,062 |
| Travel time to work | 1,108th | 1,356 |
Plainfield Charter Township's figures with every place in Michigan (CSV)
Every place in Michigan, sortable · Compare Plainfield 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 Plainfield Charter Township?
5 of the 57 figures for Plainfield 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 Plainfield 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.