Watson Township, MI

Township in Allegan County, MI, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

2,094

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

41.2

years ∙ half population younger than 41.2, half older

Diversity Index

26.9%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

foreign-born population

95%Native

5% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Watson Township is a township in Allegan County, Michigan, United States.

Location

Township in Allegan County, MI, US

Co-ordinates

DEC42.547769° N, 85.723213° W

DMS42° 32′ 51.97″ N, 85° 43′ 23.57″ W

Population Density & area

59.32/sq mi (22.89/km²)

Total Area

36 sq mi (93.4 km²)

Land Area

35.3 sq mi (91.5 km²) · 98%

Water Area

0.7 sq mi (1.9 km²) · 2%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

49.2% male

Male 49.2%

Female 50.8%

males per 100 females

Watson Township 97

Allegan County 101.1

Michigan 98.2

Nativity

foreign-born population

95%Native

5% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Watson Township 5%

Allegan County 3.5%

Michigan 7.2%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

41.2

years ∙ half population younger than 41.2, half older

Watson Township

41.2

Allegan County

Michigan

40.2

Dependency ratio

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Watson Township 90

Allegan County 71.4

Michigan 66.3

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Watson Township	Allegan County	Michigan
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	23.2%	23.2%	21.2%
Working age (18-64)	52.6%	58.4%	60.2%
Senior (65+)	24.2%	18.4%	18.6%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	90	71.4	66.3
Child dependency ratio	44.1	39.8	35.3
Old-age dependency ratio	45.9	31.6	31

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

85.1%

Black

0.1%

Asian

4.5%

Hispanic

3.4%

Other

6.9%

Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

26.9%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Watson Township 26.9%

Allegan County 27.5%

Michigan 45.2%

Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity

Percentage of Watson Township population

	Watson Township	Allegan County	Michigan
Hispanic or Latino	3.4%	8.1%	5.9%
Mexican	2.8%	6.7%	4%
Puerto Rican	0.6%	0.3%	0.5%
Cuban	0%	0.1%	0.2%
Other Hispanic / Latino	0%	1%	1.2%
Not Hispanic or Latino	96.6%	91.9%	94.1%
One race	90.5%	87.2%	89.6%
White	85.1%	84.6%	72.4%
Black or African American	0.1%	1.2%	13.1%
American Indian and Alaska Native	0%	0.2%	0.3%
Asian	4.5%	0.7%	3.4%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0%	0%	0%
Some Other Race	0.9%	0.5%	0.5%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	6.1%	4.7%	4.5%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

82.7% family

Family 82.7%

Non family 17.3%

% family households

Watson Township 82.7%

Allegan County 72.8%

Michigan 62.4%

Average household size

2.83

persons per household

Watson Township

2.83

Allegan County

2.64

Michigan

2.42

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Watson Township population

	Watson Township	Allegan County	Michigan
Total households	738	45,522	4,076,369
Average houshold size	2.83	2.64	2.42
Family households	610	33,119	2,545,621
Average family size	2.87	3.08	3.05
Married couple family	463	26,368	1,878,767
Other families	147	6,751	666,854
Male householder	31	2,498	199,150
Female householder	116	4,253	467,704
Non-family households	128	12,403	1,530,748
One-person households	90	9,836	1,250,418
Male householder	56	4,764	583,425
Senior (65+) living alone	45	1,732	188,594
Female householder	34	5,072	666,993
Senior (65+) living alone	26	2,996	349,637
Other living arrangements	38	2,567	280,330

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

867

housing units

Watson Township 867

Allegan County 52,636

Michigan 4,622,236

Occupancy status

85.1% occupied

Occupied 85.1%

Vacant 14.9%

vacancy rate

Watson Township 14.9%

Allegan County 13.5%

Michigan 11.8%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

79.5%

Single family houses

79.5%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

0.2%

Mobile homes

19.4%

Boat, RV, van, etc

0.9%

Median Year Built

1987

Half of houses were built before 1987, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

19.7%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

12.6%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

37.3%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

30.5%

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Watson Township	Allegan County	Michigan
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	5.6	6.2	5.9
1–3 rooms	4.6%	5.6%	10.5%
4–6 rooms	63.9%	49.9%	51.9%
7+ rooms	31.5%	44.6%	37.6%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	0%	0.4%	1.6%
1 bedroom	4.6%	4.6%	8.9%
2 bedrooms	12.8%	20.8%	24.6%
3 bedrooms	69.4%	46.7%	43.5%
4+ bedrooms	13.1%	27.5%	21.4%
At a glance
Median year built	1987	1982	1972
Total housing units	867	52,636	4,622,236

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

94.9% owners

Renter-occupied 5.1%

Owner-occupied 94.9%

homeownership rate

Watson Township 94.9%

Allegan County 87.4%

Michigan 73.2%

Average household size

2.85

Owner-occupied

2.58

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Watson Township 2.85

Allegan County 2.68

Michigan 2.54

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Watson Township	Allegan County	Michigan
Total occupied units	738	45,522	4,076,369
Year moved in
2020 or later	15.3%	15.8%	21%
2010 to 2019	32.9%	40.5%	39.5%
2000 to 2009	18.4%	18.1%	16%
1999 or earlier	33.4%	25.7%	23.4%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	99.3%	97.7%	98.4%
1.01 to 1.50	0.7%	2%	1.2%
1.51 or more	0%	0.3%	0.4%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	0.4%	2.5%	7%
1 vehicle	26.2%	27.6%	34.8%
2 vehicles	48.1%	42.8%	38.3%
3 or more vehicles	25.3%	27.2%	19.8%
House heating fuel used
Gas	62.3%	81.8%	83.6%
Electricity	5.4%	5.5%	12.1%
Solar	0%	0.2%	0%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	5.4%	2.7%	0.8%
All other fuels	26.9%	9.3%	3%
No fuel used	0%	0.5%	0.5%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	0%	0.2%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	0%	0.5%	0.7%
No telephone service available	0%	0.6%	0.7%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$214,000

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Watson Township

$214,000

Allegan County

$267,100

Michigan

$231,600

Housing Cost Burden

38.4%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

38.4%

Owners without a mortgage

22.4%

Renters

63.6%

Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Watson Township	Allegan County	Michigan
Property value
Median Value	$214,000	$267,100	$231,600
Under $100,000	16.6%	12.4%	16.8%
$100,000 - $200,000	26.1%	19.8%	24.7%
$200,000 - $300,000	33.9%	25.8%	23.4%
$300,000 - $500,000	21.4%	29.8%	24.1%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	2%	9.7%	9.2%
$1,000,000 and more	0%	2.5%	1.6%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	58.4%	56.8%	57.8%
Without a mortgage	41.6%	43.2%	42.2%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,461	$1,523	$1,569
Without a mortgage	$502	$575	$602
Gross rent
Median rent	$—	$1,100	$1,129

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

17.1%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

Watson Township 17.1%

Allegan County 27.1%

Michigan 32.4%

Adults without a high school diploma

6.4%

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Watson Township 6.4%

Allegan County 7.6%

Michigan 8%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

420

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

0.7%

K–12

96.4%

College / Undergraduate

2.9%

Graduate / Professional

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

Watson Township

Allegan County

19%

Michigan

41.1%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Watson Township	Allegan County	Michigan
Total enrolled (age 3+)	420	26,223	2,312,914
Nursery / preschool	0.7%	5.8%	5.6%
K–12	96.4%	81.3%	67.9%
Kindergarten	4.5%	7%	5.2%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	24.8%	21.9%	19.7%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	30.5%	26.4%	20.8%
High School: Grades 9–12	36.7%	26%	22.2%
College or graduate school	2.9%	12.9%	26.5%
College, undergraduate	2.9%	10.7%	21.1%
Graduate, professional school	0%	2.2%	5.4%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	4%	19%	41.1%
School type
Public school	79.8%	84.9%	85.2%
Private school	20.2%	15.1%	14.8%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

1,435

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

2.1%

9th-12th, no diploma

4.3%

HS graduate

56.1%

Some college no degree

13.2%

Associates degree

7.2%

Bachelors degree

11.6%

Graduate or professional degree

5.5%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

76.7% · 23.3%

9th-12th, no diploma

82% · 18%

HS graduate

48.2% · 51.8%

Some college no degree

38.1% · 61.9%

Associates degree

56.7% · 43.3%

Bachelors degree

35.3% · 64.7%

Graduate or professional degree

39.2% · 60.8%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Watson Township	Allegan County	Michigan
Population (25+)	1,435	84,097	7,008,507
Less than 9th grade	2.1%	2.4%	2.6%
9th–12th, no diploma	4.3%	5.2%	5.4%
High school diploma or GED	56.1%	35.6%	28%
Some college, no degree	13.2%	20.9%	21.9%
Associate's degree	7.2%	8.7%	9.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	17.1%	27.1%	32.4%
Bachelor's degree	11.6%	18.1%	19.7%
Graduate or professional	5.5%	9.1%	12.7%
High School or higher	93.7%	92.4%	92.1%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$44,471

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$30,313

HS graduate

$42,500

Some college or associates

$42,237

Bachelors degree

$63,750

Graduate or professional degree

$69,375

Poverty Rate

1.6%

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

34.1%

HS graduate

19.3%

Some college or associates

8.5%

Bachelors degree or higher

1.6%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Watson Township	Allegan County	Michigan
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$44,471	$51,065	$50,316
Less than high school graduate	$30,313	$40,581	$31,851
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$42,500	$43,440	$37,777
Some college or associate's degree	$42,237	$47,809	$44,844
Bachelor's degree	$63,750	$66,444	$66,893
Graduate or professional degree	$69,375	$77,610	$85,195
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	34.1%	20.3%	27.4%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	19.3%	9.7%	15.2%
Some college or associate's degree	8.5%	6.1%	10.3%
Bachelor's degree or higher	1.6%	2.1%	4.2%

Insights for Watson Township, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

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