Census tract · Montcalm County
Census Tract 9704, Montcalm County, Michigan
Census Tract 9704, GEOID 26117970400, in Montcalm County, Michigan, mostly within Cato Township (71% of its census blocks). 3,449 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±164); the 2020 Census counted 3,495.
Residents, 2020-2024
3,449
±164 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 3,495
Median household income
$64,954
±$10,058 (90% margin)
Montcalm County: $67,344
Median home value
$174,400
±$13,612 (90% margin)
Montcalm County: $185,500
Median gross rent
$725
±$292 (90% margin)
Montcalm County: $869
Where is Census Tract 9704?
Census Tract 9704 is one of 14 census tracts in Montcalm County, Michigan. It covers 36.88 square miles of land, 95 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 26117970400, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Cato Township | 71% |
| Belvidere Township | 29% |
| Lakeview | 28% |
4 census tracts border Census Tract 9704: Tract 9610.02 in Mecosta County ($68,500), Tract 9703 ($64,194), Tract 9705.02 ($72,973) and Tract 9707 ($78,537). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 9704?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 9704's population at 3,449 (±164) in 1,317 households; the 2020 Census counted 3,495 residents and 1,837 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 9704 | Cato Township |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,449 ±164 | 2,950 |
| Households | 1,317 ±119 | 1,058 |
| Average household size | 2.59 ±0.23 | 2.75 |
| Housing units | 1,681 ±134 | 1,290 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 9704?
The median resident of Census Tract 9704 is 38.0 years old; 22.8% are under 18 and 18.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 83.6%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 8.3%.
| Measure | Tract 9704 | Cato Township |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.0 ±4.3 | 37.5 |
| Under 18 years | 22.8% ±3.9 pts | 23.8% |
| 65 years and over | 18.4% ±2.6 pts | 17.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.8% ±2.5 pts | 5.3% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 83.6% ±9.3 pts | 81.9% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 8.3% ±7.1 pts | 9.7% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 0.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.0% ±1.9 pts | 3.2% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% |
| Born outside the United States | 1.8% ±1.4 pts | 1.6% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 7.7% ±5.7 pts | 8.7% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 12.2% ±3.2 pts | 10.7% |
| With a disability | 18.6% ±4.6 pts | 19.1% |
| No health insurance coverage | 10.6% ±6.2 pts | 11.5% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 89.8% ±3.2 pts | 88.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 14.1% ±3.2 pts | 14.4% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 2.0% ±1.0 pts | 2.1% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.0% ±6.5 pts | 86.9% |
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 Census Tract 9704 earn?
Half of the 1,317 households in Census Tract 9704 earn less than $64,954 a year (±$10,058), against $67,344 across Montcalm County: 8th highest of the county's 14 tracts with a reliable estimate. 15.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 9704 | Cato Township |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $64,954 ±$10,058 | $67,500 |
| Mean household income | $72,973 ±$8,071 | $79,707 |
| Per capita income | $29,735 ±$2,964 | $31,236 |
| People below the poverty line | 15.3% ±6.6 pts | 17.1% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 24.6% ±16.3 pts | 27.4% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 17.0% ±6.1 pts | 21.1% |
| Households with a computer | 87.6% ±4.9 pts | 91.5% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 81.7% ±5.6 pts | 79.9% |
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 Census Tract 9704?
Owners occupy 84.3% of Census Tract 9704's occupied homes and renters 15.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $174,400 by its owner (±$13,612). The median renter pays $725 a month including utilities, and 38.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 9704 | Cato Township |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $174,400 ±$13,612 | $174,200 |
| Median gross rent | $725 ±$292 | $711 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 38.6% ±18.8 pts | 38.8% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,330 ±$263 | $1,438 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 84.3% ±4.2 pts | 83.6% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 15.7% ±4.2 pts | 16.4% |
| Housing units | 1,681 ±134 | 1,290 |
| Single-family detached homes | 84.5% ±4.0 pts | 82.0% |
| Mobile homes | 8.3% ±2.7 pts | 8.5% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 0.0% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.5% ±1.5 pts | 2.4% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 13.7% ±3.6 pts | 18.0% |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.6% ±4.2 pts | 9.5% |
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 Census Tract 9704 get to work?
81.3% of Census Tract 9704's workers drive alone and 7.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 30.5 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 9704 | Cato Township |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 52.9% ±6.5 pts | 54.9% |
| Unemployment rate | 7.8% ±7.7 pts | 8.4% |
| Drove alone to work | 81.3% ±5.6 pts | 79.1% |
| Carpooled | 7.7% ±4.0 pts | 6.1% |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.0% |
| Walked | 2.6% ±3.4 pts | 3.0% |
| Worked from home | 7.3% ±2.6 pts | 9.4% |
| Mean travel time to work | 30.5 min ±3.8 | 31.2 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
How does Census Tract 9704 compare with the other tracts in Montcalm County?
Among Montcalm County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 9704 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Montcalm County |
|---|---|
| Population | 11th of 14 |
| Residents per square mile | 6th of 14 |
| Median household income | 8th of 14 |
| Per capita income | 10th of 14 |
| Median home value | 10th of 14 |
| Median gross rent | 11th of 13 |
| Poverty rate | 5th of 14 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10th of 14 |
| Median age | 11th of 14 |
| Owner-occupied share | 8th of 14 |
The tracts next to it on Montcalm County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9710 | 5th | $70,509±$6,980 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9713 | 6th | $68,301±$9,320 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9712 | 7th | $67,327±$9,845 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9704 | 8th | $64,954±$10,058 |
| Tract 9703 | 9th | $64,194±$13,276 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9709 | 10th | $63,158±$14,134 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9711 | 11th | $61,444±$6,431 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 9704?
2 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 9704 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.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). 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 · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections