Township · Michigan
South Arm Township, Michigan
South Arm Township, township, in Charlevoix County, Michigan. South Arm Township had 1,932 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,939 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,911 (±279). GEOID 2602974680.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,932
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,939 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,911 ±279
Median household income
$84,107
±$4,836 (90% margin)
Michigan: $72,875
Median home value
$262,400
±$21,492 (90% margin)
Michigan: $231,600
Median gross rent
$1,479
±$271 (90% margin)
Michigan: $1,129
Where is South Arm Township and what county is it in?
South Arm Township is a township in Charlevoix County, Michigan. It covers 30.7 square miles of land, 63 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in South Arm Township, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,932 people lived in South Arm Township on July 1, 2025, about level with 2020, in line with Michigan (+0.5%). The 2020 Census counted 1,939 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,911 (±279).
| Measure | South Arm Township | Charlevoix County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,911±279 | 26,108 | no clear change |
| Households | 792±116 | 12,267 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.29±0.17 | 2.10 | −0.27 |
| Housing units | 1,104±136 | 17,640 | no clear change |
South Arm Township's population since 2000
From 1,844 in 2000 to 1,932 in 2025: up 4.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for South Arm 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 South Arm Township?
The median resident of South Arm Township is 49.3 years old; 16.6% are under 18 and 25.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 94.3%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 3.8%.
| Measure | South Arm Township | Charlevoix County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.3±7.1 | 50.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 16.6%±3.7 pts | 17.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 25.8%±4.1 pts | 27.1% | – |
| Male | 45.9%±3.2 pts | 49.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.6%±1.0 pts | 2.0% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 94.3%±2.1 pts | 92.3% | −3.9 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.8%±1.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.3 pts | 0.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.3%±0.4 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.8%±1.7 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.1 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.5%±0.5 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.5%±2.3 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.3%±2.7 pts | 7.3% | – |
| With a disability | 11.8%±3.8 pts | 14.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.8%±2.9 pts | 6.2% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 93.4%±2.6 pts | 95.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 30.4%±4.8 pts | 35.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 10.6%±3.3 pts | 14.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 91.9%±4.9 pts | 92.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.9%±0.8 pts | 1.1% | – |
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 South Arm Township earn?
Half of South Arm Township's 792 households earn less than $84,107 a year (±$4,836), against $76,531 in Charlevoix County and $72,875 in Michigan. In 2015-2019 the median was $76,234 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $7,873 after inflation. 7.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | South Arm Township | Charlevoix County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $84,107±$4,836 | $76,531 | +$7,873 |
| Mean household income | $103,990±$11,143 | $104,936 | – |
| Per capita income | $43,750±$4,571 | $48,894 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 7.9%±3.1 pts | 8.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 6.9%±6.9 pts | 9.9% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 2.5%±1.8 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.7%±1.8 pts | 94.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.8%±4.1 pts | 90.1% | – |
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 South Arm Township?
Owners occupy 87.4% of South Arm Township's occupied homes and renters 12.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $262,400 by its owner (±$21,492). The median renter pays $1,479 a month including utilities.
| Measure | South Arm Township | Charlevoix County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $262,400±$21,492 | $276,800 | +$71,396 |
| Median gross rent | $1,479±$271 | $949 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 12.3%±18.3 pts | 35.1% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,495±$179 | $1,478 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 87.4%±6.1 pts | 83.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 12.6%±6.1 pts | 16.5% | – |
| Housing units | 1,104±136 | 17,640 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0%±4.2 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±25.5 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 90.4%±3.2 pts | 78.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 9.6%±3.2 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.4%±1.0 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 10.9%±4.2 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 10.2%±4.1 pts | 10.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.8%±3.4 pts | 5.4% | – |
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 do people in South Arm Township work and get to work?
75.5% of South Arm Township's workers drive alone and 13.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 24.3 minutes.
| Measure | South Arm Township | Charlevoix County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 56.0%±5.8 pts | 57.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1%±2.8 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 75.5%±7.2 pts | 74.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.6%±3.3 pts | 9.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0%±3.3 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 1.4%±1.3 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Worked from home | 13.1%±5.8 pts | 12.4% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 24.3 min±3.2 | 19.9 min | +4.3 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 South Arm Township?
1 census tract lies mostly in South Arm Township, and 3 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
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 South Arm Township) · Census block assignment files
How does South Arm Township compare with other places in Michigan?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, South Arm Township is the 4,970th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 614th-most populous of 1,240 in Michigan.
South Arm Township ranks 374th 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 | 614th | 1,240 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 752nd | 1,281 |
| Residents per square mile | 972nd | 1,356 |
| Median household income | 374th | 1,354 |
| Per capita income | 341st | 1,355 |
| Median home value | 347th | 1,354 |
| Median gross rent | 98th | 1,212 |
| Poverty rate | 817th | 1,213 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 392nd | 1,350 |
| Median age | 273rd | 1,356 |
| Owner-occupied share | 626th | 1,356 |
| Work from home | 342nd | 1,062 |
| Travel time to work | 765th | 1,356 |
South Arm Township's figures with every place in Michigan (CSV)
Every place in Michigan, sortable · Compare South Arm 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 South Arm Township?
17 of the 57 figures for South Arm 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 South Arm 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.