According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of, of which is land and is water. The township is in southeastern Jackson County and is bordered to the south by Lenawee County. U.S. Route 127 follows the western border of the township and leads north to Jackson, the county seat, and south to Hudson. M-50 runs through the eastern side of the township and the village of Brooklyn, leading northwest to Jackson and southeast to Tecumseh. M-124 runs east-southeast from Brooklyn past Vineyard Lake and Wamplers Lake to US-12 in Lenawee County. The township is the headwaters of the River Raisin which passes through Vineyard Lake and ultimately flows east to Lake Erie. Goose Creek passes through the manmade lake Lake Columbia then into the Raisin River. The headwaters of the Grand River pass through the west end of the township, ultimately leading north and west to Lake Michigan. The township contains the northern part of the Michigan International Speedway property.
Government
Supervisor Robert Elrod
Clerk Barry Marsh
Treasurer John C. Calhoun
Trustees Robin Tackett, Rick Deland, Brent Beamish, and Phil Reynolds
The township has a 24/7 police department, as well as a part-paid fire department, with two full-time fire personnel chief/fire inspector and assistant chief and two fire stations.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,234 people, 2,894 households, and 2,115 families residing in the township. The population density was 197.8 per square mile. There were 3,552 housing units at an average density of 97.1 per square mile. The racial makeup of the township was 97.82% White, 0.07% African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.39% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.37% of the population. There were 2,894 households, out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.0% were married couplesliving together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.9% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.89. In the township the population was spread out, with 23.2% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 28.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.9 males. The median income for a household in the township was $51,632, and the median income for a family was $60,111. Males had a median income of $43,359 versus $30,410 for females. The per capita income for the township was $25,763. About 3.4% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.2% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.
